Current Search Status and Alumni Career Search Resources

Almost unbelievably, we are within weeks of the end of the school year. For graduating students, this is, of course, quite a bittersweet time as the end of one experience gives way to the excitement and uncertainty of another. Graduating during such historical economic times will forever be one of the marks of the graduates of 2009. Conducting a job search during times like this has been a momentous challenge. The grace and dedication with which so very many of you have handled this adversity and with which you continue to work toward your goals has been nothing short of inspirational for those of us in Career Services and in Student Affairs broadly. You represent the best that Ross has to teach and it is your resolve that keeps us working to support you in any way that we can with corporate outreach, personal counseling, pep talks and advice as needed so that we can help you to add that final piece of your overall Ross experience.

Without regard to when you ultimately conclude your career search, we will continue to be here working on your behalf and making ourselves available to you to help in whatever way we can. In the short term, we will continue our outreach and solicitation to companies, alumni, faculty and MAP sponsors as we leverage as many of the Ross community resources as possible to enhance your own significant efforts.

The current data reflect the challenges that so many of you are working through. While we are fortunate to have actually fared better than many of our peers, until each of you have settled into a position where you can deploy the skills and philosophies that you have acquired here in Ann Arbor, we won't stop working on your behalf.

As of Friday, 27 March, with 84% of the MBA class reporting data, 68% of those responding indicate having received an offer. With the same % of the class reporting last year at this time, 81% indicated that a job offer was in hand. That decline of 63 students with an offer is focused disproportionately in the international student population where a decline of 45 students with offers makes up 3/4 of the overall decline. To date, we have not seen rescissions from the companies en masse, but the rescissions that have occurred have been almost exclusively to international students. I urge everyone to leverage whatever connections they have to ensure that your future employers understand how to open their doors to your classmates who keep us globally fresh at great personal expense. They'll be better for it.

While the BBA overall results are slightly better than are the MBA results, the decline is starker in comparison to last year because the BBAs of 2008 did not see the decline that last year's graduating MBAs experienced. With 70% of the BBA class reporting in both years, 72% of this year's respondents have received an offer, while 89% of last year's class enjoyed an offer in hand at the end of last March. With nearly half of the BBAs pursuing finance, the decline in that sector has hit the BBAs precipitously.

MBA intern search results show that 63% of the respondents (78% of the class reporting) have received an internship offer for the summer. Last year at this time 82% of the respondents had received an offer. Internship postings continue to come in, so be sure to monitor postings and to think about alternative projects to pursue so that you can have a robust experience on your resume for this fall.

The BBAs have seen a 10 point drop from last year's 78% of respondents to this year's 68%. (67% of this year's class has reported and 63% of last year's class had reported at this time.)

For those of you who are graduating, please know that we will be here whether you are continuing your current search or if you need support several years from now for your next career move. Below is a list of the resources that are currently available to you as alumni. This list will continue to grow as we add connections to benefit your long-term career management. Leslie Lynn has also included a list of tips and advice to keep in mind as you conduct experienced and self-directed job searches.

Please visit our Ross Alumni Career Services website to explore our offerings.
http://www.bus.umich.edu/AlumniCommunity/AlumniCareerServices/
Through the Ross Alumni Career Services, you can take advantage of the following services:One-on-One Career Counseling with a Staff Career Counselor

Access to the Ross Alumni Job Postings

Access to the Kresge Career Databases

CareerLeader Self-Assessment Tool (free of charge)

Ross Alumni Resume Database viewable by 60 top employers

Ross Alumni Directory

Available materials to review career search skills such as networking, resume writing, etc.


We have staff available to schedule a phone counseling appointment to help you develop a career search strategy that is ideal for your next career move. Please do not hesitate to contact us at rossalumnicareers@umich.edu for additional information.

University of Michigan Alumni Association provides a wealth of resources such as job postings, career transition links, and inCircle-their online directory and networking community. Many of their career services are free and new grads can sign up for one year of complimentary membership with the Alumni Association which allows access to more resources. (You can do this at ANYTIME during your first year after graduation.) http://alumni.umich.edu/jobs