For most graduating seniors, finding the perfect job is a top priority.

Sending out r‚sum‚s, checking the classifieds and attending interviews are a major part of a senior’s life. And some are learning that 2000 is a great year to be job hunting.

“It’s an awfully nice time to be a student,” said Beverly Madden, director of Career Planning and Placement Services. “The job market right now is absolutely wonderful. You can choose what you want to do and where you want to do it.”

Larry Hanneman, director of Engineering Career Services, said more than half of the engineering students who graduated last semester had accepted job offers.

“Prior to graduating, 53 percent had accepted in-profession job offers, 9 percent had an offer they were willing to accept and 14 percent were going on to graduate school,” he said. “The market is extremely strong, at least in engineering. We’re maxed out.”

Madden said an important qualification many employers look for is practical work experience.

“The reasons employers come back to ISU is because of quality programs and student experience,” she said. “Students here are pretty savvy; they understand the importance of internships. So many ISU students graduate with experience.”

Work experience is also a large part of receiving employment in the engineering field, Hanneman said.

“For the fall semester, if a student graduated with a traditional co-op, 95 percent had in-profession placement. If a student had no practical experience, 56 percent were placed,” he said. “Clearly, practical work experience is important.”

Steven Kravinsky, director of Business and LAS Career Services, stressed the importance of internships.

“The key thing people are finding now is that people with experience through internships, co-ops or volunteer work are having an easier time finding work,” he said. “Lots of students are taking internships and using their time more wisely, and it’s paying off when they graduate.”

Another factor in the employment search is the technicality of the field, Kravinsky said.

“In the last five years, the more technical your major is, the easier it is to find a job,” he said. “[Management information systems], accounting and transportation logistics majors have nothing to worry about when it comes to finding a job.”

Having the perfect GPA or the right internship isn’t always the most important thing to employers. Often, students are hired for reasons other than they believe, Kravinsky said.

“It’s 50 percent what you know and 50 percent if you are the right type of person. The No. 1 thing is good interpersonal skills,” he said. “A lot of people don’t look at it that way and walk away from perfectly good jobs.”

Even in a dynamic job market, a rude awakening could be in store for those students who think they can just coast into a job, Kravinsky said.

“It’s an excellent job market only for those who take the time and effort to look for a job,” he said. “Some students think they can just put their nose out there and someone will grab them.”

The process is long and should be treated seriously, he said.

“It’s like a senior yearlong course: Real Life 400,” Kravinsky said. “You should put time in as you would an eight-month course. It takes awhile.”

Not all students have jobs as soon as they graduate. Some go on to graduate school or wait until after their senior projects are finished.

“Some kids don’t really start the job-search process until now because of final projects,” Madden said. “It’s not a race; you don’t get extra points for having a job by graduation. There’s nothing magic about noon on Saturday.”