Success Beyond Baylor

Career and Professional Development Prepares Students for Life After College

The Office of Career and Professional Development (CPD) at Baylor guides students through challenges related to working in the professional world, making decisions about their major or other career-related choices, or pursuing their education further. Through its breadth of resources, including Bear Treks, Handshake, training sessions, job fairs, on-campus internships and employment opportunities, and its newly renovated Career Closet, CPD supports students across campus.
“CPD has so much to offer students to help transform what they’ve done on campus into a career,” said Shelby Cefaratti, marketing and graphic design specialist for CPD. “But it’s not just about getting a job. It’s about helping our students feel prepared, empowered and confident to go out into the world and be successful.”

Dress for Success

At the end of May, CPD celebrated the opening of its Career Closet with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The Career Closet assists students who may not be able to purchase appropriate professional attire needed for interviews, career fairs or professional conferences and competitions.
“As we looked at students who were attending the career fairs, we found, overwhelmingly, that there was a large body of students who could not afford appropriate interview attire,” said Marjorie Ellis, executive director of CPD. “We decided that if students were having trouble affording the clothes, we would like to be able to give them their first interview suit or outfit.”
Once CPD developed a plan to expand the closet, Ellis contacted Home Depot to take measurements of a designated space to see what could be constructed with a minimal budget. After hearing the purpose of the closet, Home Depot decided to build the closet for free.
“The idea caught the attention of the company while planning a design for the closet,” Ellis said. “When it was discussed at the corporate level, a member remembered getting his first suit from a career center as a student and wanted to give back.”
Students may pick out three articles of clothing and one accessory each semester, so that by the time they graduate, they will have full professional wardrobes to start their careers. Students can stop by the
CPD office from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday to access the Career Closet. While no appointment is required, students can make an appointment for a time that is convenient for them. The Career Closet is located on the first floor of the Paul L. Foster Success Center in the west wing of Sid Richardson.

Bear Trek: Taking the Career Search on the Road

During the 2017–2018 academic year, the Career and Professional Development Center took three select groups of students to Dallas and Austin to visit different organizations as part of the Bear Trek program. These trips provide an excellent opportunity for students to learn about each organization’s career opportunities, speak with their employees and experience their mission and culture. This year, CPD plans to return to these cities, with a focus on the communication, media, and biotech industries.
“The Career and Professional Development Center helps students find ‘Success Beyond Baylor.’ Part of that mission involves career exploration and providing opportunities for students to connect with professionals in their desired field. We are excited to continue to expand this program in order to reach more students and more industries,” said Desiree Foley, employer relations specialist.

It Starts With a Handshake

Another career-building initiative offered through CPD is Handshake, an online database that connects students, alumni and employers to valuable resources and employment opportunities. More than 1,000 jobs are posted on Handshake each month, and users can search for internships, jobs, on-campus interviews, scholarships and research opportunities.
Users may also access Handshake to upload their résumé for employers, practice their interview skills and schedule an appointment with CPD counselors for career guidance and résumé reviews.
“Handshake is what powers our entire department,” said Cefaratti. “Students already have an account, so they don’t have to do anything but log in with their Baylor ID. It’s got so much information. It’s such a valuable tool for students.”

Proper Dining Etiquette

Professional relationships are often developed at the table over a meal, so CPD helps Baylor students hone their table manners, dining etiquette and conversational skills by hosting etiquette dinners. The formal dinner event walks students through proper dining etiquette and provides a practical learning experience on how to converse and network with business professionals before and during a meal.
Cefaratti explains how important it is for students to have the confidence to sit down at lunch or dinner during an interview with two or three other people. “It’s these life skills that will really make them stand out as invaluable for the business world,” she said.

Career-Ready Resources

Whether it’s preparing a cover letter or résumé or preparing for an interview, the CPD team will help students succeed in their professional goals. From a student’s first day on campus, CPD is available to help them enrich their professional knowledge, assess the job market, grow their professional network and transition from college to career.
“Our office isn’t just about career advisement anymore,” said Cefaratti. “I’m hoping that our students will come in as freshman and return every year, several times a year, as they approach graduation day to utilize what we have to offer them.”
Students are encouraged to sign up for any of CPD’s programs, including Tuesday Talks, which focus on writing winning résumés, making LinkedIn profiles stand out, negotiating salaries, and a variety of other topics.
For more information on CPD programs, visit baylor.edu/cpd.