Entering the workforce post-college is one of the first tasks graduates take to ensure success in their future. The University of Wisconsin – Green Bay’s (UWGB) previous and current students have had assistance along the way to land full-time jobs after receiving their degrees. After connecting with the Director of Alumni Relations, UWGB Alumni, and current UWGB seniors, we have gathered information and narrowed it down to 5 simple steps in preparing for our ever-changing workforce.
Network with others– Whether through your current job or your peers and advisors. Create sustainable connections and connect even further.
In a recent survey sent out to UWGB seniors, 76% of respondents said that they do not intend on staying at their current job after they graduate this year, nor do they intend on staying with the same company. CareerClimb.com, a company that helps with career development and resume writing, has studied that “Many career counselors and professional experts advise staying at your first job for one year or longer. But nearly three-quarters of recent college graduates have a tenure of less than one year for their first job, and there are advantages to moving on quickly.” While this is a typical trend for recent graduates, 76% of UWGB Seniors said that they believe they have certainly benefited from the career advice and opportunities the UWGB faculty/staff have given them. “You never know who would be able to help you in your professional career,” said one respondent.
While the current UWGB seniors are still navigating their way to the workforce, there was time to connect with some UWGB alumni and hear about their journey in getting there. Jody Weyers, a UWGB graduate of 1996 with a BA in Communication, shared her experiences with obtaining a career post-college. While she attended the university, she sought out a lot of opportunities such as internships, faculty and staff assistance, volunteer work, and job shadowing people in her field. “Every connection you make could potentially lead to a job offer,” said Weyers.
Weyers challenged the statistic. In fact, she stayed at her job for six years after she graduated. “I was fortunate to be working part-time at Schneider National starting my senior year. After I graduated, they offered me a full-time position, and I accepted the offer,” said Weyers. A few of our current UWGB seniors have also mentioned the thought of continuing with the same company they work for now, as they have developed relationships and connections through their academic journey to ensure the development of their skills.
Utilize your resources – There are many job sites that are currently active right now through campus, but even more so through the web!
When the seniors were asked to rank their favorite job sites, LinkedIn and Indeed came out on top as what they use the most. They mentioned that they were not limited by these four as many of the seniors also use the company’s specific job site to apply, UW school websites, WECan and Handshake. Handshake is a recommended platform used by the UWGB campus, and 52% of respondents claimed the use of the platform for potential job opportunities.
Brian Rammer, Director of Alumni Relations, gave great insight into how seniors can stay connected and seek opportunities through his help. Some recommendations Rammer shared were to “Create a LinkedIn profile and start networking with people you know to build your network” and “Be willing to ask questions with those you are in contact with during your academic journey – faculty, university staff, alumni, community leaders, etc.,” said Rammer. Becoming active on LinkedIn is something a lot of UWGB faculty recommend as well.
There was even a trend of responses in the survey, including the appreciation for UWGB professors as they teach students how to communicate better, how to prepare for the interview and application process, and how to obtain internship opportunities in their students’ fields. “I recommend people take at least two communication classes, Intro to Communication with Professor Bryan Carr to learn how to communicate well, and Business and Media Writing with Professor Michael Bina to learn to make a resume and cover letter,” said one respondent.
Develop your skills – This can be through internships, job shadowing, achieving additional certifications, and so on. Your opportunities to expand your skillset are endless!
When UWGB seniors were asked how they best prepare themselves to enter the workforce, one respondent said, “On a student level, I have taken internships or picked out student jobs that fit my degree. On a personal level, you sort of push yourself to become the most “marketable” you that you could be.” This senior focuses on expanding their skills on and off campus to allow them to be more successful. “Add to my resume all of my extracurriculars at UWGB and continue to create connections with people in jobs I want,” said another senior.
While Weyers worked at her first job for six years, that is not where she ended up. She decided she would take on a different job, specifically in the non-profit sector. She ended up in the American Red Cross, knowing she wanted more for herself, but she also decided to do her first job simultaneous to this one due to her wage. Weyers has now reached the point in her career where she landed at Operations Fresh; this is a place where they “empower emerging adults aged 16-24 on a path to self-sufficiency through education, mentoring, and employment training,” said Weyers. Working for her first two jobs prepared her in more ways than one for this transition to her current role, “I look at those experiences for laying the groundwork for my past positions and to where I am today,” said Weyers.
“Get your feet wet” – UWGB Senior – Build relevant experience in your field of work as early as possible.
“Find an entry job within the field as a job before you graduate is probably the biggest suggestion. Most jobs heavily require experience (at least one to two years for more entry based) on top of jobs.” This student suggests that you get involved in your field as soon as you can, as they would rank experience above grades in school. On the other hand, another UWGB senior felt that grades, as well as experience, were a requirement for standing out. “Employers see a high-grade point average and the amount of involvement and campus and tend to lean towards hiring a person with these accomplishments.” It is safe to say that higher grades, relevant experience, and involvement on campus will certainly influence employers in the hiring process, according to our current seniors.
Over 50% of respondents suggested getting experience early, seeking internships early, and finding entry-level jobs early. “Put yourself out there because the worst that can happen is someone says no. It doesn’t hurt to ask and get your name out there because you never know what can happen. The more experience you have now, the better off you’ll be in the future!” said one respondent. UWGB seniors recommend that you do not hesitate to build relevant experience in their field. In fact, they assume some of their success has been because they chose to do this. “I began as a junior in high school while I see some kids not taking advantage of opportunities or putting themselves out there in college.” It is safe to say that it is never too early to start!
Continuously learn and improve – Remember that you are not always stuck in the same place. There are many ways to improve upon your current situation and expand to something fitter for yourself. Put yourself out there and seek something that best suits your strengths.
Telling students to ask more questions was a huge suggestion from the UWGB seniors, as many of them believe there is no such thing as a “stupid” question. “Put yourself out there, talk to many people, and apply to many places. Figure out what you love to do and shoot for that. Don’t worry about the money. If you’re doing something you truly love to do every day and wake up happy, the money will come.” said one survey responder.
Listed above are great resources in finding the career that you belong in, but also, “Understand that many do not always end up in the field in which they anticipated when they graduated, or may shift after getting that first job,” said Rammer. He wants students to understand that sometimes you will end up somewhere and not feel like you belong there, and that is natural to feel. “I do my best to provide alumni opportunities to stay connected to UWGB through a monthly alumni e-newsletter, providing events throughout the year, meeting with individual alumni individually either in-person or by phone or virtually,” Through this, Rammer is continuing to establish relationships with UWGB graduates to keep the community close and thriving together. With that, he encourages students to stay connected through LinkedIn and develop a relationship with career services here on campus in order to stay updated on job vacancies from time to time.
UWGB offers support for their student’s success, and UWGB seniors and alumni are a true testament to that. Using some, if not all, of these five steps, students have found success in building as much experience as they can. While not all survey responders have found jobs to pursue yet after graduation, 47% either have a job lined up already or have an idea of the direction they are going. “Stay open-minded and ready for opportunities. It’s good to have a plan, but don’t get down when the plan may have to change,” said a UWGB senior.
Career Climb. (2022, June 27). How Long Should I Stay at My First Job? https://careerclimb.com/how-long-should-i-stay-at-my-first-job/
