The career connection

New internship and job drive seeks help from Blue Hens in the workplace

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9:46 a.m., Feb. 12, 2016--Out in the marketplace, there are plenty of job openings and internships that would be perfect for University of Delaware students, if only there were a better way for employers to find the right candidates. Here on campus, there are plenty of seniors and graduate students eager to take those jobs, if only they knew the openings existed.

Resolving that disconnect between supply and demand has been a perennial challenge for college administrators. But the University of Delaware wants 2016 to be the year things start to change.

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In an effort that is set to continue through June, UD’s Career Services Center is launching its first Internship and Job Drive challenge, which seeks to inspire the University’s network of alumni, parents and friends to become more actively engaged in helping UD students get full-time positions at their workplaces.

“We know there are jobs and internships out there. And we know that UD alums want to help. This will help bridge that gap,” says Nathan Elton, UD’s director of Career Services, which aims to post the majority of the spring/summer 2016 opportunities that result from the drive before May 1.

In the coming weeks, UD alumni, parents and friends are being encouraged — through emails and other forms of outreach — to visit the Career Services landing page that leads them through the process of joining the challenge. The goal for this year’s drive is 500 internship and job postings on the Blue Hen Careers website (known as Handshake). 

But officials hope that its momentum will last well beyond spring and ultimately lead to more concrete connections between UD and the businesses that have UD constituents on staff. UD career specialists say the alumni and parent network has been crucial over the years for connecting students with jobs, and the Job Drive marks the first systematic approach to expanding and formalizing those connections.

“Alumni, parents and friends are often our eyes and ears in the field when opportunities become available,” Elton says. “We also rely on them to be our advocates when companies make decisions on where to recruit new employees. This job drive will help expand and solidify those connections.” 

Officials also hope that the program inspires a far more active role for alumni than just forwarding alerts about job postings. Ultimately, Career Services envisions a system in which the alumni, parents and friends act as ongoing liaisons between their workplace and the University. They also see an opportunity for these liaisons to act as mentors and guides to candidates once they get the job, and active workplace ambassadors for UD’s rich pool of candidates.

“These alumni could serve as a resource for students by sharing information on their experience there, reviewing their application materials, and possibly helping with interview prep,” said Scott Rappaport, assistant director for student employment and internship programs. 

UD also hopes participants will take an active role in ensuring that the University’s applicant pool gets due attention in the organization's hiring process. “That could include talking to their HR department about posting positions with the University of Delaware, referring students for opportunities, or encouraging on-campus interviews,” Elton said.

“It’s a huge potential resource for us, one that’s been relatively untapped,” Elton said. “It’s going to be fun to see the new relationships and opportunities that are built through this initiative.” 

To a degree, UD already sees regular benefits from these alumni-driven connections with workplaces, but those connections have also made it clear that many openings remain “under the radar,” and are ultimately filled without a formal posting. In today’s climate, those stealthy openings – especially internships and entry-level positions – have become increasingly crucial first steps for a student’s career momentum, Rappaport said.

“Hopefully, these will be the kinds of opportunities that help launch their careers,” Rappaport said.

The current focus of the campaign is in markets that have a relatively high population of UD alumni and parents – Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York, for example.

“We also see this as a great way to inspire and sustain support for UD among our alumni and parents,” said Michael Sclafani, UD’s associate vice president for alumni engagement and annual giving. “We encourage alumni, parents, and friends to think in terms of giving their time, talent and treasure to advance the University. This is a very special way to do that.”

To participate in UD’s 2016 Internship and Job Drive, visit the website.

Article by Eric Ruth

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