April 24, 2018
Bryanna Winner
Depending on your career, networking can be vital to land a good position in the workforce.
Around 85 percent of jobs are filled through networking and 68 percent of entry-level professionals value face-to-face networking, according to HubSpot.
Networking is an important part of finding a career for those who work in communication fields. However, for communication majors at UCCS, the Department of Communication could streamline how they communicate networking opportunities for students.
As a commuter student who works part-time while taking a full course load, I depend on digital communication, including emails, web postings and text messages, to inform me about campus-based opportunities for networking.
Around 80 percent of students at UCCS are classified as commuters. The Department of Communication should send out more emails to communication students who may not have the option to come to events at the last minute and need to plan ahead.
Throughout my time as a communication major, I have received multiple emails about internships, jobs and networking. But by the time they were sent out, the event either already happened, it was too late to RSVP or set aside time to go.
UCCS students can currently use some online campus resources, like Mountain Lion Connect or their departments homepage to find and learn more about future opportunities.
However, for specific events within their major, it’s more important that the department itself puts out early notice.
Earlier this year, I received an email about a virtual job fair for a field that I want to go into. When I tried to RSVP, the website said that I was too late. Which seemed odd since I had just gotten the email that day.
For the students that don’t have time to go to their advisor or talk to someone in the department outside of class, these emails are the only way they find out about these opportunities. The last email I received from the Department of Communication was about the department career night in February.
Students like to have these emails two to three weeks in advance so they can plan as far ahead as possible.
Emails about these opportunities should be sent out two to three weeks in advance. An email about “The Bluffs” television series on campus was sent out two weeks before it premiered, giving students enough time to schedule time to go.
The failure to consistently send students the information in a timely manner makes it hard for students to get involved, network and prepare themselves for their future careers.
The departments on campus, whether they are the Chemistry, Engineering or History department, need to realize that a students’ only goal is not to get a degree.
While studying at UCCS, many students also want to learn about possible opportunities, and network with potential employers. They also just might need a little bit of help accomplishing these goals.
Before sending these types of emails out to students, departments should check to see if the event has already happened or if there is an RSVP deadline. This would ensure that interested students aren’t let down, and catalyze more student involvement in their department.
By sending these emails and other communications out too late for students to participate in these events, departments are making students’ transitions into careers much harder.