Shannon Hoyt-

Counseling, teaching, learning, research, health and even career resources are steps away from residence halls, offering opportunities to University of Wisconsin-Stout’s major stakeholders: students.

At UW-Stout, there are various opportunities to network and build relationships with potential employers, regardless of a student’s year and experience. The biannual Career Conferences, Art & Design Week and the Government & Non-Profit Career Expo are all organized by Career Services, an on-campus resource and service for employers, alumni, faculty, staff and students.

“We assist students in the career and professional development that can occur here at Stout,” said Bryan Barts, director of Career Services. “So, when a student comes in to our office, it could be for a number of different topics, but primarily it comes down to about four of them.”

Those four topics are professional documents—including resumes, cover letters, portfolios—interviewing, job searching and co-op and internship opportunities. Students can sign-up for a meeting with a Career Services counselor or participate in mock interviews given by real employers. Career Services also offers workshops and preparation weeks for those struggling to find that professional confidence.

One student, Makenna Wynveen, a junior studying graphic design and interactive media, heard about Career Services through a friend and decided to take action.

“I took [my friend’s] advice to see my career advisor, who was a great help when reviewing some of my portfolio write-ups and resume,” said Wynveen. “Career Services benefited me by allowing me to feel confident about my resume and my portfolio work when presenting to companies and interviewers.”

Wynveen also attended a resume workshop to learn more about her professional documents.

Senior Kylie Frank, studying professional communication and emerging media, stepped into Career Services her freshman year, and has kept in mind the advice she received throughout her years at UW-Stout.

“It was really useful to get fresh insight into my work and receive assistance with making changes that benefited how I presented my professional self,” said Frank.

Wynveen and Frank, along with hundreds of other students, took what they learned at Career Services to present themselves at the 2018 Spring Career Conference.

“We started a Spring Career Conference about three years ago,” said Barts. “We’ve been really happy with the turnout of employers who are just looking to build a relationship, get talent into their business early.”

Over 300 employers came to the two-day conference, offering co-op, internship, part-time and full-time job opportunities. Students could download the Stout Career Fair Plus app to preview and pick their go-to companies.

“One of the comments that I hear over and over is that students will go to the event thinking one thing is going to happen and then they’re going to come out of the event realizing that five other things have happened,” said Barts.

Barts also said that the feedback from employers is nothing short of amazing and that they love Stout graduates because they hit the ground running.

Career Services hosted Mock Interview Week, March 26 through the 28. The 2018 Fall Career Conference dates are already set for Sept. 25 and 26. For more information on Career Services, visit their website.

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