That's according to career counselors at two of the county's largest institutes of higher education.
"It's important to really use your contacts," said Sharron Zavattaro, director of career services at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams. "They get your foot in the door, and you get the job."
Networking — or using those you know, such as parents, professors, employers or friends — to not only alert you to job openings, but also to spread the word about your availability, is key, particularly in this oft-forgotten county in Massachusetts.
"Employers may have trouble finding applicants way up in the corner of the state," said John Noble, director of career counseling at Williams College in Williamstown. "Students need to reach out more progressively."
One tip Noble provides is contacting alumni who work in a student's chosen field.
"Alums have been very responsive," he said.
An alumni network is available for Williams students through the Office of Career Counseling Web site, which also offers a wealth of information on everything from securing an internship to writing a winning résumé to choosing a career.
In addition to networking, Zavattaro cites both print and online job listings as important resources for recent or soon-to-be graduates looking to stay in the Berkshires.
| » How to learn more |
| MCLA Career Services Web site: www.mcla.edu/About_MCLA/Services/Career_Services Phone: (413) 597-2311 Director: Sharron Zavattaro
Williams College Office of Career Counseling |
However, Zavattaro and Noble both noted, the bulk of young grads move elsewhere for work.
"They vacate the Purple Valley," Noble said, referring to Williamstown. "Generally, students gravitate back towards home, and then towards a big city — New York, Los Angeles, Chicago or San Francisco. The social scene in cities attracts young people."
Those students originally from the Berkshires tend to be the ones who stick around.
"Some remain here for family and friends," Zavattaro noted. "I believe there is a true desire to keep talented and skilled people in the Berkshires, as well as to bring in talented and skilled people to live and work (here)."
She added that her office is making efforts to find permanent, professional positions locally, and to refer qualified candidates.
Jennifer Hermanski, a 2002 graduate of Pittsfield High School and a 2006 graduate of Williams College, is currently in her first postgraduate position as an intern at Williams' Office of Career Counseling. She made a conscious decision to focus more on her commitments at Williams than on professional aspirations while at the liberal arts school. She also was supported by her parents of Pittsfield — with whom she currently resides — who encouraged her to take her time while looking for a job.
"The internship was a surprising job that came up just before graduation," said the former art history major. "It doesn't directly correspond with my undergrad studies, but it has given me the opportunity to grow professionally and the time and space to learn about all types of careers through the resources and programming of the office."
Alyson Lynch, also of Pittsfield and a classmate of Hermanski's, studied Classics and is now teaching middle-school Latin at Eaglebrook School in Deerfield — a field Noble said is a common first step for Williams graduates.
He said that a large number also go to work in the business world, in consulting, investment banking and finance.
"About 80 percent of Williams students go straight to work after graduation," Noble said.
The remaining 20 percent aim immediately for postgraduate degrees. Noble and his colleagues counsel those considering medical or law school; academic departments advise those looking into Ph.D. programs.
| » How to get your first job |
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Giving back
Although careers and higher degrees seem to dominate students' postgrad visions, Noble noted that nonprofit work has gained a postgraduate following.
"There's a strong service tendency among students," he said. "They want to give back for a while before they decide what they want to do for a career."
That being said, according to Noble, some students take public service positions after graduation. Teach For America, Americorps and the Peace Corps are the favored organizations of Williams grads, Noble said.
"Not many students are joining the military, though, especially these days," Noble added.
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