Ask Someone Who Knows

By Genevieve Buthod

On Tuesday in the Butler Reception Room Saint Xavier hosted a reception and panel of speakers in the Information and Technology industries. Each of the speakers was an alum who had come to share their professional experiences with students hoping to enter their fields very soon. The panel included Alina Khouri Goebel, class of 2004, who is now a Senior Technical Analyst for Walgreens Corp. The next speaker was Kurt Conway, class of 2005, now a Senior Consultant at TwistedPair Technologies. Our final guest speaker was Sue Harper, class of 2006, who is now a Tech Support Supervisor at Panduit Corp., which happens to be headquartered nearby in Tinley Park.

I enjoyed the variety in the panel because it gave a living example of how much variety we will find in the working world if we enter the field of computing and technology. Ms. Goebel told us that she had an invaluable experience at SXU working as an intern at the Help Desk, our Information Services department. She said that experience in computing is key for getting a job in the field, because so often, the people hiring you will want to see that you can actually do what your resume claims. You will be expected to perform, and it is pretty difficult to squeeze by with a half-truth on your resume.

Sue Harper added that the importance of a flawless, consistently updated resume can never be overstated. She was diligent in her effort to keep her updated resume online at all times, and the company at which she is now a supervisor actually sought her out. Panduit found her resume online and contacted her because they thought she was the woman for the job. I was surprised to hear that businesses are out looking for workers. I guess that this is an advantage of working in technology in our current economy. There are actually more jobs than people to fill them right now, and what could be a rosier post-graduation picture than that?

The chair of SXU’s Computer Science department, Dr. Jean Mehta, recently lent me a fantastic book, Unlocking the Clubhouse: Women in Computing by Jane Margolis and Allan Fisher. The reality of women’s position in computing, past and present, has been on my mind quite a bit since I came to Saint Xavier. I asked panelists how many women they see in supervising positions, and how many young women they see coming into the field. The general answer was that while the majority of workers in computing and technology are men, many employers will simply look at your skills in an interview and hiring process. I am encouraged to hear this bit of advice from a group of people who have experience in the field I may enter soon.

Although if this were entirely true, I don’t know how to account for the enormous gender disparities in my field. Can it be true that women simply weren’t suitable for hire until very recently? Looking at the way women have been shut out from the sciences for so long despite their qualifications, I find it hard to believe that a recent drastic change in women’s skills is entirely the cause of our small growth in technology. I am actually writing my final paper in Philosophy of Human Nature about this very topic. But, that is a topic to be explored further in a future post.

One of the final talking points of the discussion was the issue of ethics in the workplace. Kurt Conway said that he loved his job and enjoyed going to work the most when he was doing something he felt was worthwhile. He loved his work when he was developing systems for the flower delivery company ProFlower because he knew that he was creating a bright spot in people’s lives every day he went to work. Ms. Harper joined in and told us that we have to make sure we feel right when we go to work for a company. We have to be able to believe in the values of the company, because if you feel ethically uncomfortable with your work, you won’t be a very good worker and more importantly you won’t be very happy with yourself.

I thought this last point was excellent advice. I did not realize how important it was to remember that in the hiring process, you are interviewing your company, as well. You are part of the decision making as well. It gave me a new sense of preparation for an interview I have this coming Friday, over break. I will know that I have to decide if the people I will be working for are a good fit for me, just as much as they decide if I am a good fit for their cause. I am looking forward to exercising my new skills and knowledge this week in my job interview. I hope you all have a wonderful Easter break, and I will see you next week!

Genevieve Buthod is a sophomore, and a major in Computer Science with a minor in Philosophy. She is a happy and healthy vegan. She is also the TIAA-CREF Campaign Manager for Students for Justice in Palestine. Genevieve is the Senior Viewpoints Editor for the Xavierite.