By Isa Riaño, Advertisement Manager
The Career Services department, located in the Student Activities Building Room 203, is an excellent resource for Saint Leo University students. Its staff offer resume reviews, tips, mock interviews, job search advice, and more.
Career Services stood out for its involvement with students through multiple activities this year.
“We held our first Gaming, Multimedia, and Entertainment Career Fair on Oct. 28, 2022,” said Michael Bailey, the Director of Career Services and Accessibility.
The department also helped to organize Saint Leo’s annual Business Day, a successful networking event held on March 1 on University Campus, where faculty encouraged students to network and learn from employers through a career fair and breakout sessions.
“It was such a fun and exciting opportunity for us to get out of our shells and learn about life after college,” said Corbin Jordan, a junior majoring in cybersecurity.
Apart from organizing events for students, the Career Services staff also focused on building new partnerships with employers.
“Some highlights we had this year include a new, customized internship program with Lexus; experiential learning opportunities with Chick-fil-A; and building connections with employers just moving into the region, such as Rapid7, PGIM, and Moffitt,” said Bailey.
When asked what he was most excited about, Bailey explained that he thought the new Career Closet would be very helpful for students.
“It is a common issue to be prepared for a job and stress out because you do not have the right outfit,” said Bailey. “We would like to provide students with a helpful solution.”
According to Bailey, students must log in to their Okta portal this school year to rent clothes for free and stop by the Career Services office to pick them up. However, the department is hoping to be able to deliver clothes to students starting next fall.
The Department of Career Services will support every student as best as possible.
“Whether we help students explore how their major connects to their career goals, review professional documents, or help them look for a job, there is something we can offer to all our students,” said Bailey.
Additionally, Career Services helps students attending all of Saint Leo’s education centers and is also open for alums, regardless of when they started coming to Saint Leo.
Students can choose whether to have meetings virtually or in person. Students can schedule a Career Services appointment through Handshake, which they can find in their Okta Portal. Through Handshake, students can also register for networking events and find job and internship opportunities related to their major.
Throughout the years, the Career Services department has also worked closely with the Accessibility Services department.
“Accessibility Services is really about understanding and responding to the needs of individual students, and that ethos carries over into what we do in Career Services, as well,” said Bailey.
Additionally, Accessibility Services supports students with disabilities. According to Bailey, statistics have shown that students in this group usually struggle to find a job, graduate from college, and accomplish their professional and academic goals. Therefore, the Career Services offices focus on practical ways to connect students to resources and employers that are helpful for them.
Students have found the services provided by Career and Accessibility Services helpful.
“It is challenging to live with a learning disability,” said Amanda Philips, a junior majoring in education. “However, having resources that help us use our potential makes things fair.”
The Career Services department also has programs focused on students with disabilities.
“We have an Accommodations in the Workplace program and our annual participation in the federal Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP),” said Bailey.
The Career Services staff describe their job as an enriching opportunity to serve students.
“It is priceless to hear students thanking us because they got a job after we helped them with interview preparation or to see how much they learned in their summer internship,” said Bailey.
The Career Services department will continue to support students in their college journey.
“One of our goals is to help students stay engaged on campus, which usually increases retention,” said Bailey.
Whether you are a freshman trying to get started on finding a job, or a senior looking for internships and debating what to do after graduation, the Career Services department is here to help you. Students can contact michael.bailey@saintleo.edu if they have any questions or want additional information about the department.
