In Depth: Closer look at issues in upcoming Lawrenceville SGA elections
Finding a Job After Rider
By JP Krahel
“I am confident I will be able to find a job with what Rider has given me.” This is an issue highlighted on the Lawrenceville SGA Student Satisfaction Survey. For once in my Rider News career, I’m stumped on how to feel about an issue, mostly because it’s far too complicated to be solved with a single check box on a survey, which appears right below “I like the new Rider University logo.” Let’s take a look at what the survey is really asking.
The reason behind this survey is obvious: Lawrenceville SGA elections are coming up and candidates need to know what issues to address in order to appeal to students. Certainly, student government can and often should be a source of student influence on school policy and administration.
In the hands of a capable leader, any concern could find a spot on the school’s agenda if voiced by enough students. We then have to ask another question: What, if anything, could student government or, indeed, the top brass at Rider, do to improve the situation?
As far as I can tell, two basic requirements need to be met for anyone, in any walk of life, to get a job. The guy pounding the pavement and the employer looking for help have to be made aware of one another and they both have to make a good impression on one another. So, what has Rider been doing to make this happen for you?
It doesn’t matter if you’re the next Shakespeare unless there’s a publisher who at least knows your name. Having attended several Career Days, I’d say Rider does a more than adequate job of making sure every student who wants a job has at least a shot at a meet and greet with recruitment people from local and national businesses.
We also have a Career Services department with counselors who will help students and recent graduates find jobs. I really don’t see how student government can improve on this formula. If you want to get a crack at an interview, you’ll get it, plain and simple.
That brings us to the second requirement. I highly doubt that SGA members will be expected to make potential employers more appealing to Rider students. The issue, then, is how well the University is doing at making us more appealing to them.
Once again, I’d say Rider is genuinely holding up its end of the bargain. We have internships and co-op programs available, giving students real-world experience and excellent padding for otherwise academically-focused résumés.
Having had experience in both the English department and the accounting department, I believe it’s fair for me to say that there are job-focused curricula across the board at Rider.
Student teaching is mandatory for education majors. Communication majors have The Rider News, RUN and WRRC. This is not a school that is lacking in opportunities for self-motivated people.
So what would it mean if you checked “strongly disagree” on that box on the SGA survey? I don’t mean to judge, but it’s probably not something your elected representatives have any business fixing.
