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Claire Swora

GC graduation year: 2007
Major: English
Minor: Psychology
Current employer: Epic Systems Corporation
Job title: Support Writer
Worked in Career Services: fall 2004 through spring 2007

Claire Swora

What organization do you work for now? What do you do?

I'm currently working for Epic Systems in Verona, Wisconsin. They are an electronic medical records company.

I’m a support writer, which means that I write about the updates to our software. Nurses and doctors use what I write to learn about the changes and maximize their use of the software.

Epic is very informal and comfortable, but also demanding and results-oriented. Like GC, I’ve found that Epic emphasizes community and service. This was an unexpected benefit to getting the job. It never hurts to work for a company you can believe in.

How did you find your position?

I heard about Epic on JobsInMadison.com. I saw an assistant position advertised there. I checked the Epic website and found that position as well as the Writer position on their Careers page. I applied for both and they recruited me for writing.

What were some of the benefits of working in career services?

Working at career services gave me the tools for job hunting. I knew where I could go for information. It also gave me a realistic idea about what it takes to find a satisfying job. I knew how much work job hunting involved, what the competition was like, and how to keep my spirits up when things looked rough. I had more insight into the process than some of my friends did, and more confidence walking into an interview.

Also, having had a job for nearly three years was invaluable to the whole process. I had a great resume and a great reference. Also, the skills I learned at Career Services directly relate to the skills I use at Epic.

What advice would you offer students as they begin to look for employment?

Stay hopeful, stay open, ask questions, and smile.