Saint Leo University's Career Services Helps Students During Coronavirus Pandemic

Saint Leo University's Career Services is helping students and alumni stay in the job hunt during these uncertain times. As the university moved from in-classroom instruction to online classes, so, too, has Career Services.

The university was set to hold its annual Business Week, which would include a career fair at University Campus. Business Week 2020 will now be held in October. However, the career fair will go on as will all Career Services student-assistance—in cyberspace!

"Traditionally, Career Services has followed a transactional model of service; technology has disrupted that model to a focus on the importance of our connected communities," said Susan Mickey, executive director of Career Services for Saint Leo University. "To serve our students effectively, we must still provide the traditional service delivery methods, while also offering innovative ways for our students and employers to connect.

"With the university, and the rest of the country, moving to online classes and work, we saw an opportunity to stretch ourselves in the virtual recruiting space," Mickey continued. 

Research shows that more than 80 percent of successful job seekers leveraged their networks to gain employment, she noted. "We did not want to lose an opportunity for our [Saint Leo] Lions to connect with employers," Mickey said. "Instead, we asked our recruiters to pivot and join us in a virtual space for the March 25 career fair."

The career fair will take place from noon to 3 p.m., Wednesday, March 25, via Handshake. Registration is recommended on the Handshake app.

Students, alumni, and employers can connect from the comfort of their homes and offices. Employers and students will log in to a Zoom space together to network and share information and opportunities.

Prior to the event, Career Services staff will help participants freshen or create their résumés and "elevator pitch."

"We are very excited to offer this networking opportunity to our students, as well as alumni using Handshake," Mickey said. "In addition, we have added a number of other virtual offerings in Handshake, from 'drop-in' résumé workshops, to Career Coffee Chats, to a special Leaders in the Industry webinar on tips to use for your job search during the pandemic."

For more information, contact Career Services at careerservices@saintleo.edu or (352) 588-8346.

Should I keep looking for a new job with all of this uncertainty?

The Leaders in the Industry webinar will examine searching for a job during the pandemic. The webinar will be held at 6 p.m., Thursday, March 26. Assistant Director of Career Services Nancy Cheek will lead the webinar. To attend this event, use a Chrome browser and click here.

This week, Cheek has interviewed several job recruiters to discover the trends in hiring during this pandemic. She will share tips for beginning or continuing job searches. Cheek has served Saint Leo students virtually for more than five years and is familiar with remote techniques for networking and supporting virtual recruiting efforts.

For more information, contact Career Services at careerservices@saintleo.edu.