As the unemployment rate continues to climb, Ohio State is experiencing a decrease in its campus recruiting by employers and in the number of internships companies offer. In order to obtain a job or an internship, students must now go above and beyond creating a good resumé.

“The number of employers coming to campus has been decreasing steadily throughout this particular school year,” said Scott Kustis, program manager in the Career Services Office for the Colleges of the Arts and Sciences. “We’re seeing, if I had to put a number on it, anywhere between a 10 to 20 percent drop in the number of companies that are doing on-campus recruiting.” The number of career fairs, however, has remained the same.

According to Kustis, the decline is not limited to the Colleges of the Arts and Sciences. “From the word-of-mouth that I’ve heard … it’s been pretty much campus-wide,” he said.

In the Fisher College of Business, “The internship fair in the fall was down about 35 to 40 percent,” said Pamela Park-Curry, director of Undergraduate Career Consultation & Programs in the Office of Career Management.

Kustis confirmed this trend in the College of the Arts and Sciences. He has found that many internship programs have been downsized and in some cases eliminated altogether. “There are a lot of students out there seeking internships, and there are just fewer internships per company that are available for this summer,” he said.

In a competitive job market, Kustis suggests taking steps beyond constructing a strong resumé. In order to demonstrate knowledge and interest, students should research companies prior to career fairs, networking events or information sessions, he said.

“A lot of times you get that typical liberal arts major that is just throwing a resumé out to anything, seeing what might stick. Recruiters sense that,” Kustis said.

“We’re finding, say at a career fair, that a student will go up to an employer and say, ‘So, what kind of opportunities do you have?’ and that’s just the kiss of death right there,” Kustis said. “In the same way they say that sometimes it takes 10 seconds for them to scan the resume to see it it’s a good fit, sometimes in only 15 or 20 seconds, they’ll know whether or not somebody has done their homework.”

Both Park-Curry and Kustis emphasized the importance of starting the process early. In fact, some companies that came to OSU in October were recruiting for June graduates. “They are done,” Kustis said. “They are not coming back.

“When they are on campus, that means they may be recruiting for the entire year: jobs, internships, the whole bit,” he said.

For freshmen and sophomores, Park-Curry recommends getting involved in activities at OSU but still preparing for the future. Think ahead, she said, by developing leadership skills and other skill sets.

“[Companies] know that as a first-year student you may not be able to get an internship,” Kustis said, “but they do expect that you can go to a nonprofit organization and volunteer. They expect that you can join clubs and organizations on campus.”

Lauren Kiracofe, a fifth-year student studying medical dietetics, offered similar advice to underclassmen about starting early and planning ahead. “Enjoy the time you have,” she said, “but don’t completely push this aside until two months before graduation.”

Kiracofe has sent out about five to 10 resumes thus far. For her, the job search process has not been an overwhelming one. “I’m at the next stage of my life,” she said. “It’s just one of those things I know I’m ready for.”

However, for those students struggling in any phase of the search, Career Connection offers a variety of resources.

“Our career counselors assist students with pretty much any career issue – for example, how to explore what you want to do, how to articulate your experiences,” said Christina A. Rideout, director of Career Connection and Psychologist for Counseling and Consultation Services at the Younkin Success Center in an e-mail.

At OSU, career services offices are located in each college. “All the career services offices have mock interview services,” Kustis said. “We expect that they’re going to start to be more utilized than they were in the past.”

By using these services, Kustis believes that students can enhance their chances of finding a job regardless of major. “There’s no reason why a humanities major or a social sciences major shouldn’t be able to market themselves,” he said.

A study by the National Association of Colleges and Employers found that “undergraduate majors with ‘technical’ skills command the most attention in today’s job market.”

However, Kustis does not see this as an issue.

“You talk to executives in any company and they’ll say, ‘On our board of directors, so-and-so was a psychology major, and this person was an English major, and somebody was poli sci, and someone over there was accounting,” Kustis said. “At all levels of the company, they realize that talent could come from anywhere.”

Krista Henneck can be reached at [email protected].