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So what ya Gonna do with ya Degree

I am usually inclined to take with a pinch of salt the not infrequent comment by final year students that they "didn't know the Careers Advisory Committee existed" Certainly anyone who has read this far can be assured that it is alive and well, in 6 Kelburn Parade. Unless by publication date the little, old brown labels on the front of this house have been exchanged for a big, new brown label, you could be forgiven for thinking that a rather faded "Careers Advisory Board" resides within. It doesn't: The Board went out of existence last year.

Phoenix-like, arose the Careers Advisory Service.

What does it do? If you are one of the 2,000 or so students who used the Vacation Work Service last summer, you'll have some idea of at least one of our facilities, and if you use the (adjacent) Accommodation Service, you may have browsed through our permanent display of casual, temporary, part-time and "career" job vacancies.

But, as the name of the Service implies, its main function is an advisory one, concerned with vocational guidance and job-getting. This does not mean that we hand out pre-packed chunks of wisdom to those about to leave this establishment; nor does it mean that we can unreservedly guarantee to "fix you up" with a job. What it means is that at any stage of study — but preferably earlier than your last term here — you have the opportunity of discussing your ideas for the future (or lack of them!) in an informal and sympathetic setting, and receiving information about a wide range of possibilities.

Another not-infrequent comment by finalists and graduates following an advisory interview, runs along the lines — "I wish someone had told me all this earlier in my degree. . ." because it would have affected choice of subjects/the motivation to get on with the degree — or whatever. Students of all subjects, however convinced of the breadth or narrowness of career outlets, usually have something to learn about their prospects — or simply about the mechanics of applying for a job; letters of application, interviews and so on

If you are approaching the end of your studies at Vic and have a niggling suspicion that you should be doing something about getting a job, here's a suggestion or two.

• Come in at any [unclear: tiie] for a browse through the information in the Careers Library. You might want to look up opportunities in computing or in the media or with specific employers — Ford, State Services, BNZ, VSA etc. You can pick up a free copy of the "Careers Directory for Graduates" or borrow the equivalent directories for Australia and Britian.
• Complete a brief personal information sheet, and have a chat with the Careers Advisor: it pays to bounce around a few ideas with someone outside your immediate circle of friends, relations and tutors. (If you time it right, you might get a cup of tea or coffee as well!)
• Start thinking about the "Milkround" —the annual visiation of employers to campus, which will take place between 9 July and 10 August. Preliminary information (not bookings) is now available: about 70 employers of all types participate.
• Put your name on the mailing list to receive our fortnightly "Current Vacancies" jobsheet. It's a useful device for gaining insight on the range of currently available "graduate" jobs and contains brief editorial advice of closing dates and other information.

First and second year students are welcome to use particularly the advisory and careers information services.

There is every indication that those who delay longest the process of sorting out a direction for themselves are the ones most likely to become the casualties of the employment market. There is an information and advisory service covering every type of employment and postgraduate training, right here on campus. Use it.