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The Heights: Where do you currently work, what is your official position, and what is your role in the company?
Trevor J. Haynes: I am a paralegal/legal analyst for Peabody & Arnold, LLP, a law firm based in downtown Boston. I work for 12 attorneys in the Directors and Officers division of the firm, acting as a liaison between the attorneys at Peabody & Arnold and others throughout the country. More specifically, I am in charge of keeping track of the billing for multi-million dollar accounts, maintaining the organization of hundreds of cases, conducting legal research, and drafting notes and memos for attorneys.
TH: How and when did you begin searching for jobs?
TJH: I started looking into various job fields at the beginning of my senior year. Due to extenuating circumstances, I was unable to determine exactly where, or in what area, I would want to seek employment. Nonetheless, I attended job fairs hosted by Boston College, looked into e-recruiting and monster.com, and used the career center extensively to narrow down my search.
TH: Is anytime too early? When is too late?
TJH: I think everyone has heard this before, but it is never too early to start looking into and planning "life after college." What many people may not realize is that it is honestly never too late, either. If you've put off the search, it's time to start. During my hunt for employment, I was flown to New York in the spring, and interviewed in Atlanta in the summer. Ironically, I received the first inquiry from Peabody & Arnold, my future employer, while I was in Houston in late July. I was unable to fly to Boston for the interview due to a family crisis, but the firm agreed to a phone interview and I was hired a few weeks later - without ever stepping foot into the office. The bottom line is that no matter where the next year takes you, never give up and never lose faith in your abilities. Things have an uncanny way of working out for the best.
TH: What services at Boston College did you utilize to help you in your search for future employment?
TJH: I attended job fairs that BC hosted, but never really used them to get my résumé out there. Instead, I walked around and spoke with employers to gain insight into what character traits and skills were in demand. I used the Career Center much more proactively, meeting with the representatives to have my résumé and cover letter critiqued and fine-tuned by the experts. Everyone there was nothing but incredible and helped with my overall development in searching for gainful employment.
TH: How well did BC prepare you?
TJH: Boston College prepares its students incredibly well for the real world. I have found that the BC "name" is very well respected in the Northeast, and that employers are extremely pleased with the proficiency and maturity of its graduates. Moreover, many of my friends have discovered the same to be true - companies hire BC grads because of our reputation as intelligent, hard-working, and responsible individuals, who also have a penchant for the nightlife - somehow this trait remains attached to us even after graduation.
TH: What do students need to know about the job search, especially in today's competitive market?
TJH: I think it's important not to sell yourself short. Don't count yourself out for any position, because coming out of BC you are better qualified than most college graduates looking for employment. Apply to as many positions as you can, in as many fields as you have interest. Give yourself as many options as possible - not only will you gain more knowledge and practice in the application process, you will gain invaluable experience that will help you countless times in the future.
TH: What was the interview process like, and can you offer any advice to students?
TJH: I received a phone call from Peabody & Arnold while I was in Houston in the middle of the summer. At the time, the job hunt was the furthest thing from my mind - I was in the city with my father seeking out any help possible for my father's bout with cancer. Needless to say, due to my father's condition I was unable to comply with the firm's request for an in-person interview. Without telling them my situation, I politely asked if they would be amenable to a phone interview. I sent more copies of my résumé and cover letter to the firm via fax and set up a conference call with the attorneys for later that week. The interview was the typical "this is the position/tell us about yourself" variety that the Career Center prepares you for - if you take them up on their offer. I was asked to give them a number of references, which they called to gain further insight into my character and personality. A week later, I was called and offered a position. It was rather informal, and probably quite different from the interview process most people go through. It was different from all of my previous interviews as well. After having first and second round interviews in Boston, New York, and Atlanta, it turns out all I needed to do to find a job was pick up the phone and call. Again, sometimes things just work out naturally. All you have to do is roll with the punches.
TH: Did you have any prior experience, such as internships, and how did they prepare you?
TJH: I did. The summer after my sophomore year I interned for a law firm in Florida and gained first-hand knowledge in the field. I believe that this was a huge benefit, as it bolstered my résumé with real-world experience and showed that I was already prepared to work in such a demanding environment. The contacts and recommendations that I attained through my internship (as well as other prior job experience) also helped me obtain employment by vouching for me as a student, person, and would-be employee. I truly believe that in today's market, an internship or relevant prior experience is becoming mandatory to be considered for most positions.
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