Graduation 2009.(EDITORIAL)

Spring is always an exciting time in academia. As I write this, we're in the middle of final exams and many students are realizing, some for the first time, that their college careers are almost over. Graduation is looming, and the real world awaits. I really enjoying watching the kids grow and mature (sometimes) during their four (or more) years here, so we're all happy for different reasons. Indeed, one of the things I most enjoy about my job is the sense of closure I feel at the end of each semester. Even though next semester might find me teaching the same course or the same students, it's still a new beginning. When I was on active duty, I can remember the feeling that no problem was ever really permanently solved; it just rolled around again a few years later for the "new" people to deal with anew.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Needless to say, the graduates this year are facing one of the tightest job markets in years. I've read that more students around the nation are going directly on to graduate school, or even purposely failing classes to prolong the inevitable. Some of my students are even electing AFROTC as an option, a choice few of them made just five years ago. And yet, despite the gloom and doom, organizations ARE hiring. The fact that there are so many more applicants for these positions places a real burden on graduates to make sure they do everything they can to make themselves stand out from the crowd. I'm not talking about stunts like wearing a tutu to the interview, but simple things like making sure their resumes are accurate and error free. We advertised an open administrative position, and the department chair received more than 300 applications! The first thing he did was to quickly screen them for typographical errors, and he was able disqualify 125 on that basis alone. Though that may seem harsh, what do typos in a person's resume say about their administrative skills?

Another thing I urge my students to do is to discard any biases regarding location, job level, or anything else that might limit their job searches. As you might expect, many times students want to remain in Charleston. I can totally understand their feelings, but Charleston is a pretty small town. Ironically, transportation and logistics graduates have a better chance of finding a job here than just about anyone else other than those who majored in hospitality and tourism management. But advancement is somewhat limited and pay is lower, so new hires either have to put a monetary value on remaining in Charleston (ie, quantifying psychic income) or figure on getting moved at some point anyway. A much smarter choice is for someone to find the very best job possible, regardless of location, then work their way back to Charleston as advancement and seniority accrue.

Finally, I try to reassure my students that we have gone through down periods like this before, although I'll be the first to admit that this is one of the worst most of us have ever seen. I firmly believe things will improve in the next year or two. Global trade will resume with a vengeance and transportation/logistics graduates will again be in demand. I realize that's easy for me to say because I have a job, but I believe that proactive students can find one as well. It may not be their dream job, but it could place them in an excellent position once the economy rebounds, to find that job, whatever or wherever it may be. That said, I want to wish the Class of 2009 all the best.

Dr. Kent N. Gourdin, Editor DTJ

Director, Global Logistics and Transportation Program College of Charleston

Print Get the Mag Weekly Updates