In the face of a grim economic outlook, many students and alumni are starting to panic about their job prospects taking a nosedive. While career experts across campus emphasize that a Cornell degree still holds value in the marketplace, many are stepping up their efforts to help job-seekers with new initiatives.

"It may be tougher to find a job," said Rebecca Sparrow, director of Cornell Career Services (CCS), "but our students are going to find jobs."

"We're trying to be proactive, because this is a difficult time for some of our graduates," said Elizabeth Peck, director of the Law School's career services office.

"Anything we can do to help [alumni] and to continue to demonstrate the value of the Johnson School and Cornell community is extremely important," said Randy Allen, Johnson School associate dean for corporate relations. "And if we're going to ask them to help us, we need to help them, too."

Students aiming for financial-sector careers are the hardest hit. Of the top 10 to 12 employers hiring Cornell graduates from the undergraduate schools and colleges in the past several years, about six, such as Wall Street's Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch, are being absorbed by other firms. "Suddenly students see those opportunities crumble away," Sparrow said.

Economic crisis plays out at ILR career fair
The downturn in the economy is playing out in a number of ways across campus. At the ILR School, for example, this fall's career fair this month drew 40 employers, mostly corporate, a 15 percent from a year ago drop from last year, said Regina Duffey Moravek, director of the ILR Office of Career Services. Non-profit and government employers typically do most of their recruiting in the spring, she said.

"Student anxiety is high, but we still have a really healthy" job search market, said Duffey Moravek.

Career opportunities in financial services might have dropped in recent months, she said, but demand continues for students with skills in human resource, labor relations and labor management. Some at the fair speculated that large corporations continue to fill jobs through recruitment in anticipation of baby boomer retirements in coming years, despite the downturn in employment overall.

Anasstassia Baichorova, Teach for America recruitment director, said the economic slowdown will probably help her attract up to 80 Cornell seniors -- up from 44 in 2008 -- for two-year stints teaching inner-city students. Despite the economy, corporations and graduate schools continue to offer two-year placeholders to Teach for America volunteers, she said.

Lauren Wein, ILR '09, said some students are skeptical about job offers extended during these tense economic times. Some wonder, she said, "Is it going to be there in May?"

Duffey Moravek noted that policies written by Cornell Career Services and followed by the ILR Office of Career Services "help ensure employers will not rescind" and include penalties for rescinding offers to students.

Those willing to shift their goals for job titles, employer choice and geography have a better shot at employment. "Students need to be thinking about all the ways they can be flexible," she said. "If they don't, the cost may be a longer job search."

Students' employment prospects were a focus during Cornell Trustee/Council Weekend, Oct. 16-18, said Susan Murphy, vice president for student and academic services. "There's a lot of stress out there for students," she said. "There was discussion all weekend about what alumni can do."

Alumni are key partners in the Law School's efforts, says the career services office's Peck. When Heller-Ehrman, one of the West Coast's largest law firms, recently went out of business, the Law School's office of career services reached out to eight alumni at the firm who were losing their jobs. Teaming up with the school's alumni affairs staff, they provided those lawyers who requested help with contacts to influential alumni. The school also worked to find new jobs for three 2008 graduates slated to begin work at the law firm.

The Johnson School has launched several career initiatives this year, said L. Joseph Thomas, the Anne and Elmer Lindseth Dean of the Johnson School, who noted that placement is now at the top of the school's goals.

"We are concerned about the job market this year," he said, "and the Johnson School has invested in new personnel and initiatives to help both our students and alumni. We have added people with specialties in a few popular career areas, and we have invested in additional career counseling and preparation."

The school is providing intensive job-interview and job-search coaching for second-year students, which has so far attracted about 45 students, said associate dean Allen. And a new program, Johnson School Coaches, matches students with alumni willing to coach students on resumes, cover letters and job searches. A new Johnson School Web site, "Why Hire a Johnson MBA," will supplement a direct-mail campaign targeted at corporations of all sizes, Allen said. Eventually, a similar site will focus on alumni and the Executive MBA program.

A new program called Johnson Jobs is also helping alumni network through the university's listserv capabilities. Using MBA Focus, a provider of resume database services for top MBA programs, the school has added a resume-book section specifically for alumni that reaches more than 60 companies and 2,500 recruiters. Alumni career coaching is also available, with fees waived through June 30.

Networking opportunities
Interested in helping current students with their career exploration and job search in a difficult economy? Cornell Career Services can suggest ways you can make a difference!" http://www.career.cornell.edu/alumni/default.html

CCS, though, hasn't seen an uptick in alumni requests for advice -- yet.

"We will see an increase in the coming months," predicted director Sparrow. Although most of CCS's job-search services are aimed at first-time job seekers, the office has extensive online resources applicable to any career stage. They include the Cornell CareerNet system, which posts jobs submitted to Cornell geared toward current students and alumni with up to five years experience.

At the College of Arts and Sciences, the career services office on Nov. 4 will introduce a program on how to look for work independently, called "Effective Job Search Strategies in a Tight Job Market." And College of Engineering alumni can call on that college's co-op and career services office for one-hour phone conversations about job searching, from thinking through strategies to resume critiques, said director Mark Savage. "We can help them get on the right track."

Both students and alumni can do themselves a favor by remembering that each job is simply preparation for the next, said Sparrow. "Regardless of what path you're on, it's going to be a zigzag -- not a straight line."