OtterJobs Proves to Be a Disappointment

Over the summer I completed my first part-time job in a career that I had been interested in for awhile. A position like the one I held would be considered an internship by many, including myself. According to the International Education site, “an internship is a work-related learning experience for individuals who wish to develop hands on work experience in a certain occupational field. Most internships are temporary assignments that last approximately three months up to a year.”

Prior to having the internship and work experience, I had never really understood or heard about how important an internship was. The value of internships cannot be understated though because it is not just about the experience gained while completing an internship that is valuable, it is also the first-hand exposure that helps decide if a future job in a certain field would be enjoyable and worthwhile in the future.

After three months as an inside sales associate position in an up-and-coming company from France to the United States, I learned that the field I was in would not be something I could do for a long time. Now here I am, looking for internship No. 2, or a step into a new field.

Now you may be wondering, what makes an internship or job right for you? Although it is a difficult question to answer, understanding yourself and knowing what you are looking for will provide a general framework in understanding what type of career you may be looking for. At California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB), Focus helps you create a general framework based on how you answer questions given to you on topics like your personal skills, values, and beliefs. I answered multiple questionnaires on Focus to help myself after my new found realization that a marketing job probably did not forecast wonderfully for my future. From there, I logged on to OtterJobs in search of internship opportunities and openings. That is where the trouble started...How could it be that right in front of me were false hopes of entering a new working field or any serious internship opportunities?

With OtterJobs, I am dissatisfied. I am disappointed and upset with what I have been given to go over and explore on OtterJobs. According to the career development office’s webpage, “Due to the volume of jobs received by this office, we are unable to research the integrity of each organization or person that lists a job with us.”

May I ask why you bother to give me a username and password then? After a visit with Amber Perez, career development coordinator, I still failed to understand OtterJobs point exactly. “I encourage students to come in and have this one-on-one,” Perez said. “I know that not all employers will post on OtterJobs so we are here to help you find resources beyond OtterJobs.”

Clearly, it is still up to me to research the integrity of each organization on OtterJobs, and I could just continue to use Craigslist, Monster, or Indeed to find job openings in greater capacities. The only useful thing OtterJobs has done is providing me particular and seasonal on-campus jobs. But, even then, the listings are inaccurate compared to the updated e-mails I receive through CSUMB e-mail system from other students and professors on campus.

As far as off campus jobs go, I looked at OtterJobs as an opportunity to explore more of what could not be found through these well-known and obvious search engines I have listed.

But now you know, people like Amber Perez are there to help, we just have to go out and seek them.