Ricky Boyle ’14, a math and physics major from Perry, Iowa, accepted a job offer two months before graduation.
by Jenni Hodges
When asked about his search for a job, Ricky Boyle ’14 apologized. “I don’t really have a lot to share,” he said. Boyle, who graduated with math and physics degrees from Central College, now works for Epic Systems in Madison, Wis., a leading healthcare software company.
Boyle learned about the opening at Epic through an email from Central’s career center, sent by administrative assistant Deb DeVos. “I applied, went through the process and found myself with a job by graduation,” Boyle said.
Christian Oleson ’14, who landed a job in Honduras, told a similarly short story about his search. Oleson responded to an email from career center director Pat Joachim Kitzman, interviewed with Abundant Life Christian School over Skype—then moved 2,000 miles to teach physics, algebra, pre-calculus and chemistry in a small Honduran town.
According to Kitzman, these stories are typical for many Central students—their jobs and internships seem to come about coincidentally. However, Kitzman said these placements really occur because students are actively seeking opportunities. “They seem to come out of the blue,” Kitzman said, “but they’re really the result of students living with their eyes and ears open and following through on things that sound interesting.”
“Google was my best friend…I looked everywhere for the kinds of companies I wanted to work for.” – Ricky Boyle ’14
This strategy worked for Boyle. Before he landed a job with Epic, Boyle said, “Google was my best friend. I looked at Fortune’s Top 100 companies to work for. I searched for ‘best tech companies to work for.’ I looked everywhere for the kinds of companies I wanted to work for, and then I looked for relevant positions within those companies. I had a list of probably 50 companies’ job boards.” Boyle never made it through his entire list; he accepted a technical services position at Epic two months before he graduated.
Career advisers often refer to apparently random successes as “planned happenstance.” According to this theory, job seekers can take advantage of—and even generate—unexpected career opportunities.
“This happens all the time,” Kitzman said, “when students meet an alum at homecoming, when they attend presentations that spark interest—it’s that little voice inside you that says, ‘I wonder if I could do that’ and inspires you to pursue the opportunity.”
Because many students find career paths in seemingly accidental ways, Kitzman said it is difficult to track the exact steps that lead to a position. However, the Central network helps students get to the right place at the right time, with the right assets to build their careers.
“Students are bombarded with opportunities. Good things result when they follow through.” – Pat Joachim Kitzman, career center director
Christian Oleson ’14, a Spanish and physics major from Broomfield, Colorado, was offered a teaching position at Abundant Life Christian School in Honduras.
A semester abroad in Spain was an important asset for Oleson. A physics and Spanish major, he had opportunities in Spain to observe different approaches to education, and he enjoyed the change of pace that opened his eyes for new discoveries. So, when Kitzman emailed about a job possibility in Honduras, Oleson was excited about the opportunity to use both his degrees and experience another culture.
Central’s connections in Honduras were also key to Oleson’s job placement. Jake Compaan, who recruits for Abundant Life Christian School, had previously visited Central’s campus. For the past two years, however, Compaan’s attempts to visit were prevented—first by a snowstorm, then because his schedule conflicted with Central’s spring break. So last year, Compaan invited interested Central students to contact him directly—a message that resulted in Oleson’s hiring.
For Oleson, the opportunity to teach abroad came as a surprise. For others, like Blair Berhow-Goll ‘14, a specific job opportunity guides their search. “I knew I wanted to teach abroad for some time, and I just started looking for programs,” Berhow-Goll said. “I had a list of requirements for the programs, which included small program fees, shorter program dates, fall start dates, and a program that would help me with the visa portion of the traveling and working abroad.” Berhow-Goll was offered a job in both Guatemala and Thailand, and she chose a teaching placement in Thailand with Greenheart Travel.
No matter their starting point, Kitzman said students can tap into the Central network and find career opportunities that match their interests. “Students are bombarded with opportunities,” Kitzman said. “Good things result when they follow through.”
