EUGENE,
Ore. -- (April 27, 2009) - With Oregon unemployment at more than 12 percent,
finding a job is difficult for even the seasoned professional. But the task is
especially daunting for new college graduates, who face one of the toughest job
markets in recent history.
University
of Oregon alumni in the Portland area have access to resources that can make
the process a little easier. The UO
Portland Career Center opened last fall in the White Stag Block to help UO
students and alumni create job search strategies. Nearly a quarter of all UO
alumni live in the Portland area.
"Earning
a degree shouldn't end your connection with the University of Oregon. We are
invested in helping our graduates have successful careers," said Linda
Williams Favero, assistant director of Alumni Career Services at the UO Career
Center. "The Portland Career Center offers tailored and personal career
counseling for free to recent graduates up to six months or at an affordable
rate for other UO alumni."
Graduates
of the UO have access to a variety of options, like one-on-one career
counseling meetings, job search groups or workshops about how to interview and
network.
"People
are overwhelmed by the job search process, especially now, when jobs are harder
to find," said Favero. "Our goal is to provide tools, help develop a
strategy, identify their competitive advantage and give them the confidence to
be successful in the process."
Favero
led eight 2008 graduates in the inaugural Alumni Job Search Group in March. The
members met weekly at the White Stag Block, all with the same goal of finding a
job. In the supportive environment,
participants were able to focus on topics like creating a personal brand,
managing the search process, identifying successful strategies, and interviewing
and negotiating techniques.
After
the four-week session ended, half the participants were offered jobs or
identified as final candidates. A new search group started April 21 and
continues through May 12.
"The
sessions really helped me look at finding a career in a different way,"
said a group member and UO alum. "The Portland branch is thorough,
thoughtful and knowledgeable. It shows that the university cares for their
students post graduation."
Other
opportunities are offered on a regular basis to both new and career-experienced
alumni. "Stand Out in the Crowd," a workshop for UO alumni to help
them create job search strategies and learn interviewing and networking skills,
will be Thursday, May 14, from 4 to 5:45 p.m. in the White Stag Block. The cost
is $20, or $25 after May 11. To register, visit uocareer.uoregon.edu/soc.
Favero
offers these tips for those on the job hunt:
- Know
your strengths. Spend time identifying three to five of your greatest
attributes and communicate them in a consistent, measurable way throughout your
resume, cover letter and interview answers. - Network
weekly.
Identify professional associations in your field of interest and attend their
events. Offer to volunteer at the
registration table and be prepared to share your strengths in 30 seconds. Remember that 65 to 80 percent of jobs are
found through networking. - Conduct
informational interviews. Follow up with professionals you meet while
networking and ask to visit them for 30 minutes to discuss their career paths -
but don't ask for a job. Always write
thank you notes - only 5 percent do, so you will be noticed and remembered. - Find
a mentor. Understand the job search process can take a
while, so find someone, like an alum, who will encourage and guide you. - Stay
positive. Resist the urge to be negative. Employers want to hire people who are
positive and want to make a difference.
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