Zavia Pittman
Staff Writer
We love it here, and we just want more people to join our team!
One of the main reasons we decide to go down the sometimes treacherous road that is a college education is the hope for a good job. After all the classes and assignments, we just want a job that we don’t despise and that pays us a livable wage. Alas, a college degree isn’t enough for a lot of employers nowadays, and most of them seemingly want you to have experience right out of the womb. So, even with a degree, the cards are stacked against us. Luckily, most colleges see the stacked deck and try to get a leg up.
Sometimes though, it doesn’t feel like one…
You may have been encouraged to visit the Career and Professional Development Center, or you have at least gotten emails telling you about potential employers coming here to speak with students. These events are great ways to meet people who are already established in their field, and they can provide you with some decent advice for your journey. However, during these chats, you may feel something else in the air other than opportunity. Maybe it’s the same feeling you get from talking to a used car salesman or when you go into a store with no intention of buying anything but you come out with the whole store in hand.
Occasionally, these industry professionals and recruiters seem a bit too excited to get people to join their company. They may have the same spiel where they talk about how great the company is and how they love working there. And that may very well be true, but some seem to be deceptive. Later on in the talk or when questions arise, you start to get into the fine print, like where you’ll be starting in the company and what benefits you may be excluded from. Or, even worse, how if the employer happens to be out of state, they won’t be helping you out with relocation expenses (some do, but a lot don’t).
Most of us are desperate to get a job as soon as we get out of college, and many of these recruiters are aware of this. We may be so desperate that we latch on to the first job that comes along, especially when it’s been advertised to us with a rose-colored filter. Details as significant as a lack of diversity and inclusion could be lost, while what’s served at the company cafeteria is the highlight of the conversation. It is important to not get caught up in the shiny exterior of the car and take a look inside for a change. And even though employers should want to be transparent with potential employees, many of them seek to lean on the power imbalance between them and the student. After all, they’re paying us, right?
Well, it’s not that simple.
Yes, we may be broke college students searching for two pennies to rub together, but employers need us just as much, if not more, than we need them. We are students full of creative potential, and any employer would be lucky to have that. Today, people can decide to be self-employed or work for a company (both of which are valid decisions), so if you decide to work for a company, they better make it worth your while. You are the prize and you shouldn’t settle for anything less than what you’re worth. And that may sound cocky, but I see it as self-assurance. The job hunt is tough, and there are plenty of people who want you to give in through that adversity, but remember your worth and remember that there are businesses willing to meet you where you are.
THE CAROLINIAN 
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