Liberty’s Career Center comes to aid of student body during COVID-19 employment struggles

America has been waiting each day for further reports and instruction regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and how it is affecting the job market. Liberty University’s senior class is no exception.

With the demand for employment at an all-time low, the Liberty University Career Center is rising to the occasion to meet graduates’ needs. Ever since residential classes were moved online in full compliance with COVID-19 restrictions, the staff has been working tirelessly to create virtual ways to aid students.

“We have a ton that we are doing,” said Kate Choudhury, interim executive director for Career Services. “We have been conducting virtual workshops, such as Resume 101. We also have virtual career coaching appointments and we are even hosting virtual employer events with recruiters. We have actually done more career coaching appointments in the last three weeks than we did in person at this time last year.”

Choudhury said Liberty’s career coaches are “exceptionally qualified in their field.”

“We have professionals who can tap into their industry and know how to speak that field’s language,” she said. “Our career coaches have been able to connect with many students at this time, and it has been really exciting. Students tell us that our career coaches are very easy to converse with and very knowledgeable. They’re also easily accessible. Students say they gain more confidence in writing their resumés and setting up interviews.”

The recent employment drought has not affected every field, and students know they still have to develop plans for the future.

“For most seniors, this will affect how they go about applying for jobs after college,” said senior nursing student Erica Forster. “I’m personally just going to probably take the summertime off before applying for work because there will probably be an increase in the demand for nurses. I think for a lot of students, this will change their summer job plans as well.”

Choudhury said Forster’s outlook is typical for seniors in this uncertain time. In many cases, she advises that students, that although they may be wired to push to get a job in their field now, they may find it best to wait and see what emerges when the pandemic’s effects on the economy lessen.

“Although we typically advise students to be more patient than they want to be when starting their job search, it’s not a bad thing to go get a job doing something that you didn’t think you would need or want and then learn something in the process. That doesn’t mean you are abandoning your job search or don’t have any career goals.”

The Career Center has partnered with Handshake, a digital platform that specializes in job postings for students. All students’ and graduates’ accounts are free and they can upload their resumés and create profiles for employers to view. Nearly 100 percent of the Fortune 500 companies use Handshake. A unique aspect of the site is that employers can search for candidates from particular colleges and universities. Approximately 3,100 companies, including American Airlines and Adidas, are directly connected with Liberty through Handshake.

Students can also use Handshake to search for internships and make appointments with Liberty’s career coaches.

“I scheduled an appointment through Handshake, and it was really easy,” said senior Brooke Sommons. “It was so helpful to be able to go through a mock interview. I would definitely recommend Handshake.”

Many of the Career Center resources remain available for students even after they graduate.

The Career Center has also been tailoring its services to specific academic programs. On Monday, Career Center staff will be participating in a Virtual Town Hall for students in the Helms School of Government, where they will be able to ask for advice on getting jobs and internships in their field.

For more information on the Career Center’s services, visit the Career Center’s website, call (434)-592-4109, or email careers@liberty.edu.