Students Prepare for Jobs with Career Panels

College students are often overwhelmed and confused by the job market of their chosen field. The 18th annual Career Panels, Oct. 23-24, are designed to give students an idea of what careers are available to them in different businesses and industries. "What better way to learn than to talk to someone who is in that profession. Career Panels offer that opportunity," says Corey Feraldi, Director of Career Services.

The goal is to not only to show students potential job options but also to help them understand the process of obtaining jobs in different fields. The panels are also a great way to establish contacts who may be able to help students find an ideal job. Whitney Price, senior communications major, attended a career panel last year and was able to make a contact with the Director of Marketing and Communication at South Carolina Medical Association.

"I ended up job shadowing a lady I met during a career panel and she helped me find a potential summer internship," Price said.

To measure the success of the program, Career Services asks students to complete evaluations after every panel to obtain student feedback.

Over 50 percent of the panelists who come to the university to participate in the panels are USCA alumni. This statistic showcases the achievement of our alumni and the overall success of the career panels.

"One of the great things is that the alumni panelists have gone through the same experiences and curriculum that the students are currently going through here," Feraldi said.

Career panels are not provided solely for juniors and seniors. The Career Services office strives to get more freshmen and sophomores involved. By providing students this type of exposure to the job market at an earlier stage in their college career, USCA hopes that once they become seniors, students will have a better understanding of what they want to do upon graduation.