By Megan Head
A recently hired director, adviser, and new marketing strategies are contributing to the expansion of the Career Services department, which was all but nonexistent last semester after a position was unexpectedly vacated.
Annette Wilson, director of Career Services who was hired Dec. 2, said that because the department sets all dates and information a year in advance, she was presented with a number of challenges.
“I had to hit the ground running pretty quickly,” Wilson said.
As director, Wilson said she handles administrative duties and helps students with career related preparation such as reviewing cover letters, resumes and hosting workshops.
In her two months on the job, Wilson said she has two career fairs planned for this semester.
The first fair is scheduled for 1-4 p.m. March 19 in Room 204/207 at Main Campus Building and continues 1-4 p.m. March 20 in the lobby and hallways of Brooks City-Base Campus. The career fair for all majors had to be extended a day to accommodate the almost 60 employers seeking potential employees.
The second career fair is an educators fair from 9-11 a.m. April 15 at Main Campus. Employers in the second fair come from surrounding school districts and Teach for America, an organization that recruits and trains recent college graduates to teach in low-income communities. Some organizations will immediately interview potential candidates after the fair until 1 p.m.
Students who miss the fair can still find resources on the Career Services website, such as cover letter, resume and interviewing tips and samples.
Jo Anna Benavides-Franke, assistant vice president for student engagement and success, oversees the director of Career Services and said that the website is “probably not as up to date as possible.”
“The website is an area that definitely needs some work,” Wilson said. “That’s something that my new adviser and I will be working very much on … especially when we get done with these two fairs.”
The website also offers Jaguar Jobs, a comprehensive database resource available to students. The database lists available jobs from local employers and some national opportunities, such as in California. All students can register to use the database but access from Wilson must be approved to look at the job listings and apply.
Of the 4,329 students enrolled this semester, Wilson said just over 300, less than 7 percent of the student population, are taking advantage of the job listings.
Given that the student population is primarily nontraditional and may be already employed when they are admitted, that percentage might be relatively promising.
However, some students know little about Career Services and existing resources.
Accounting seniors Elizabeth Veliz and Nick Forge shared their lack of experiences with Career Services .
“I know they offer it, I haven’t heard anyone talk about it,” Veliz said.
Forge said he wrote his own resume but hasn’t used Career Services to review it.
“I need to start doing it more,” Forge said.
Although Career Services is growing at Main Campus, students and faculty expressed the need for a permanent presence at Brooks Campus. A Career Services office located in Room 104 of Brooks Campus is vacant.
“We should hire someone [for Brooks Campus],” international business junior Georgina Morales said.
Benavides-Franke said the department is in the process of hiring a full-time adviser for Brooks Campus.
Today, a sign posted on the door of the Career Services office read, “Career advisor Clarissa Tejeda will be available daily in Room 104 of Brooks Campus beginning Thursday.”
The hire of a full-time adviser will help alleviate Wilson so she does not have to split her time between both campuses, Benavides-Franke said. Wilson is currently working with more than 40 students on their resumes.
To reach more students, “the director has created some marketing material for students as well as employers,” Benavides-Franke said.
Benavides-Franke said the university has to make employers aware of students who will graduate with majors relevant to the positions they are looking to fill.
At the same time, students need to know about said positions to adequately prepare themselves for after graduation.
Students are seen through Career Services via appointment only. For more information, call Wilson at 210-784-1342 or email arwilson@tamusa.tamus.edu.
