Student Employment
- How can I find a job on-campus that relates to my major? Using Handshake, you can filter jobs based on many different topics including major, on- campus, college, and work-study. If you still do not find a direct match, you can make an appointment with the student employment team.
- I’m having a hard time communicating with my supervisor. Is there someone who can help me? Yes, the student employment team is here to assist both student and supervisor with any questions regarding the student employment position.
- Can international students work on campus? Yes, all students enrolled at least 3 credit hours are eligible to apply for on-campus positions. International students can apply for any position that is not listed as work-study only.
Career Advising
- What does Career Readiness mean? Career readiness is the attainment and demonstration of requisite competencies that broadly prepare college graduates for a successful transition into the workplace. These competencies include Critical Thinking/Problem Solving, Oral/Written Communications, Teamwork/Collaboration, Digital Technology, Leadership, Professionalism/Work Ethic, Career Management, and Global/Intercultural Fluency.
- How can I increase my Career Readiness level? 1)Utilize the Career Center – The Career Center offers various services and programs all with a focus on increasing a student’s career readiness and ensuring new college graduates have the skills necessary to enter the workforce. 2) Work an internship/volunteer opportunity. 3) Join a student organization
- What Can I Do With This Major? There are many more career options than most people realize and it can be hard to find information about what types of careers your degree has prepared you for. Here are some easy and free ways to start learning about your options. Try looking up your major and/or interests on our What Can I Do With This Major?” site. UNT students and alumni get free access to this site, which helps outline and explain common career options with your degree. The site also offers strategies to help you become a strong job applicant in each field. You can learn more detailed information about career titles you’re interested in on Onetonline.org. Discover more about common job duties, in-demand skills, education requirements, salary breakdowns, and more. For general information, this is great but you may be wondering what actual UNT graduates are doing with your degree. One of my favorite resources to help you learn about alumni career paths is the LinkedIn Alumni Finder. The Alumni Finder allows you to look up graduates by college and filter them by major, job type, company, and specialization. This can help identify what types of jobs are common for your major, what companies hire UNT grads, and identify common career paths and entry-level positions. If you’re curious about someone’s career, feel free to ask them about it through the sites messaging app.
- Talk to your Career Coach At UNT you have your own Career Coach that specializes in your college and major areas. Schedule a time to speak with our coaches, in-person, over the phone, or online to learn more about career options that are common for graduates in your major. Make appointments by calling 940 565 2105 or schedule online at Handshake.com or on appointment manager.unt.edu for only the College of Science and the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences.
- Talk to faculty members in your department Your faculty members are experts in their field and can help you discuss many options in their field. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Most faculty are happy to speak with you about their area of study and possible career opportunities and directions to consider. Consider talking to professors after class or during their office hours. Look online to get an idea of what topics they teach and focus in and send a professional e-mail asking to set up a time to talk.
I have an interview. Where can I get practice?
- Schedule a Mock Interview with your career coach and/or Peer Ambassador At UNT you have your own Career Coach that specializes in your college and major areas and you can schedule a practice interview in-person, over the phone, or online through Zoom. Your coach will ask questions that you will likely hear in an interview and will give you honest feedback, tips, and suggestions for improvement. Let your coach know the type of opportunity you are interviewing for and the organization it is with and Your Career Coach will customize the questions asked and feedback given.
- Practice & Learn Online Through Big Interview The UNT Career Center offers a free online interview prep service called Big Interview. UNT students/Faculty and Staff can access the site through the resource section on CareerCenter.unt.edu or by clicking on Big Interview. This service allows users to view short, self-paced videos outlining the meaning behind a wide variety of common interview questions and how you can use your own experiences to provide the best answers. Each video is made and informed by Human Resource professionals and Hiring Manager. The site allows you to skip questions you are comfortable with and focus on areas of concern. Big Interview also lets students choose and practice industry-specific questions in the practice interview section. Looking for more? Check the Big Interview Student Guide.
- Look on Handshake for Employer Led Mock Interviews Whenever possible the Career Center tries to connect students to employers in their industries. One way we do this is by inviting local employers to host mock interviews on campus. If you’re interested in participating, check the events section on Handshake to see if there are any upcoming events. There is no better opportunity than getting interview feedback from someone who has experience hiring in your field of interest. Who knows, they may be the one’s interviewing you in the future.
What can I do to boost my chances of getting hired?
- Schedule an appointment with your Career Coach Even after graduation, you can still take advantage of the career center. Schedule an appointment with one of the professionals in the career center to discuss your goals and learn how we can help you prepare and, possibly, redirect your job search. Staff are available for one-on-one coaching/advising sessions with students and alumni. Staff is available in-person and by phone, Zoom, and email. When scheduling an appointment online, please indicate if you would like an in-person, phone, email or Zoom meeting. Current students can schedule an appointment through Navigate, and alumni can schedule an appointment through Handshake. To find your Career Coach or Internship Specialist, select the Career Community for the College or School associated with your major. (If you don’t know which College or School to select, you can find it in the UNT Degree Programs list.) Once you access your Career Community, scroll down and your Career Coach and Internship Specialist will be listed in the right-hand column. Click the green button to access their contact information.
- Select a Job Goal – Having a focus is necessary
- Do market research Find 10 job descriptions and highlight all of the keywords and phrases that are most commonly repeated. Then, highlight those skills in the resume, cover letter, and during the interview.
- Network It’s been reported that 80 % of jobs are never advertised. Make connections through social networking. Join and attend professional organization meetings in your field.
- Don’t wait Apply 3-4 months before graduation. Apply for multiple jobs and follow up.
- Spend time volunteering Great way to contribute to the community also gain new skills and meet people — including potential employers — who could eventually help them find a job.
- Expand your search/be flexible Sometimes it’s necessary to expand your requirements to find the right fit. It may mean looking for positions in another city or state or considering jobs outside of your college major. These may be necessary as a jumping-off point for entering the career world.
- Get in front of employers Take advantage of every available opportunity the Career Center provides to connect with employers in-person, such as virtual job fairs, campus interviews, and other networking events. Employers tell us that face-to-face situations help them to confirm if a candidate will be a good fit for the job and organization.
- Do an internship Job seekers can never get too much experience, and an internship is a great way to get it. Although it can feel like taking a step backward to do an internship after college, this is still an option to sharpen existing skills or learn new ones in order to change careers.
- Consider a part-time job Although it’s not ideal to work part-time, it can help to bring in money while you actively pursue full-time options. Also, this will demonstrate a strong work ethic.
- Don’t neglect LinkedIn Recruiters use LinkedIn to find job candidates, so it’s important for recent graduates to devote job search time to connect with potential employers on the site. In order to get the most out of LinkedIn, completely fill out your profile, connect with other UNT Alumni, and participate in groups related to your field.
I’m thinking about graduate school. How can I learn more?
- It’s never too early to start thinking about graduate opportunities. Contact the Toulouse Graduate School admission for application requirements. Most programs also have additional requirements and deadlines, therefore please contact your department advisor for more information.
Do you have a question that we didn’t answer? Send your questions to career.center@unt.edu or give us a call at 940-565-2105. Our office is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
