Graduating seniors looking for career advice might want to clear next weekend’s schedule.
Susan Nethery, director of Student Affairs Marketing and the developer of this year’s conference, said she hoped the annual Senior Career Conference would increase employment opportunities for graduates from all majors.
According to a survey by the Collegiate Employment Research Institute at Michigan State University, out of 3,300 employers, nearly 40 percent said they would hire from all fields of study.
“I think employers are really starting to realize that if they’re looking for someone with great communication and business skills, they don’t just have to find somebody from the business school,” Nethery said.
Colleen Pagnotta, a ballet and modern dance major, said she took interest in the social media workshops. These workshops offer students expert advice about appearing marketable online and preventing undesirable content from reaching potential employers.
“There’s such a wide range of workshops offered that it seems applicable to more than just business majors,” Pagnotta said.
Out of the 17 consecutive years TCU has sponsored the Career Conference, this is TCU’s second year to host the conference, Nethery said.
“It used to be set up as a two-day event off-campus in Arlington and there was a fee attached to it,” Nethery said. However, Nethery’s vision and effort helped to make the conference a more accessible resource.
Haylie Hall, a senior communication major, said she expected the conference would prepare her for the upcoming career “expos.”
“I’ve never been to a career conference, only the career fair last October on campus,” Hall said. “Hopefully this conference will help me to prepare for the next one in February, because those are overwhelming.”
Jason Jacobus, a 2007 TCU alumnus and sales consultant for Buckley Oil, said he saw the benefit in preparatory workshops.
“When I attended conferences I looked for one or two key details that I could implement into my job search or skill set,” Jacobus said.
Jacobus said he will return to TCU this year, with six other alumni, to speak at the conference.
“If you learn just one skill that gets you a job, then coming to the conference was worth it,” Jacobus said.
Nethery said she hoped the workshop topics, research speakers, book speakers and national experts would enrich TCU seniors.
“My hope is that students that attend Senior Career Conference learn invaluable career lessons that they can use not only when they graduate from TCU and begin their professional journey, but throughout their careers,” Nethery said.
When: 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Jan. 28
Where: Brown-Lupton University Union
Cost: Free
Deadline to register: midnight, Tuesday, Jan. 24
