Alumni association helping graduates with job search

Aside from helping students find internships, research opportunities, and jobs after graduation, Tufts Career Services has been improving its efforts to counsel and network with recent alumni

"Over the last few years Tufts Career Services has seen an increasing demand from alumni for career assistance," said Director of Career Services, Jean Papalia. "Last year the staff of Career Services saw 380 alumni for individual appointments, an increase of 88 percent from two years prior."

This increased demand is attributed mostly to the current job market, and "to media coverage about alumni seeking help from their alma maters," Papalia said.

Although some positive economic reports have been published recently, the job market remains weak. Unemployment is at 5.8 percent in Massachusetts, while the National unemployment rate stands at six percent, or 8.8 million unemployed workers.

In response, the Alumni Association and Career Services have taken action. Director of Alumni Relations Tim Brooks helps alumni looking for higher level employment opportunities.

A new position of assistant director of Career Services was created this summer, with Leslie Warner filling the position.

Warner's position was created by the Career Services committee of the Tufts University Alumni Association (TUAA), in conjunction with Tufts Career Services. With the hiring of Warner, the Tufts Alumni Career Services now offers a range of resources to help alumni in career transitions and, more generally, the management of their careers.

"Warner brings more than ten years' experience designing and delivering career counseling services to a wide range of job seekers in many industries," Papalia said. "She fills a new position devoted exclusively to alumni career counseling."

Warner is available to alumni for appointments, but in addition to these one-on-one career coaching sessions, Warner's job also includes expanding the Tufts Career Network, which is comprised of over 4,000 alumni who have volunteered to provide both students and alumni advice on career fields, job search, grad schools, relocation and more.

Alumni with businesses can fill out a form alertering any job seeking alumni that the companies might be hiring. Brian McCarthy (LA '75) registered his Los Angeles law firm, Skadden Arps Slate Margher online.

"I filled out an information sheet online last year," McCarthy said, "and have been happy to help out the alumni who have contacted me. I think it is a great system."

Alumni Career Services is cosponsoring a speech on Dec 2 entitled "How to 'crack' a tough job market" for alumni and students having trouble finding a job. The speech will be cosponsored with the Association of Tufts Alumnae and Boston Tufts Alliance.

This semester, Warner helped develop two networking and career programs specifically for alumni in Boston, and plans underway for similar spring programs in Boston, New York City, and Washington, DC. Warner hopes that her programs will expand the Tufts Career Network, and give help to the many alumni who are searching for a job or are undergoing a career transition.