Today Gary Alan Miller, Assistant Director at University Career Services, introduces us to Suzanne Jasmine, student director of the Career Peers program.
Gary: First, say a few words about the Career Peers, for those who don’t know about the program.Suzanne: Career Peers is a group of UNC students who works with University Career Services. Our goal is to reach out to other students through their peer networks and help those students discover what UCS can do for them. The Career Peers also engage in personal career and leadership development through the program.
What do you think students need to know about UCS that they don’t know?
University Career Services has many resources not related to a career search. In particular, I wish more students knew about the career exploration tools that UCS has as well as the self-assessments that students can take to discover their strengths and interests.
Why should a first-year student see someone at UCSJ? How could they benefit?
First-year students really benefit from career exploration as they start to determine their academic path and hopefully their career path. It's very beneficial to have a career path in mind during your four years of college because you can gain hands-on experience in that industry through internships and volunteer experiences. First-year students can also benefit from resume and interviewing help because they will need strong resumes and interviewing skills for part-time jobs, internships, student organizations, pre-professional schools, etc.
What has surprised you the most about UCS or the staff over the past few years of interacting with us?
The counselors at UCS have so many resources that they have compiled over the years. I love to meet with different counselors because each of them will recommend different websites or handouts to explore once your meeting with them is over. The office in general has more programs than I originally knew about as well, so I encourage students to at least go online and see what is offered.
What UCS service or resource have you benefited from the most, personally?
It's very difficult to pick only one resource, but I think I have benefited the most from the networking that UCS does. I have met employers at career fairs and networking nights and have received job and internship offers from both. UCS does a phenomenal job bringing local and national employers in, and I believe making a personal connection with a company is the best way to secure a position.
For more information about Career Peers or University Career Services, feel free to contact Gary Miller.
