Advice from a Career Advisor, Tip 1

Tip 1: Utilize the Toppel Career Center!

Students at Toppel's Open House

By Megan Garber

Since the Toppel Peers are on Spring Break, the professional staff will be contributing to the blog this week.  The first tip we'd like to share is that we provide something beneficial for all University of Miami students, and we recommend utilizing the Toppel Career Center early in your college career. We love to see freshmen because we have more time to help them reach their goals.  You can come in as early as your first day of class, and you can also come in long after your last day of class.

Don't just take our word for it.  The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) conducts research each year, and their data collected from surveys completed by college students across the country proves students who use their career center have an easier time finding a job.

Check out The Value of Career Services from NACE:
(Parts of the article have been omitted on this blog, please click the article title to view the full article.)

Results from NACE’s 2010 Student Survey show:

• The likelihood of a student getting a job offer increased with the frequency of career center use: Students who used the career center four or more times a semester were more likely to have job offers than those who used it once a semester. 
• Use of career services resulted in higher median salaries, and median salaries climbed with increased use. There was a difference in median salary of more than $5,700 between students from the Class of 2010 who never went to career services ($35,978) and those who went four or more times per semester ($41,714). Students who went to career services once per semester had a median starting salary of $37,020, while the median salary for those who went two or three times per semester was $37,898.
• Freshmen have increased their use of career services over the past year. 2010 freshmen used the services of their career centers more than was the case with 2009 freshmen. In general, the increases are in the “prep”-related work, e.g., getting help in developing their resumes, practice interviewing, and researching employers. Clearly, freshmen understand that they need to be prepared, and are getting an early start.

Utilize Toppel while on Spring Break!

• Create your resume.  View our online Resume Development Guide and/or our Resume Writing Webinar
• Upload your resume on your HireACane account and receive a critique within 3-5 business days
• Once your resume has been approved on HireACane, start applying for jobs or internships
• Schedule an individual advising appointment to discuss your job or internship search, or anything career-related by calling 305-284-5451