Page 16 - HIWT Spring 2012 World of Welding

THE WORLD OF WELDING http://www.welding.org

ASk THE RECRUITER

YOUR FIRST JOB AFTER COLLEGE MAY NOT BE WHAT

YOU EXPECT

field and/or had side jobs that give them direct experience
are more likely to be able to quickly find an entry level
Anne Kutscher, opportunity in their field. The rest of us have to consider
SPHR opportunities that may not directly relate to our field and take
Recruiter, Cianbro pay that we consider college graduates would never have to
www.cianbro.com
see. Do not get discouraged by this. Instead, use these jobs as
opportunities to learn something and advance yourself.

If you land a job stocking shelves at that big box retailer
We all sign up for post and welding is your passion, use this time to hone some of
secondary learning your other skills while practicing your welding on the side.
institutions (college/ Typically, stocking shelves is a role that is delegated to the night
trade schools) to shift. Impress your supervisor with your work ethic. Spend
better ourselves and your breaks or down time getting to know the maintenance
land a job other than department by asking a lot of questions and offer up your
stocking shelves at assistance (provided your job is done). As an opening arises in
a big box retailer or
flipping burgers at a local fast food joint. We researched and the maintenance department you will have positioned yourself
well to be considered for a promotion. The maintenance crew
found a career that holds an interest for us. We enjoy doing is more likely to have connections in the welding world and
the work we have dedicated months and even years studying. may share job leads. Or at the very least you have impressed
Education is an important stepping stone that allows you to get your supervisor and will have a great reference out of him/her
your foot in the door and show that you are capable of more when it comes time for you to leave that job.
than just stocking shelves and flipping burgers.
Don’t be shy…spend time getting to know people outside your
work area. You never know when those relationships will
help you become aware of other opportunities; internally and
externally. Building solid relationships is key to your future
growth within a company. Honing those skills can happen
no matter what type of role you land in. If you are going to
falter and misstep, doing so outside your field of interest might
actually be beneficial.

As you near the end of your college career and employers are
not knocking on your door to offer you top dollar; take on
other opportunities to help you make ends meet and use the
time to hone some of your other skills. Doing so will put you
in a better position to pursue the career of your dream or might
even lead you down another path you had no idea you were
going to love doing.

Anne Kutscher is a Recruiter at Cianbro, a heavy civil and
industrial construction company in the Northeast. She works
out of their Southern New England Regional office in Bloomfield,
Many graduates begin their search for employment with their Connecticut hiring individuals to work on any number of
newly minted certificate or degree thinking it will lead them to projects in fifteen states. You can reach her at 860-761-6267;
the big money and immediate opportunities to take on leader- akutscher@cianbro.com; www.cianbro.com. Students and
ship roles. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Those graduates looking to submit a question should contact Anne
students who have spent their college breaks interning in their directly or contact Marty Baker, Editor of The World of Welding,
at Marty.Baker@welding.org or (937) 332-5603.

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