A new semester is about to begin at UH and everyone is gearing up for fall classes. For those graduating this semester, more than classes will be on their minds.
The world beyond graduation is something that many students worry about. Thankfully, UH students have plenty of options to help them navigate the waters:
- University Career Services
- Rockwell Career Center
- Cullen College of Engineering Career Center
- Hotel Restaurant Management Career Services
- College of Technology Career Services
- Law Center Career Development Office
All of these offer services to help students zero in on their strengths, work on their resumes or curriculum vitae and help them secure a job after graduation.
For those feeling lost, never fear: these establishments are here to help, as is this breakdown of several of the centers and how they can help.
University Career Services
UCS offers a multitude of services to assist students on their road to success. Not only does the center offer resume improvement services, but also major exploration, one-on-one counseling and skills workshops ranging from mock interviews to job searching.
“Students often do not know that we assist with graduate school planning, whether it be law school, medical school, pharmacy school or other graduate programs,” said UCS CLASS Career Counselor Andrew Tessmer. “We can assist with determining if your plan fits within the timeframe you are considering, if your plan meets your values and interests, what you can do with your graduate degree or even how to apply. We also do personal statement critiques and can assist you on how to approach professors for letters of recommendation.”
UCS also helps recent graduates and alumni via Alumni Career Services.
“Recent graduates have access to our services for free for one semester immediately following graduation,” said Alumni Career Counselor and CLASS Career Counselor Sydney Webster. “During the semester after graduation, they are able to meet with career counselors, come to walk-in hours, participate in Alumni Career Fairs, on-campus recruiting, and attend workshops on career development topics such as resume building, interviewing tips, or how to work a career fair. For example, a summer graduate would have access to these services until the end of the fall semester.”
Overall, University Career Services works with and coaches all majors, so all students and alumni should feel comfortable walking into UCS (located in the Student Services building) and asking for help.
Advice from UCS on how to get hired after graduation:
- Make strong connections with faculty, staff and other students while you are still at UH. It is much easier for you to grow your network of future colleagues while you are still active on campus and in the same classes. Networking is the most important job search strategy.
- Visit UCS early and often. The transition from backpack to briefcase will be exponentially easier for you if you are well prepared and know what to expect. Be an active participant in your own career planning.
- Research, research, research! Research what you can do with your major. Research what types of positions align best with your values and goals. Research whichcompanies will provide the type of environment that you want to work in. Research what the average pay is so you are prepared for salary negotiations. Research the position requirements and the organization so you are prepared for the interview. All the research papers you will have to do at UH are not just assignments for your classes; they are preparing you for your future.
Rockwell Career Center
Nestled within the Bauer School of Business, Rockwell Career Center is exclusively for business majors. Since its establishment in 1997, Rockwell has tripled the number of career counseling appointments their office delivers to Bauer students. The center now has more than 3,000 one-on-one meetings with students each year to assist them with career development.
Another increase has been noted in the job department. The number of jobs posted for Bauer students has increased seven-fold in the past ten years (from 300 to more than 2,100 each year).
“By having a dedicated career center, we’re able to work closely with faculty, students and employers at Bauer to better connect Bauer students with those employers who are specifically seeking business majors,” said Assistant Dean of the Rockwell Career Center Jamie Belinne. “When companies are seeking majors other than business, we refer them to University Career Services of the appropriate college career center to find those students.”
Rockwell offers job postings, on-campus interviews, workshops, webinars, online tools, salary data, career counseling, mock interview weeks and networking events to business students. These services are also offered to alumni.
While Bauer students are encouraged to take advantage of the services offered by UCS, resources specific to their major would come from Rockwell. Just as the career centers in the schools of technology, law, social work, and hotel restaurant management can specifically help students with those majors, Rockwell is the best resource for business students.
Advice from Rockwell on how to get hired after graduation:
- Work with your career center.
- Network with professionals through relevant student or community organizations.
- Do an internship relevant to your field.
