As High Point University seniors prepare to join the job market or continue their education via graduate school, faculty experts are committed to equipping them with premier life skills to produce extraordinary results. That’s why data collected by HPU in accordance with the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) protocols showed 99% of HPU graduates in the Class of 2022 started their careers or graduate school within 180 days of graduation, which is 14 points higher than the national average. 

HPU’s Office of Career and Professional Development offers support to students for personal and professional development through a variety of resources, including one-on-one career advising sessions, career expos that bring employers to campus, resume and interview etiquette workshops, internship and career connections, externship opportunities and much more. 

Dr. Doug Hall, HPU’s vice president of Career and Professional Development, is available for media interviews as graduation season nears and the Class of 2023 begins their careers. Dr. Hall can offer tips such as the following for seniors who are wrapping up their college experience and transitioning into the workforce or graduate and professional school: 

- Continue networking – This can be with employers, university faculty and staff, alumni, family and friends. There’s a lot of benefit in engaging others in your journey, listening for guidance, and leveraging those interactions to help inform your next move. Finding your next role is more than just applying and waiting for a response, it requires intentionality and persistence. 

- Be flexible – Whether you are laser focused on one specific path or have many ideas about your next move, give yourself permission and extend grace to yourself with the thought that the first place you land is not your forever space, but a place where skills can be developed and sharpened. You’ll go to work not just to earn, but to learn. You can then leverage your learning for the next move. 

- Continue to engage with Career & Professional Development – At HPU, there’s still time to work with our office. We’re here now and can assist students after they graduate. We’ll work together to continue crafting a personal brand by way of resume, cover letters and LinkedIn, as well as provide career resources related to those career goals. Make an appointment with us today. 

Hall offered the following tips to seniors who are entering their first full-time position:

- Be curious.

- Ask questions and for help.

- Understand your role and how it fits into the larger organization.  

- Take the opportunity to get to know your teammates. Schedule a lunch or coffee with them

- Do not be afraid to share ideas with your manager or team.

- Step out of your comfort zone.

- Get involved in young professional organizations to meet new people.

For those who may still be looking for an opportunity, Hall suggests they can take the following steps:   

-Utilize the Office of Career & Professional Development. Schedule a meeting with a Career Advisor to talk through your current job search.

- Use all the tools in your toolbox to look for opportunities. Those job search tools can range from Handshake and LinkedIn to applying through the employer website.

- Your first job doesn’t have to be your “dream” job. Career journeys are not linear and your first role after college is an opportunity to build skills that will help you throughout your career.

- Lean into their network. More than 70% of hiring managers begin their search for talent within their own networks.

- Job search is a marathon not a sprint.