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July 3, 2007

Jobs

Service helps students find, get jobs

The three campus locations offer resume critiques, mock interviews, and more.

Story by: J. Blankenship

The Shorthorn staff

Get a job – a good one. That’s the reason students enroll in college.

Career Services offers a full range of methods to complete that goal. Students just click on, call up or walk in to discover a multitude of enhancements for the world of off-campus jobs.

“We’re one of the best-kept secrets on campus,” said Bill Fenson, Business Career Services coordinator. “Students and alumni have lots of help right at their fingertips.”

Career Services has three locations to aid the transition through a variety of employment phases. Fenson said his office, in the Business Building, focuses on a wide variety of mostly free services, including career placement. His location emphasizes business careers.

“Students come to UTA to ultimately get a better job,” he said. “Then they don’t always recognize that they need help with resumés, interviewing and job hunting. This office is a natural progression of their education.”

His facility contains a reference library. All three locations offer online job-search tools, resume critiques and career counseling services. He especially wants students and alumni to use the mock interview services.

“It’s absolutely incredible technology,” Fenson said.

Mock interviews are available online and can be done in the office or at home providing the user has a microphone and Web cam. Interviews can be sent via e-mail to a career counselor, who will exchange feedback in a follow-up appointment. Fenson said the video can also be e-mailed to professors, mentors and others.

“But it would be a mistake for students to send it directly to a prospective employer,” he said. “It might look good to the student. Just wait until they’ve received some feedback. It may not be as good as they think.”

The early jobs phase includes part-time or work-study jobs complementing student class schedules. Jobs are the building blocks for successful careers after college, said Nikki Dickens, Career Consultant in the University Center. That site features part-time work near the campus and across the Metroplex.

“Many students don’t live on campus and prefer work closer to home, so we offer positions all over,” she said.

Work-study jobs offer more flexibility for students’ schedules and differ from other jobs because they’re included as part of a student’s financial aid package, Dickens said. All positions offered through her location are nondegreed part-time and full-time off-campus work opportunities. Hiring lead times vary, and she encourages students to apply early.

“The U.S. attorney general’s office posts jobs through this location,” she said. “Students need to apply now to be eligible for August openings that require about six weeks of background screening.”

Roxanne Buil, career counselor in Davis Hall, said students transition to seeking career positions, particularly during their senior year. Dicken’s office coordinates on-campus job interviews in October after the September job fair. Preparation for the event starts now in the form of resumé preparation, interview practice and other services.

“We definitely recommend students come in for a resumé critique to get a good start,” she said.

Career Services offer online job listings for off-campus jobs and other services. Students seeking more information should go to http://careers.uta.edu before calling any of the three offices.