The Business Career Services team appreciates your input and support of our efforts to help students navigate the path from college to career and eventually their first destination successfully. Here's a snapshot of our current efforts and status.
Employer Engagement
Employer Check-In
Center staff make weekly calls to our loyal employers and gather hiring data specific to our graduates. Data points include:
- New employers hosting or planning to host interns this summer: 25%
- Existing employers hosting or planning to host intern this summer: 19%
- New employers making college hires this fall: 75%
- Existing employers making college hires this fall: 77%
- New employers interesting in virtual recruiting at Appalachian: 100%
- New employers interesting in virtual recruiting at Appalachian: 92%
New Employer Development
In times of need, we tend to request assistance from our families and that’s just what we’ve started to do. Center staff has launched a pilot program which targets our Appalachian family, our alumni, as entry points into hiring firms. Through a series of touchpoints, alumni are vetted, engaged and coached on how to connect their HR departments and hiring managers with Business Career Services. In addition, current seniors will be connected with alumni for informational interviews and industry insights.
Student Engagement
Student Spotlight
Gaelin Griffith graduated in May 2020 with a degree in Finance & Banking and Risk Management & Insurance. Gaelin was a student seen in Peacock Hall often as she was very involved in the Walker College of Business. She was a part of the Walker Fellows, Women of Walker, Gamma Iota Sigma, Insurance Advisory Board Group Mentorship Program, and Sigma Kappa. While attending Walker Business Connections in fall 2019, Gaelin connected with Wells Fargo and secured an Audit Associate position which began this summer.
When asked what advice she would give to current students she replied. “Take advantage of every opportunity. Even if you don’t think you would enjoy a specific company or position, still apply and still interview. You can decline the offer once you have it. My final top two positions being considered were ironically with employers I had initially little interest in pursuing.” Thank you to Gaelin for always being a hard working student with a positive attitude!"
First Destination Survey
Thanks to support from faculty and departmental staff, we were able to virtually conduct our graduation survey and reach a 66% response rate with 41% of respondents reporting acceptance to graduate school or full time career employment. Compared to last year at this time our response rate is down by 19%, placement rate and our placement rate by 11%. We anticipate a steep road ahead in assisting our May graduates as they search for their first destinations.
Next Steps for May Graduates
Center staff members are currently reaching out to the 34% of non respondents via LinkedIn, email and telephone to understand the needs of these graduates as they enter the workforce.. In addition, career coaching appointments, weekly emails with new job postings, practice interviews and employer information sessions are all available to assist graduates with their job search.
December Graduates
We fully understand that December graduates will face a terrifying job market and are working to implement a curriculum designed around virtually job search and interviewing with a requirement to complete prior to graduation.
WCOB Engagement
Faculty Spotlight
Our team would like to highlight Dr. Scott Hunsinger in a faculty spotlight and acknowledge the great work he is doing. Since fewer internships were available this summer due to COVID-19, Dr. Hunsinger created the CIS 3541 course, along with CIS 3542 (Summer 2), to provide students the opportunity to complete multiple career preparation tasks. These tasks will help them become better equipped to apply for full-time job opportunities in the future and to increase their awareness of the career services resources available to them. Dr. Hunsinger partnered with career coaches Amy Odom, Maureen Cathey, and Veronica Lozano-Toab to assist students in resume reviews, Linkedin profile reviews, and practice interviews. Students also had the option to participate in a mock interview with a hiring manager at a company which provided them with additional interaction and touch points with employers. Thank you to Dr. Hunsinger for your partnership with Business Career Services!
Walker Business Connections Career Week 2020
This fall semester Business Career Services and the Brantley Rick and Insurance Center are bringing back Walker Business Connections- virtually! This event which was once limited by space and scheduling conflicts is now coming back virtual with the potential to be more accessible to our students than ever. Designed to help prepare Walker College of Business students for the realities of the business world, WBC will feature a week of activities involving faculty, students and industry professionals. Engagement opportunities will include the sharing of knowledge and experiences around current industry trends and issues, career concerns and professional development.
WBC Career Week will be hosted the week of Sept. 28th - Oct. 2nd. Workshops, panel discussions, and mock interviews will be held on Wednesday and Thursday and the virtual career fair on Friday. With the condensed class schedule this fall semester the virtual career fair is held on Friday to accommodate student attendance. We encourage you to promote Walker Business Connections in your classes and offer extra credit for student attendance. You may choose to require student participation in specific sessions, or attendance in multiple sessions of the student's choosing. Event attendance will be reported back to you once the event is complete. Around mid-August you will be provided with specific topics for the event.
Business Career Services Summer Update
