History of the UF Division of Student Affairs | Page 46

46

being the world’s largest professional network and students coming into UF with
established online identities, the career development team created programming
to address these needs. Programming highlighting professional branding, online
job searches, and developing a LinkedIn profile quickly became popular and
relevant workshops for the millennial student. The CRC’s social media channels
were also used as a significant form of communication promoting the Center’s
events and other resources useful for students and alumni. The effort was
recognized and Jobbrander.com named the CRC #12 in career services social
media in 2013.
C a r e e r R e a d i n e ss
Due to economic changes over the course of the decade and the role of career
services in connecting industry with the University, career services became
a more prominent and vital entity on university campuses throughout the
country. Many universities now considered career services to be critical to
their missions and incorporated career-focused services, values and purpose
into the institutional culture. Given the heightened emphasis on employment
outcomes and accountability in higher education, the CRC revisited its approach
to intentionally prepare students for the job market and strengthened efforts to
connect with demands of industry.
The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) released the top
skills desired by employers: the ability to work in team structures; making
decisions and solving problems; planning, organizing, and prioritizing work;
selling and influencing others; and more. It was important for the Center to
address career readiness to ensure students’ preparedness for post-graduation.
In May 2014, Dr. White met with the Council of Associate Deans to begin the
conversation of preparing UF students based on what employers desired. To
ensure that the Center’s goals aligned with the external initiatives, Dr. White
changed the office’s structure and focus areas in June 2014 to holistically meet
the needs of UF students. The Career Development and Employer Relations
team implemented new functional areas which included Career Exploration and
Education; Professional Development and Experience; Employer Development
and Experience; and Recruitment Services.
The focus area for the Career Exploration and Education restructure was
managing the Center’s strategy and operations for students regarding self-

H i st o ry o f t h e U F D S A