Natalie Arimah ’19 used to think that she would go to med school or law school, find the right job and stay there forever. But now, she’s gaining confidence and realizes that she’s in charge of her own career. If a job isn’t challenging her or fitting in with her goals in life, she’s not afraid to find something else.
Behind her all the way is Jen Maclaughlin, director of Career Development for the College of Arts & Sciences, who has been Arimah’s career coach since she was an undergrad.
“When I’m considering a new position, Jen helps me develop a set of criteria it has to meet,” said Arimah, who started a new job in May. “I like project management, working with new people and being in a mentorship role. I like seeing things through from beginning to end. Instead of just trying out a job and seeing how it goes, I’m now seeing if the position fits my standards.”
Arimah isn’t alone – Maclaughlin said her office has seen an increasing number of young alumni contacting career counselors for help, either with job searches or graduate school applications.
“We would always have a handful of people we were working with, but I’ve seen a spike in the numbers this year,” she said. “Some worked for tech firms and have been impacted by recent layoffs, others started their jobs during the pandemic and never received full training with their companies or felt like they were part of an office.
