The University of Connecticut’s Center for Career Readiness and Life Skills Center hosted an informational kickoff presentation at the African American Cultural Center on Tuesday, Oct. 6. The event was hosted by Olufemi Fagun, a career coach at the Career Center, and began at 6:30 p.m.
Fagun began by emphasizing how everyone’s roadmap to professional success can be different, even if it requires a change in path like switching majors. He also stressed the benefits of getting professional experience early.
“This is something you need to start thinking in college, not by the time you graduate,” Fagun said. “That’s one of the main misconceptions that people have, that ‘I have to wait till I graduate before I start thinking about this,’ when you should start thinking about those relationships now.”
Fagun broke down the ways the Career Center can help into four main areas. He mentioned the exploring stage, which is when you determine your professional goals and interests. He said the Career Center’s Career Coaching program allows students to schedule 30-minute appointments with coaches who will help them navigate professional opportunities.
“You do not need to have everything figured out, and that’s why we’re here,” Fagun said. “We want you to ask questions and you do not need to come formal.”
Fagun said the next stage was preparation, which includes creating application materials and self-branding through resumes, cover letters, LinkedIn and more. He said students can schedule Career Center appointments to review their materials or attend the center’s workshops that take students through the process. Another tool Fagun highlighted for the preparation stage was Quinncia, an AI-driven platform that provides feedback on your materials.
Fagun also mentioned the increased use of artificial intelligence during the hiring process, especially through the use of the Applicant Tracking System by different-sized companies during the initial stages. He said that all the resume templates offered by the Career Center are designed to be ATS-friendly.
The final areas Fagun dove into were experience, which entails obtaining professional practice through avenues like internships or research, and connections, which are an important tool to find opportunities in your preferred industry.
Fagun said that only 42% of companies prioritize high GPAs, and that professional experience can be more beneficial.
“Employers do not just recruit for high GPAs, but they also want to look at the skills that you have and how you are articulating and highlighting those skills in your application materials and in an interview,” Fagun said.
After Fagun explored the main services offered by the Career Center, he gave a demonstrative walkthrough of 12twenty, a website that allows you to connect with the center and potential employers. He recommended filling out your profile and specifying your career interests so that the website can display personalized job listings and upcoming events.
“There are a lot of employers that go to 12twenty and reach out to students, and they are going to reach out based on your interest and based on your profile,” Fagun said.
Fagun said that if you need professional headshots for your profile, the Career Center’s office in Wilbur Cross has headshot booths that can take your picture for free.
Fagun navigated through pages that showed job listings, upcoming Career Center events and a section for students to find jobs on campus. He also showed where students can make an appointment with a career coach on 12twenty.
Throughout the event, Fagun posed interactive questions to the audience to foster direct engagement. Ashley Cruz, an intern at the Career Center, also presented hypothetical professional problems that the audience could respond to with the Career Center resources that could help them navigate the issue.
Tsering Samphel, a first-semester geoscience student, said the event was helpful and an appreciated break from studying.
“The 12twenty official website has a lot of listings for me to go through,” Samphel said. “He also mentioned the career coaching appointment, and I’m planning to schedule an appointment for the free days that I don’t have classes or homework.”