arr matey

If only that key existed

No matter what your experience has been with CCE, we’re sure that at least once in your illustrious career here, you’ve complained about it.  Shudipto Rahman, SEAS’13, found Columbia’s Center for Career Education much less than helpful.  When they sent him a follow-up email this summer, asking to fill out a Graduating Student Survey, Shu sent a helluva response back, begging CCE to work harder with current undergrads:

Hi Laura,

I understand that you like to keep tabs on your students in their careers after graduation, but considering how unhelpful I found CCE to be in finding positions relating to my actual field of study (ie. not Finance, Consulting, or CompSci) I really would appreciate if you stopped sending me emails.

Focus on your current undergrads instead. There are so many Civil Engineering firms and municipal departments in the City that need engineers that Columbia students have no idea about. For example, the NYC Department of Environmental Protection had about 8 full-time entry level positions in the Spring that were open to Civil/Environmental Engineers and I didn’t know until the application date for the the Civil Service examination (necessary to pass in order to be considered as an applicant) had already passed. This is despite having a Professor who works directly for the DEP.

Don’t worry about my situation. I found out the hard way about the limitations of our Career Services Center and I’ve learned from the job search process how to hustle on my own. But a new crop of naive and inexperienced students just showed up at your door and it would be a true failing of such a well-endowed, well-respected, and well-connected school to allow more students to stumble into my shoes.

Sincerely,

Shudipto Rahman
Columbia University ’13
Civil Engineering

From CCE:

Hello!

In our Graduating Student Survey you let us know that you had begun to apply for jobs, but were still waiting to secure full time employment. I am writing to follow-up and see if you are still searching or if you have found an opportunity. Please let us know where you are in your search and if there is anything we can do to support you – remember, our services are available to you at any stage of your career!

If, since originally completing the survey, you have accepted an employment opportunity, we would very much appreciate if you would update your response to the Graduating Student Survey with this information.  Just sign into the survey using your UNI and update any fields that may have changed.

First draft of the response via Shutterstock