Class of 2013

Congratulations on being a member of the graduating Class of 2013! Are you going to Graduate School? Working Full-Time? Going into the Armed Forces? Tell UT about your plans!

The Office of Career Services at The University of Tampa collects data to learn about the post-graduate accomplishments and plans of our alumni. By completing this survey, The University of Tampa will be able to provide you with access to alumni salary and employment trend data for 2013 that may be helpful in your future career search needs. Additionally, the answers you provide help us collect valuable data to report back to various accreditation and news agencies (such as US News and World Report and other college rankings). These reports help promote the value of your degree!

Recent recognition includes:

• The University of Tampa being ranked one of America's Best Colleges by Forbes (2012);

• UT will be featured in The Princeton Review's "Best Colleges" guidebook (2013);

• The Sykes College of Business's rank as one of the top 300 in the world by The Princeton Review (2013); and

• The National Council of State Boards of Nursing naming UT's Nursing Program number 1 in the country (2010)!

Please take a moment to complete the post-graduation survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Undergrad2013. We appreciate your time – thank you for providing this important information for the Class of 2013!

Please note: All information you provide will remain confidential and will not be used to solicit donations. Responses will only be used in combination with others, in an aggregated form, without any specific identifying information, in order to report post-graduate statistics as a Class of 2013. Information given in this questionnaire will never be associated with your name. We ask for your name only to verify that you are a member of the Class of '13. Please complete all sections as instructed.

A Lateral Career Change from Minute MBA

It may not be the best time for you to move up in your career, but that doesn't mean you have to stay right where you are.  Consider making a lateral move to help you get ahead.  According to Minute MBA, better benefits, growing your network, gaining new skills and unhappiness are all good reasons to make a lateral change.

Watch this entertaining video for more info on lateral career moves...

http://www.onlinemba.com/blog/career-change#

From Our Employers...

When we were taking employers back to the parking garage to get their cars after the Career Expo last Thursday, we decided to ask them to give us some feedback about the event.  Never at a loss for words, they gave us lots!  I decided that it’s much more appropriate to share this information with job seekers rather than keep it to myself, so here it is…

·         Students who prepared (researched the employer and the positions available) stood out.

·         Employers were VERY impressed by students who included their elevator pitches as part of their conversation and not just a “brain dump.”

·         Students who are under-dressed or under-prepared are not taken seriously.

·         Although students may see the career fair as information gathering, nearly all employers view it as a first step in the interview process.

We also asked whether they wanted to see a cover letter with an application.  Answers were varied but the most common was, “It depends.”  That being said, they agreed that the most effective cover letter was short and sweet—tell why you want that particular job and that particular company and include the skills, abilities, and aptitudes that make you a good candidate.  General cover letters (“I’m a motivated self-starter and I think your company looks interesting.”) ensure that the attached resume doesn't get read. 

Although the advice from employers doesn't differ from what we in Career Services advise, it’s always worth asking—and doubly worth sharing!    

Fall Registration Time

It’s the time of year that students begin to question their choice of major and career.  Although I can’t wave my “magic wand” or see into my “crystal ball” to grant you a new major, I can certainly offer you some steps to help yourself narrow down your options.

1.        Self-Assessment – Explore and learn more about

·         Values – What is most important to you

·         Interests – What you like to do

·         Personality – Complex set of behavioral traits that make us different and unique

·         Skills/Abilities – special talents

2.       Research and Exploration – Explore and Investigate the World of Work

·         Job Shadowing

·         Internships

·         Volunteer Experience/Part-time jobs

·         Research

3.       Decision Making

·         Research jobs and careers using Career Services resources such as O*Net and “What Can I Do With This Major”

·         Conduct an Information Interview

·         Read the catalog for course descriptions and requirements

·         Talk to upperclassmen and department faculty about the major

4.       Get Experience

·         Job Shadowing

·         Student Involvement

·         Volunteer Work

·         Study Abroad

·         Summer job

Still undecided?  Schedule an appointment with Career Services and get started on the process of finding the right major for you! 

Career Services Internship

Attention Students! Still looking for an internship for next year?! How about one that is paid AND on-campus?! LOOK NO FURTHER. As sad as I am to leave the Office of Career Services, I am excited to pass my position on to another individual who can take this internship to the next level!

The Office of Career Services is looking to hire a new Marketing and Event Planning Intern for the 2013 -2014 academic year. Go on to HIRE UT and search under job and internship opportunities. Enter “Office of Career Services- Marketing/Event Planning Intern Fall 13- Spring 14” as the job title to learn more and apply!

Why apply?

This Internship has been such an incredible and rewarding experience. I have not only grown professionally by working closely with employers in the Tampa area and developing skills within my field of study, but I have met some incredible individuals and cannot express how much I have personally enjoyed working with all of the amazing staff members in the office.

Yes, this is compensated ($10 an hour to be exact) and it is on campus! Even writing this, I can’t believe I am giving it up, but I have other commitments and exciting adventures ahead. I’m writing this blog post to help advertise for the position to ensure the ideal candidate is selected!

Some of my projects this semester consisted of designing and distributing flyers to promote Career Services events around campus, updating and maintaining all Career Services social media sites, writing blog posts, working larger career and internship fair events, and working weekly hours at the front desk in the office. All the while, I was able to network with potential employers and had access to all of the amazing events and opportunities the Office of Career Services has to offer to set you up for life after UT!

You must be either sophomore class standing or higher to apply and be able to take on the position for the entire year. Other applicant qualifications and a full job description can be read on HIRE UT.

Feel free to reach out to me personally with any other questions or concerns! Good luck!  

The deadline to apply is April 12!

UT Job Fair- April 4th….Take a Chance

With 60 companies attending this year’s Spring Professional Job Fair on Thursday April 4^th, there will be plenty of opportunities available for you to identify job leads and network with area/regional recruiters.  We often see missed opportunities at these events as students often try to match their major perfectly to either the job or company.   We would like to offer you some advice we hear consistently from companies.  Take a step back and identify your skill set you have developed over your time at The University of Tampa and apply this to the jobs you speak to employers about.  It is often the case, that the employer is not seeking a match by major but instead what skills, personality and passion you bring to the organization.  We have witnessed over the years Accounting students getting hired by Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo, Psychology majors working at GEICO, Writing students working at Raymond James...the list goes on.   Take a chance and visit with as many companies as possible this year, you just may find yourself presented with a dream opportunity.

For a list of companies attending this year and event details please click here.   Best of luck and see you there!!