Volume XXV, Number 22
Informing the Elon College Community
April 13, 2000
INSIDE
Opinionjs
Senseless census?
Pg-2
News
Former FBI agent
speaks at Elon
Pg-7
Focus
Phobias: From spiders to
women to learning, yon
know you have one!
pgs, 18-11
A&E
Book Review
Pg-12
Bay of Student Bands
Pg*
Sports
Point-Counlerpoint;
Coaches
M-W
Career Center
director writes guide
to help students find
the perfect job
Annie Reilly
The Pendulum
Elon Career Center direc
tor, Robert Omdorff, wrote a book
on finding the perfect job. The
theme of “The Unofficial Guide to
Finding the Perfect Job” is college
seniors graduating into a favorable
job market still need advice on
finding the right employment fit.
In February IDG Books
Worldwide Inc., (formerly
Macmillan) published the book. It
is a part of the publisher’s best
selling Unofficial Guide series and
is available in major bookstores
throughout the nation.
“ The news media is full of
stories about the surplus of job
opportunities in technology and a
few other fields,” said Orndorff.
“Seniors hear stories about
multiple job offers and signing bo
nuses. But the reality is a majority
of the graduating seniors are facing
a very competitive job market.
They need help to land a
substantive entry-level
position in their field.”
Orndorff s book is
different from other job-
search publications be
cause it includes informa
tion from some of the
nation’s most prestigious
recruiters.
“I interviewed
eleven recruiters from such
companies as Anderson
Consulting, Bell Atlantic
and Johnson & Johnson.
You will find their com
ments throughout the
book, giving readers more than one
perspective on all key topics in a
successful job search,” said
Orndorff.
The author also discovered
that more recruiters are using be
havior-based interviews to evalu
ate potential job candidates. Since
the unemployment rate is so low,
companies also are more selective
photo courtesy of Brett Williams
Chuck Buckley stars in Willliam Shakespeare's "Macbeth,"
which opens tonight in McCrary Theatre. The Performing Arts
Department production features an incredible cast and
amazing special effects. Curtain tonight, Friday and Saturday
is at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are still available!
about hiring people who really want
the job.
“Because employees have
more options and are changing jobs
more frequently, companies are con
cerned about employees leaving
after a year or two,” Orndorff said.
“Good interpersonal and
teamwork skills are two of the top
skills employers are looking for,”
he says.
“They want employees who
appreciate diversity, confront people
tactfully, have a sense of humor,
and maintain a positive attitude. Ba
sically, recruiters want to hire can
didates who can relate well with a
wide variety of people.”
Two Elon students win big over Spring Break
Kate Botty
The Pendulum
Elon seniors Matt Schifano
and Van Browne of Bethany Beach,
DE, found themselves not only soak
ing up the sun in Texas over spring
break, but also playing volleyball
for cash prizes on a court covered
with nearly a foot of snow.
The event was sponsored by
Fruitopia to promote their newest
flavor of beverage, Beachside Blast.
Schifano said the volleyball court
in South Padre Island, Texas, had
60 blocks of shredded ice to create
a winter atmosphere. They
accessorized for the event by wear
ing moon boots. Neither of the
spring breakers slipped while play
ing on the snow-covered court.
Schifano and his partner
Browne first competed in another
volleyball tournament. They found
two other teammates at the event
that told them about the Beachside
Blast Volleyball Tournament.
see SPRING BREAK, page 5
Specialist to discuss genetic technology
Jessica Rivelli
News Editor
Trent Gilbert, Matt Ritchie, Brendan Westlund
show their support at Special Olympics.
G. Terry Sharrer will speak
about genetic technology on cam
pus Wednesday in the 20th century.
Sharrar is a science historian at the
Smithsonian Institution and a spe
cialist in gene therapy.
As curator of health sciences
at the National Museum of History,
he has the responsibility of inform
ing the public on various topics
including genetics. Sharrar is cur
rently involved with research deal
ing with the history of molecular
medicine and cancer epid(emology.
Sharrar’s discussion Wednes
day will cover scientific techniques
to correct flawed genes that cause
hereditary diseases and strategic
advances in biotechnology, such as
chimeraplasty.
Sharrar has been a part of a
long list of exhibitions and he has
written over three dozen publica
tions.
He holds a doctorate from the
University of Maryland.
Sharrar is a trustee of the Im
mune Deficiency Foundation and a
board member of the National Foun
dation for Cancer Research.
He will speak in McCrary
Theatre in Model at 7:30 p.m. His
lecture is part of the Voices of Dis
covery series at Elon, which is free
and open to the public. This series
brings predominant scientists and
mathematicians to campus to share
their research with students, faculty
and staff.