When should I start looking for a jobs? is the question that’s at the top of the FAQ list for Lynn Downie, associate director of Career and Professional Development (CPD) at Presbyterian College.

Her answer — ”Companies are looking NOW for jobs that are open in May” — might be a terrifying statement of fact or or a message a senior is hearing for the first time, but either way, the sooner students “get the memo” the better off they’ll be.  

Graduation and the subsequent career search are stressful for seniors but particularly tough for those who haven’t prepared to tackle the job market. There’s such a  long list of tasks to accomplish—from researching grad programs to drafting a resume, interview preparation, networking, and more — that it’s almost an invitation to procrastination. 

But fear not, seniors. Help is on the way. CPD has organized a series of weekly drop-in events to take place on Fridays from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Each event spotlights a different task and allows students to make progress on their career search. 

“Career Fun Fridays came about because I kept seeing students who put off talking to [CPD] until their last semester, in large part because of anxiety about how big a step it is,” Downie said. The anxiety of career preparation often leads students to wait until second-semester senior year to meet with CPD—and at that point, the overwhelming list of things to do “then encourages waiting until after graduation.”

Procrastination is the hurdle CPD seeks to overcome with Career Fun Fridays. The idea, Downie says, is to educate students without overloading them with information. Each event is co-sponsored by a partner campus organization, and this allows CPD to offer fun treats for students to grab on their way out. 

“Career Fun Fridays is a way to encourage students to build a relationship with us, to ask questions as they arise, and to become familiar with key parts of the job search process, such as resumes, interviews, networking, and more,” Downie added. But the first step should be learning the hiring timeline for the companies that interest them. Knowing this will help students “have more competitive application materials.”

Christina Julien, a senior at PC who serves as the Pepsi Campus Ambassador, is a fan:  “Career and Professional Development has great resources to help you with career readiness, but the first step is to set up a meeting,” she said. Julien co-sponsored the Career Fun Friday event that took place on September 10th, at which she handed out refreshing Pepsi beverages to students who attended the event. 

Both Downie and Julien encouraged students to begin preparing for their career search by attending the weekly Career Fun Friday events hosted by CPD, and by setting up a meeting with one of the staff members to discuss next steps. 

“CPD has helped me prepare for life after PC, and I would encourage every student to reach out to them during their time at PC. Seniors are at the top of that list!” Julien said. 

“Use the resources your tuition pays for  —many schools do not have the level of career-readiness support which is available to students at Presbyterian College,” Downie added. “You have a built-in career support team right here on campus: Laurens Second Floor!”

Students interested in scheduling an appointment with a CPD staff member can sign-up for a time on their meet-the-staff webpage at https://www.presby.edu/campus-life/career-professional-development/our-staff/