Mississippi State University students received sound advice on searching for a job after college during Thursday’s Hot Topics seminar sponsored by the Shackouls Honors College.
Charles Campbell, professor of economics at MSU, spoke to an audience of about 20 students on the right approaches to finding a job that will suit their needs.
Campbell said there are three approaches to finding the right job after college: targeting what students are looking for, networking to find the right connections in the field and postgraduate entrepreneurship involving students starting their own businesses.
“Each [approach] works differently and varies depending on the job and the job seeker,” Campbell said during the lecture. “Before you begin to look, figure out if you are going to search for a specific firm or company and job position within that company.”
The Shackouls Honors College holds monthly Hot Topics seminars in Griffis Residence Hall featuring an expert speaker for each month’s topic. Although the monthly lectures mainly cater to freshmen in the honors college anyone can attend.
“As a freshman, job opportunities are less of a concern, but one day [that concern] will be right in front of me,” freshman biological engineering major Emily Nations said. “Hearing a professional like Dr. Campbell give his opinion and speak about jobs will definitely help me in the future.”
Sophomore political science and English major Laura Elizabeth Tate said one great aspect of Hot Topics is that the honors college is able to bring professors like Campbell to speak on critical issues facing students and their futures.
“Bringing these types of people into a small setting like this helps students, especially freshmen, realize what is out there and to have expert advice to guide them [in] upcoming years is extremely helpful” she said.
Campbell said Hot Topics is a wonderful idea with a small group atmosphere in which students are able to listen and ask more questions than they would in a classroom setting.
“I told my students in class that I was coming to talk about job searching and provide some knowledge, and they asked if I would do something like that for them,” Campbell said.
Tate, who is an organizer for Hot Topics, said students will have many more opportunities to attend sessions. He said students interested in attending the next seminar should contact the Shackouls Honors College at 325-2522.