Ellington

While Career Discovery Week is certainly aimed at those who are unsure about their possible career interests, it still has plenty to offer those who might already know their career goals.

“Career Week has grown and grown every year; it now has over 150 events, which is very exciting for everyone,” said Derek Belt, a communications and media relations specialist with the UW Alumni Association.

Graduating students looking for jobs, upperclassmen interested in finding internships and returning alumni will find seminars and fairs geared toward them.

For those who already know what field they are going into, there are events planned for specific majors, such as the “Environmental Career Fair.”

Seniors considering graduate school will also find suitable events, such as the “Exploring the MBA Option” seminar. There are also workshops on resumé and cover letter building, which are expected to have a high turnout.

“[Those events] get a lot of attention from seniors, no question,” Belt said.

Career Discovery Week also caters to alumni, offering several alumni-specific events. With the current economic downturn, organizers have taken the opportunity to help alumni who have been laid off, are switching careers or have lessened job security. Workshops such as “The Most Important Thing You’ll Need for Success in a Tight Job Market” have been tailored specifically to returning alumni.

Students who have taken advantage of these events have found them helpful.

Senior Christian Jenkins, who attended the panel discussion “What Can You Do With a Major in Drama,” warned students of the dangers of not taking advantage of these great opportunities.

“There are lots of areas out there after graduation that are good to look into now, rather than wait and try to recover later if things don’t go as planned,” he said.

The UW Drama Department’s senior seminar assistant advisor, David Garfinkle, also urged students to take advantage of Career Week events. Garfinkle believes that it is important for students to hear from those who were in their place 10 years ago and now have careers they enjoy.

“It’s helpful to not only understand future goals, but also realistic and practical steps that can be taken to get there,” Garfinkle said.

Even though CDW has strived to provide something useful for all students at all stages of thier development, some students just don’t find attending the seminars worth their time. When asked why she didn’t plan to attend, senior Kendra Cherry confessed that it didn’t rank very high on her list of priorities.

“I work, I volunteer and of course I have classes ... and I already know what I want to do [after graduation],” she said.

Reach contributing writer Chelsea Heniges at news@dailyuw.com.