STUDENTS' INTERNSHIPS TRANSLATE INTO CAREERS

Southeast Missouri State seniors have taken steps outside the classroom to strengthen their chances of landing a job after graduation.

Michelle Herter, who will graduate Saturday with a mass communications degree, spent last summer as a public relations intern with Arista Records in Nashville.

Although Herter hasn't landed a job yet, the contacts and experience she gained from the internship should pave the way for a shot at a full-time job in public relations.

"Getting hands-on experience has meant a lot to me," Herter said. "There is only so much you can learn in the classroom. I got to do a lot of promotional work for a group called the Tractors. When their song finally made it on the radio, it felt good because I know I had something to do with getting them there."

Herter said the experience in Nashville confirmed her belief that she was meant to work in public relations rather than journalism.

"At first I thought I would want to be the next Oprah, but then I could see how public relations was what I loved most," she said.

A recent job survey by the Collegiate Employment Research Institute at Michigan State University has shown that today's college seniors have a good chance of landing a job soon after graduation.

The survey shows that hiring should increase 5.9 percent over last year.

"New graduates should get better replies from employers than they have been receiving for the last three or four years," Patrick Scheetz, the institute's director, said.

Jodibeth Sanders, who also will graduate with a criminal justice degree, will have a full-time job as a park ranger waiting for her. Sanders spent the past three summers working near her hometown of Van Buren as part of a cooperative program with the National Park Service.

"I always knew I wanted to go into law enforcement," Sanders said. "It started out with a volunteer job with the Park Service's bee collection and turned into a full-time position."

Sanders recommended the job expositions at Southeast Missouri State University for undergraduates.

"I went to one with my boss from the Park Service," she said. "I got to watch it from the perspective of the employer and could see how important it was for students to make contacts with these people."

Ken Amsinger, who is with The Keystone Partnership, a professional recruiting service, said students like Sanders and Herter have the right idea.

"It's important to get good grades, but employers want to know what else you've been doing during your college career," Amsinger said during the most recent job expo in November. "Doing an internship is important because it gives someone a chance to see you at work and become a powerful tool when it comes time to get a recommendation."

Amsinger cited the recent boost in the economy as one of the main reasons today's college graduates are getting more job opportunities.

New college graduates can expect to earn annual paychecks ranging from $20,821 for telecommunications jobs to $40,680 for chemical engineering jobs. The survey involved 545 businesses, industries and government agencies.

Pay was higher in all occupations in most areas of the country. Salaries have shown a 1.3 percent hike to $23,856 for hotel restaurant managers, to a jump of 2.67 percent to $35,302 for electrical engineers.

Hiring new graduates declined more than 30 percent in the four years prior to last year's boost of 1.1 percent, Scheetz said.