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Encourage Your Student to Connect With the Office of Career Planning 

The Office of Career Planning (OCP) is busy preparing for the upcoming academic year, and we look forward to welcoming your students back to campus! While the last year and a half has brought many challenges, our office remains committed to assisting each student in developing their unique career path, and we’re excited about the year ahead! 

We are also gearing up for the fall employer recruiting season, and have a full slate of professional development programming planned. The world of work has shifted immensely, and we’re ready and available to help students navigate these changes, adjust to increased remote work, and explore new industries and employers who are seeking entry-level talent with the skill sets students are building during their time at Meredith. The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) has recently updated its guidance on career readiness, including refreshed definitions of the eight core competencies employers are looking for in recent college graduates, including areas such as career and self-development, communication, equity and inclusion, and critical thinking. According to NACE, “for new college graduates, career readiness is key to ensuring successful entrance into the workforce. Career readiness is the foundation upon which a successful career is launched. Career readiness is, quite simply, the new career currency.” 

As students get started this fall, we invite them to connect early with OCP! Our counselors are available to meet with students to help them navigate and explore options, gain experience, and focus on developing these critical career-readiness competencies. Students who engage in career exploration and decision-making early have more time to participate in multiple professional experiences, allowing  them the ability to experiment and reset when needed; ultimately, this leads to more confident, informed career decision-making.

As we head into a busy fall recruiting season, OCP continues to commit to creating equitable recruiting processes on behalf of our students and alumnae, which includes ensuring that job, internship, and interview opportunities are vetted and made accessible to all students and alumnae via Handshake, our virtual recruiting platform, and we encourage campus recruiting strategies that eliminate barriers and promote an inclusive process. Be sure your students are plugged into Handshake, and encourage them to download the app to stay on top of upcoming career-related events, view job and internship postings, and connect directly with employers and our team! 

As students prepare for the start of the fall semester, encourage them to like, join, and contribute to any and all of OCP’s social media channels: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Gain an insider view of previous and upcoming employer programming, career sessions and webinars, and virtual career fairs. Additionally, have your students mark their calendars with the following opportunities:

Angels Suited for Success: Participate in OCP’s personalized professional development certificate program, offered each semester. The program is flexible and customizable based on students’ individual interests and professional development focus. This outcome-focused program allows students to develop practical skills related to the NACE career competencies, connect with professionals, and build confidence talking about their strengths.

Employer Resume Blitz – September 20-21: Meet 1-1 with an employer representative to have your resume reviewed!

Career Fest – September 24: Connect with a wide variety of employers virtually to explore opportunities in our virtual career fair setting!

Mock Interview Week – October 18-22: Focus on your professional development by practicing your interviewing skills with an employer!

We hope your students will connect with OCP early and often! Encourage them to reach out to us with questions. We look forward to working with them in the coming year!

Melyssa Allen

News Director
316 Johnson Hall
(919) 760-8087
Fax: (919) 760-8330

allenme@meredith.edu