Career Center advises how to transition from college to the workforce
THE RIDER FILE PHOTO
Soon-to-graduate students can begin their transition from academic life to the workforce with the help of Career Center services that range from networking opportunities to job hunting advice.
Suzanne Gonzalez, career adviser for the Career Center at UTRGV, told The Rider students’ interests can be part of their decision into what they would like to pursue, as an important part to identify and enter their desired career fields.
“Sometimes, they don’t know that things they enjoy, things that they are interested in can be turned into a career,” Gonzalez said.
She followed with the importance of preparing for the job market as soon as students step into college.
“The biggest mistake that students make is that they wait till they graduate to start looking for jobs,” Gonzalez said. “You want to start preparing for a career as soon as you get to college, and that can be anywhere from joining an organization, internships, volunteer work or part-time jobs.”
The career adviser also added that experience is an important factor in the job industry in order to determine if an applicant is a good match.
Andrea Maldonado, a political science and economics senior, said internships can be of great help.
“My time in D.C. was really wonderful in the sense that it gave me a lot of connections and a lot of wonderful people that I can’t wait to reach back out to and see if they have any recommendations of a job position or an organization,” Maldonado said.
She recommended to maintain your priorities clear and to identify what best benefits students.
Karla Hernandez/THE RIDER
Jaime Villanueva, assistant director for Career Outcomes, said starting with those around you can be very helpful for a possible unknown opportunity.
“Tell everyone you are looking for an opportunity; you never know who is going to give you the lead,” Villanueva said.
He also said creating a LinkedIn profile can be a helpful tool for students looking for a job.
“Connect with employers online,” Villanueva said. “Go and look at their profiles in your given career path. See how they started their career, and maybe mimic some of that.”
Gonzalez mentioned the Career Center services are available for students after graduation, adding it provides micro-certifications free of charge.
“That would set you apart from the rest of the competition … using a program called Coursera, something that would cost you thousands of dollars is free,” the career adviser said. “And students can complete those certifications in their field of choice.”
For more information, visit the UTRGV Career Center website.
Karla Hernandez/THE RIDER
