UCalgary Alumni Launches New Career Programs

With so much flux in the current job market, UCalgary Alumni’s Career Services program decided it, too, needed to pivot.

After poring over alumni surveys, job-market intel and reports on career trends, two new programs are being released in the next month, followed by others in the fall.

Dubbed Career Connect 20/20 and Career Connect Q&A, these noon-hour mini-sessions are a natural evolution of former programs such as Conversations with a Career Coach as well as our expert-led career webinars, but with a twist. According to Alumni Career Development Specialist Andrea Christensen, the pandemic has taught us many things: (1) the optimal length for a midday session is 40 to 45 minutes; (2) different audiences crave anonymity on a bigger platform, while others want something intimate and focused; and (3) people want to leave with specific tactics and practical strategies that they can implement right off the hop.

Here's how Career Connect 20/20 will roll out: Beginning May 13, this 40-minute program will begin with a 20-minute presentation on one specific topic, led by Christensen; the first is The Hidden Job Market, followed by Meaningful Work: What are your Career Motivators (on June 10 at noon). The last 20 minutes will be a moderated Q&A that neatly connects to the topic.

Whereas 20/20 focuses on a singular career-based topic with a moderator and will have a more intimate atmosphere, Career Connect Q&A has a broader reach and is open to any questions alumni may have about careers in general.

“Whether it relates to career transitions, resume-writing, interviews or personal branding — as long as it’s career-related, anything goes,” says Christensen, adding the first Career Connect Q&A runs May 27 at noon.

As for the 20/20 program on the hidden job market, Christensen explains that the widely held statistic — 80 per cent of all jobs are not posted online — rings true for most jobs.

“Somehow, we’ve been persuaded into thinking that most postings are going to appear on, let’s say, Indeed.ca,” says Christensen. “On top of that, applicant-tracking software systems that are often used further reduces the pool of possibilities, so we need to re-examine some of the more traditional ways of looking for work. And, by that, I mean not just networking as not everyone has a network . . . think of newcomers to Canada.”

With the recent announcement of Alberta’s new jobs program, Alberta at Work, it has never been as critical to keep on top of our province’s changing labour market, provide reskilling programs for those in career transitions, address talent shortages and attract young workers.

Which is precisely why these new Career Connect programs have been designed to equip alumni with career guidance and tips on management, education, trends and more. Discover more about Career Connect here.