Class Years and Career Developments

“Get the CDC to look it over! They’re really helpful!”

And so I went. The first time I went was during drop-in hours, for one of those fifteen-minute slots. Since I heard great things about the Career Development Center at Mount Holyoke, I figured it couldn’t really hurt. Get a head start on my resume and cover letter (also known as finally having a real resume now that I have an acclaimed college education), and prove to my mother the wonderful merits of Mount Holyoke College. I had it all planned out.

The CDC building at Mount Holyoke College

The Career Development Center at Mount Holyoke is certainly something else. With frequent email updates about weekly workshops and frequent events, it seems to be an excellent resource for students looking to advance their academic profile, search for internships, and polish their professional skills.

Unfortunately, this amazing resource seems to be exclusive among the upper three classes. First years, on the other hand, are generally left on their own.

When I walked in, the general atmosphere reminded me of a high executive office: competent, organized, and so, so aloof. It was almost intimidating to walk up to the reception desk—managed by students, no less—and tell them of my appointment. The worst part was when I mentioned my class year, because the subsequent reaction was one of professionally masked resignation: here comes another first-year looking for something she can’t attain!

I’m not the only one. While sophomore friends praise the CDC to high heavens, my fellow classmates of 2016 share in my sense of helplessness.

“I went in, and when I told them I was a first-year looking for a summer internship they pretty much told me it was impossible and ignored me.”

I went through with the appointment, although the results leave much to be desired. While I sought for in-depth and concrete advice on improving the content of my resume, I received advice on how to polish a resume and boost its presentation and none on what I really needed. Though I appreciate the nitpicking of grammar and the art of the English language, I was ultimately unsatisfied with the “revised” resume.

I visited the CDC one more time; perhaps my first time was just an anomaly? Yet the atmosphere was the same uncomfortable we-only-help-people-who-have-a-chance, and the advice I received didn’t differ much. When I told them I was looking into career fairs, I received skeptic reactions from several CDC workers. I felt penalized for taking initiative.

“Don’t ask the CDC; you’re on your own,” a senior said to me several times. “Here’s what I did my first year if you want to look into it.”

For those of you wondering about the CDC’s merits, then know that your class year speaks a lot to them, even if you don’t think it should matter as much. It’s astounding how rigid the class year can define you in a more professional environment. At the end of day, however, the CDC can only do so much. You should always rely on yourself for your own growth and development.