Alumni Professionals Tell Students “How Not to Get a Job”

For Thomas Aquinas College students wondering about how to find fulfilling work after graduation, a presentation last week on the California campus turned the question on its head. On Wednesday evening, students gathered in St. Cecilia Hall for a talk entitled, “How Not to Get a Job,” led by three alumni businessmen: Nathan Haggard (’99), Raymond Tittmann (’94), and Peter LaFave (’13).

“We can’t tell you how to get a job, because everyone’s path is unique, and there are too many variables,” observed Mr. Haggard, a retired systems engineering manager for Apple. Yet he invited students to take advantage of a new alumni mentorship project that he and his fellow speakers are putting together, “The Desert Staff Project.” Those who were interested, he said, could email him after the evening’s talk and receive a list of concrete steps to prepare themselves for the workforce.

“And if you do the opposite of all of the steps,” he laughed, “then you’re guaranteed not to get a job.” 

Inspired by the story of Moses and the Israelites wandering in the desert, “The Desert Staff Project” proposes to give TAC students the direction they need to build meaningful careers by utilizing the resources of alumni in the professional world. “Moses had a staff, and that was his support,” Mr. Haggard explained. “So, we thought, ‘How can the alumni support the students as they go into their journey?’ That’s what we’re here to propose: a kind of partnership with the alumni and their ability to leverage their professional network and the experience that they have, to help the students moving forward.”

Continuing on this theme, Mr. Tittmann, an attorney as well as the founder and managing partner of TittmannWeix LLP, spoke to students about the practical steps of finding a career. “The first step is the same no matter what year you are, and that’s forming relationships,” he said. He encouraged the audience to reach out to alumni and professionals in their fields of interest. 

In closing, Mr. LaFave, a strategic sourcing consultant for Elevance Heath, told the students, “There’s no such thing as just getting lucky and landing a job” — they would have to make their own luck. “What you have to do is, through a consistent and persistent pattern, create opportunities for yourself.” He challenged the students to take advantage of summer internships, attend Career Center events on campus, and make connections to discover what kind of work sparks their interest.

Mr. LaFave reminded students that the Catholic liberal education they receive at Thomas Aquinas College, while not specialized training in any one particular field, sets them up for success in the workplace. “On paper, this education may not seem like it’s ready made, boxed for you to get an immediate job, but it is very, very practical, from what I have found,” he said. “The Discussion Method, the way that we’re trained to listen, is invaluable. Listening is a key element in succeeding in any field.” 

Students left the presentation with hope for their futures and grateful for the wisdom and resources the alumni had to offer. “It was encouraging to know that there are alumni who want to help us,” said senior Jenny DeSalvo (’25). “The way they answered our questions was really helpful. I liked that they gave both concrete advice and a lot of encouraging words.”