Instead of putting on the usual sweats, t-shirts and jean jackets, many NIU students are donning suits, ties and dresses as this semester’s job search gets underway.

The job search process began in December when students researched companies and filled in applications, said Gary Scott, Career Planning and Placement director. The completed applications were forwarded to recruiting companies and interview schedules were posted in January. Students who were chosen by the firms signed up for specific interview times.

Scott said about 10,000 students go through the placement office each year. In addition, each year about 450 firms and 100 school districts come to NIU to recruit.

Students are interested in a variety of fields and many “changes” have taken place in the job market, he said. “We have a sort of crazy economy. There are jobs there, however, they are not always found in the traditional places.”

In addition, Scott said there has been a “turn-around” in the teaching profession. “For a while, the field became rather unpopular. Now there is a shortage of teachers,” he said.

Scott said mostly business and industrial companies recruit at NIU. He said the competition in various fields depends on supply and demand. In addition, he said the job search is most difficult for the generalist student.

“Generalist students don’t know what they want to do. They need to find an entry point,” Scott said. The placement office tries to help students identify what they have to offer and how to make contacts with employers.

Matt Zagorski, a marketing major in the job search, agreed with Scott. “You have to be aware of all the avenues open to you and you have to hit all of them,” he said.

The most obvious fear students have about searching for a job is not getting one. However, some students also fear the competition. “There is so much competition in business. There are a lot of good people after a couple of jobs,” said Karen Scheib, marketing major.

For LaRae Zahn, a journalism major in public relations, the competition is not as hard. “I found very few journalism majors going through the career planning and placement office,” she said.

Some students find the hardest part of the job search is organizing their time in preparation for interviews. “You have to be thoroughly prepared,” said Zagorski, who spends a few hours researching a company before each interview. “You put a lot of time into it and you may not get a job,” he said.

“Juggling interviews with school” is one obstacle Scheib has encountered. She prepared for her interviews by researching companies, reading magazine articles and talking with people who already went through interviews.

Although grades play a definite role for the prospective employee, not as much emphasis is placed on them as a few years ago, said Scott. “Employers learn to know the grading systems of the departments and are able to measure the student’s accomplishments over a period of time,” he said.

“Recruiters look at how the individual fits into their organization. They also look for someone who can manage several things at one time,” Scott said.

Other qualities recruiters look for are clear career objectives, inquisitiveness, decision-making abilities and problem-solving skills, said Vanessa Weathersby, staff assistant for campus recruiting at Sears.