Career Connections: Career Liaisons guide students through their career journeys
Friday, December 13, 2024
Media Contact: Sophia Fahleson | Digital Communications Specialist | 405-744-7063 | sophia.fahleson@okstate.edu
Polishing a résumé and cover letter to land that dream job can be a daunting task for students. However, inside the Lynn and Jeff Hilst Center for Student Success, also known as “the Fishbowl,” students can find a Career Liaison ready to help them tackle their application materials and achieve their career goals.
The Ferguson College of Agriculture Career Liaisons are a select team of 24 students trained to help their peers with anything career-related. They are part of a bigger leadership team called the Student Success Leaders and are based in the academic programs office.
“A Student Success Leader is someone who volunteers his or her time,” said Herb Lengel, employer and alumni relations coordinator for the Ferguson College of Agriculture and co-adviser for the Career Liaisons. “They have the heart for giving back to other students and to uplift the Ferguson Family.”
Four teams make up the Ferguson College of Agriculture Student Success Leaders: Ambassadors, Multicultural Program Leaders, Freshmen in Transition Student Academic Mentors and Career Liaisons.
“Being part of the Student Success Leaders team is an honor,” said Lily Gisclair, graduate teaching assistant for academic programs in the Ferguson College of Agriculture and former Career Liaison.
What sets the Career Liaisons apart is they directly serve current students every day in the Student Success Center and help ensure they are career-ready, she said.
“Career Liaisons are trained to help review résumés, cover letters and LinkedIn profiles,” Lengel said. “They also conduct mock interviews.”
Every weekday from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Career Liaisons have office hours for any Ferguson College students who may need career-related advice or document reviews. During these hours, Career Liaisons also check any documents that come in electronically, Lengel said.
In addition, the Career Liaisons’ responsibilities include assisting at Career Services events throughout the year, Gisclair said.
Career Services hosts multiple targeted events to encourage networking and help students prepare for the career fair, Gisclair added.
Career Liaisons volunteer for at least three of these events, said Chelsea Arnold, director of student development for the Ferguson College of Agriculture and co-adviser for the Career Liaisons.
“One of our big events is the Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources Career Fair, and Career Liaisons have a big role in that event,” Gisclair said. “They help students check in, escort industry partners to their booths, and ensure students are equipped with the resources needed to go into the career fair.”
Being a Career Liaison requires on-going, specialized training, she said.
When classes start in the fall, all Student Success Leaders complete a two-day training, Lengel said.
“The first day consists of leadership training and how to work as a team,” Gisclair said. “On the second day, Career Liaisons spend about three hours on résumé training.”
Throughout the semester, the team meets once a week and learns a new topic related to professional preparedness, Arnold added.
Being a Career Liaison requires special skills and a unique personality, Arnold said.
The ideal Career Liaison is personable, detail-oriented and has a love for career preparation, Arnold said.
In addition, Career Liaisons should be willing to learn and be able to think critically, Gisclair said.
“We want to offer a friendly place for students,” Gisclair said. “We need students who can offer kind feedback and help people of all personalities.”
The Career Liaisons also play a role in helping fellow students develop the attributes of an Oklahoma State University “Ideal Graduate.”
“The Ideal Graduate is an initiative developed through the university’s ‘We Are Land-Grant’ strategy that includes four developmental competencies,” said Taylor Harbuck, assistant director of student experience for OSU Career Services.
Those four competencies include professional preparedness, personal responsibility, ethical leadership and engaged citizenship, Harbuck said.
Students need these essential skills to go into the workforce and be ready to step into their careers, he said.
“One of the best ways to teach students about the importance of developing these competencies is through one-on-one conversations and examples,” Harbuck said.
Career Liaisons provide support to students through peer-to-peer mentoring about professional development and career readiness topics, he said. Through these conversations, the Career Liaisons are guiding students through the four competencies, Harbuck added.
“The Career Liaisons bring a helpful resource to the Ferguson College of Agriculture,” Arnold said. “They also bring a constant presence of service for students.
“They’re always there to help,” she said. “It helps create that sense of family in the Lynn and Jeff Hilst Center for Student Success.”
Story by Abby Helbach | Cowboy Journal