Adam Kaplan worked as an advertising designer for almost 20 years. Throughout that time he moved from job to job, but was always able to find one.

As the economy crumbled, Kaplan, a Syracuse University alumnus, lost the job he had held for a year along with 60 of his co-workers.

Soon after, he started to job hunt and he said he was shocked by how hard the process is now.

‘It was certainly eye-opening,’ Kaplan said. ‘I was polished, my résumé was great, but I was sorely mistaken. I can’t explain to you how bleak the job market is.’

He took a friend’s suggestion and contacted the SU Center for Career Services for help. Mike Cahill, director of Career Services, said the center has seen an almost 100 percent increase in interactions with alumni this year – and he expects it to keep growing.

Career Services has focused its attention on helping older alumni learn to network and coaching them through the job hunt.

Kelly Lux, the Alumni Programs Coordinator, said she is astounded by the number of alumni that have contacted her for help since the downfall of the economy this year.

‘I started this job last June and it’s been an upward curve ever since,’ Lux said. ‘I don’t see it leveling off any time soon.’

The most efficient way for older graduates to re-enter the job market is to continue to try and network, Lux said.

‘The thing I get most asked for is help with networking,’ Lux said. ‘The vast majority of people get jobs because they know someone.’

When Kaplan contacted Career Services, Lux gave him the networking basics.

‘Kelly made sure I was introduced to people and she put in a real effort to check in on me every single week,’ Kaplan said. ‘It was impressive.’

To help alumni network, Career Services uses networking sites such as LinkedIn and OrangeLink, a database accessible to SU students and alumni that lists job and internship opportunities. It has also organized popular networking events across the country, Lux said.

SUccess in the City is one of the most popular events it holds, and the demand for them is rising. The event is meant to give new graduates a chance to network with established alumni in their area, but is now another way for alumni themselves to get connected. Lux said these types of events have at least doubled in attendance in every city this year.

The event has been held in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Syracuse and San Francisco. The most recent one was held in New York City on Sept. 17. More than 300 people registered – so many that the Career Center is already considering holding another conference in New York later this year.

Career Services also created the Mentor @ SU program to connect new students to established alumni.

‘Recently, it’s been used by more seasoned alumni because of the job market,’ Lux said. ‘There’s a whole new population of people coming to network.’

Aleksandra Korobov graduated from SU after getting her masters in higher education administration in 2009. Korobov used the Mentor @ SU program to get in touch with people who are working in her fields of interest – one of which is career services.

‘People are getting jobs in this economy not just by having a good résumé, but through people they know,’ Korobov said. ‘I was able to conduct information interviews. You can find someone who does what you want to do. It’s never a bad idea to contact that person to find out what their journey was like.’

Most alumni just need coaching for the job searching process and support in their venture. Cahill, director of Career Services, emphasized that most of the time alumni are just reexamining what they want in life from their careers.

They are looking to transition jobs in order to find meaning and purpose, Cahill said, which is where Career Services can help.

Miriam Korn Haimes, an SU alumna, turned to Career Services for advice after being laid off from a position she held at JPMorgan Chase for 23 years.

Haimes said the way the center has helped her most is simply by supporting her.

‘I think it has been very helpful with talking through how I’m conducting my job search and just being supportive,’ Haimes said. ‘Looking for a job today, you need the support of other people … they want to help and I think that’s a big part of it.’

mmamisan@syr.edu

Published on October 7, 2009 at 12:00 pm