CLA: general skills are as marketable as major

The College of Liberal Arts is sending a new message to students struggling to find jobs: General skills are just as important as a major.

The U.S. Department of Labor announced in September that the national unemployment rate dropped from 9.8 percent to 9.1 percent.

According to a report from the Michigan State University Collegiate Employment Research Institute, total college hiring increased by 3 percent from 2010 to 2011 — a significant increase from last year’s hiring forecast. The report stated that this year, more than 1,600 companies would consider students from any major for a job.

Paul Timmins, career services coordinator at CLA, said instead of focusing on majors, employers are more flexible. They are looking more broadly for general skills like communication, teamwork and problem solving.

He said that major is only one factor considered when employers are trying to land the right candidate for the position. Many other factors like personal interests and activities outside of class will come into play to determine whether someone gets hired.

“It is not that certain majors are tough for students to land a job,” he said. “Students in all majors who are doing well both in and out of class are best of luck to find a job.”

With 16,716 students, CLA is the largest college at the University of Minnesota.

CLA Career Services provides employment information as well as job hunting skills for students by holding internship fairs on a regular basis, offering résumé and cover letter workshops and setting up online communication platforms between employers and students.

“Every student is unique, and [their] major is part of what they are,” Timmins said. “We are helping them tell their stories.”

Ashley Kelnhofer, an economics senior, said she was not certain about her future career because majors in her field can take different paths.

“I did not plan to find a job after graduation,” she said. “It seems like I can do anything in the economics field.”

She said she utilized CLA’s career service center to get advice on resume writing and handouts about interviewing skills.

From freshmen to seniors, Timmins said he encourages students to connect with the career service to figure out their interests and career plans.

“Students should take advantage of the resources.”