Daily Skiff

A recent move to Jarvis Hall is not the only change at the University Career Services.

John Thompson, executive director of Career Services, said Career Services is revamping itself through new interview and resume programs, among other changes.

With the new optimal interview feature, students can go online and record mock interviews via webcam. After recording, students can watch the recorded video and self-critique their performance.

Thompson said the new offerings are advantageous for those who are busy and do not have the time to go to the Career Services office but still want to see how they would perform in an interview situation.

The optimal resume program helps students easily build resumes and cover letters online for potential employers. Once students have completed a resume and cover letter, they are able to upload the documents onto frogjobs.net, an online job-listing service maintained by Career Services, Thompson said.

Don Mills, vice chancellor for student affairs, said because the economy is getting tougher, it is imperative for students to work for internships and build portfolios, and for the university to bring more companies to campus.

"It is an important time for us to make certain that we are doing everything possible to provide students with the resources so they can be successful in searching for jobs," Mills said.

An overhauled Career Services Web site that will be up and running Dec. 1 will allow students to look at sample resumes and access the new programs implemented by Career Services more easily, Thompson said.

Career Services also joined with the Neeley MBA program to subscribe to the Web site Going Global. The Web site helps students find the more than 2,000 international jobs and internships that are available, Thompson said.

LaTanya Johns, director of the graduate career service center, said Going Global is good for students who are considering working in global companies where they need to have some sensitivity to other cultures because it provides information on how other countries conduct business and what is appropriate and inappropriate.

"We have several students who are not from the state of Texas or even from the U.S., and some of them very well may decide once they have completed their studies to go back to their home country," Johns said. "So I would like to be able to provide resources for them if that is indeed their goal."

Carlos Berti, a senior economics major from Guatemala, said upon graduation he plans on finding a job in either Spain or Florida.

"I would be able to save a lot of money not having to travel around the world trying to find a job, because traveling is never cheap," Berti said. "It would also be a lot easier and save a large amount of my time."

Because about 45,000 students graduate in Texas every year, Career Services is trying to better prepare students by improving their interviewing skills and making them more competitive in the job market, Thompson said.

"We have to do something that will raise the student perception of Career Services and let them know that we serve all students," Thompson said.

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