Faculty Staff Q&A

Daniel J. Ryan is UB's new director of the Office of Career Planning and Placement. Formerly assistant director of the Career Center at Canisius College, he writes a regular column for Business First on career-development and job-search issues.

You're new to UB. What's the university's greatest asset?

It may sound clichˇ, but without hesitation, I would say "the people." I continue to be impressed with the quality of the student body, and, of course, the quality of the faculty and staff.

Its greatest handicap?

The university's biggest weakness, in my opinion, is not quite an inferiority complex, but that it doesn't quite seem to grasp its worth to the Western New York community and to the world. I guess I expected to experience more of what is usually called "school spirit." Athletics may boost that spirit as we move to Division I, however, you would think that with a Nobel prize-winner on campus, you wouldn't have to rely as heavily on athletics.

Tell us about a couple of your plans for UB.

Nothing too grandiose, but short- term I expect that the UB Office of Career Planning and Placement will be the recognized leader throughout New York State, and, within the next 2-3 years, in the country. There are some very talented people on our staff, and we are already at the forefront in many areas. My goal is to be both "high-tech" and "high-touch" in our interactions with students, faculty and employers.

It's hard enough to prepare students at a small college like Canisius for their job search. How do you make sure those at a large university like UB are ready for the hunt?

The key is to be visible to students, and to reach them early and often. I am excited about the prospect of working with Heather Holmes, the director of new student programs, to reach students and their parents as they enter the university. Collaboration with other offices, like admissions and academic advising, and, of course, with individual faculty and departments is key to preparing students for the transition from college into the world of work or graduate school.

This was supposed to be a good year for new graduates to find jobs, but a lot of them are still unemployed, and all of the openings seem to be at fast-food restaurants. What's up?

They say that perception is reality, and one of our biggest tasks is to change perceptions. In the next 30 days, we will be visited by Microsoft, Proctor & Gamble, EDS, IBM, Motorola, Kodak, Lockheed Martin and scores of other Fortune 500 companies, all looking to hire UB students. And none of them will be hiring for "French Fry Technicians"! Many students find that it takes them much longer to find a job than they had anticipated. As a liberal-arts grad, I know that many of my fellow students took years to find a job in a career that they enjoyed. The biggest hurdle that they had to overcome was that they had not begun to seriously think about their careers until they had crossed the stage at graduation. That lack of focus becomes evident in job interviews, and leads to candidates being passed over in favor of those who are able to clearly communicate their interest in the position.

What advice would you give to UB graduates seeking their first job?

The time you spend planning your job search will pay off in the end. To begin a search without having gone through some serious introspection and self-assessment is to invite months of rejection and depression. Only after you understand your strengths (and your weaknesses) can you successfully communicate to potential employers how you might be able to help them.

Has the bottom dropped out of the job market for computer-science grads?

Far from it, actually. Cobol programmers are in particularly high demand, given the problems associated with the conversion of countless programs before the deadline of Jan. 1, 2000. In addition, people with a knowledge of C++, Java and other programming languages are also in high demand.

What's the secret to a successful job interview?

I believe that the secret is to connect with the interviewer as an individual. Most candidates interviewed for a position have already met some threshold of qualifications. Obviously, you need to prepare for the interview by researching the company and by anticipating questions and preparing answers to them. However, most hiring decisions are made on a "gut-feel" basis, and positions are offered to candidates who the employer feels will "fit in" best in the organization.

What jobs are hot right now?

There is high demand in computer science, electrical engineering, accounting, physical therapy and occupational therapy.

Have you noticed a different attitude or expectations about job-seeking among Generation Xers as compared to the baby-boom generation?

There are huge differences between someone born in 1946 and someone born in 1976. I think one of the biggest differences is found in the expectations about work (how often do you hear about someone calling in sick the day after a Tony Bennett concert?). People born at the beginning of the baby-boom grew up and saw their parents (usually their fathers) retire after 40 years at the same company and get the proverbial gold watch. Students who are graduating this year at 22 may have seen both parents make significant job changes, perhaps changing employers several times. Sometimes this was their parents' choice, and sometimes it may have been the result of a layoff or downsizing. So perhaps the change in outlook from generation to generation is more the result of the changes in the workplace.

How is technology going to change the nature of the job search?

It already has. No longer are people sending the same generic resumˇ to all employers. Word processing programs and laser printers available at public libraries give applicants the opportunity to target each resumˇ to a specific employer. Desktop video conferencing allows our students to come to our office in 259 Capen Hall and interview with an employer sitting at a desk in Redmond, Calif. Students and alumni around the globe can visit our homepage on the World Wide Web, (http://www.ub-careers.buffalo.edu/career/) and search job listings, or link to an employer like Enterprise Rent-a-Car and apply for a job online. Employers can visit our site and download resumˇs of students and alumni too!

What's the most unusual job that you have held?

Well, I'm not sure it is all that unusual, but I worked for Sunshine's Supermarket for four years, and bagged groceries for Mitch Miller, and sold Italian sausage to Cher and Greg Allman!