People earn college degrees for many reasons: to grow intellectually and culturally, to make their loved ones proud, or to gain a sense of accomplishment. The primary motivation for most people, however, is to enjoy a more rewarding career. Research backs the notion that those looking to start a career or vie for advancement within their present field generally fare better with a degree. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS): 

  • Bachelor’s degree holders earn about 38% more than those with an associate degree alone. 
  • Master’s degree holders earn about 18% more than those with a bachelor’s degree alone. 
  • Unemployment rates decrease commensurately as an individual’s level of degree increases. The average unemployment rate for those with a high school diploma alone is 6.2%. This rate decreases to 3.5% with a bachelor’s degree and to 2.6% with a master’s degree. 

While a college degree can provide a pathway to a rewarding career, it’s only part of the picture. Aspiring job candidates often need guidance in creating an attention-grabbing resume, dressing properly for an interview, and honing other related skills. UT Permian Basin’s Career Services team provides personalized career assistance to online and campus-based students alike. Below, that team’s core members—Maribea Merritt, Director of Education and Megan Baeza, Director of Internships and Employer Relations—answer frequently asked questions and offer some important advice for current and future jobseekers. 

Common Questions and Misconceptions 

Can I find a job or an internship through Career Services? 

Baeza: We see this with students as they come in here and say, “I need a job. Can you place me somewhere?” We are not a placement agency. We are a hub to direct students wherever they need to go and get them connected with the right people and then prepared for that next step. So, resumes, mock interviews, how to dress, a professional headshot—all those pieces leading up to that position—that’s where we come in. 

How should I prepare for my Career Services appointment? 

Baeza: Being able to have a one-on-one coach strategize a plan for each person, that’s the beauty of Career Services, because everyone has a different starting point, everyone has different experiences that they’re bringing in. We hear, “I’m fixing to graduate and I’m looking for a job and I have no internship. I haven’t been a part of anything on campus. I have nothing to list on my resume except for maybe my GPA,” and maybe that’s good, maybe it’s not. That’s a really difficult place to start. If you start freshman year and do a career assessment or come to some of the career events or stay in touch with virtual events on Handshake that we offer, [to learn] how to dress, what your resume should look like, what are companies looking for in this certain major, then you’re much more prepared upon graduation for that full-time job. 

Merritt: When a student comes in, most of my conversations start with, “Let’s just talk.” I may ask if they’ve tried to put a resume together. I’ll ask to see it, but then I want to just say, “What goals do you have? Where do you think you’re headed?” The majority of the time, they don’t include everything on their resume that needs to be on their resume. They don’t think about the outside things that they’re doing that actually will be valuable to that employer—the club connection, the volunteer work. 

Timely Advice for an Evolving Employment Environment  

Merritt: This year Megan attended a webinar where [she] learned that AI is wanting you to present everything in past tense [on a resume] … That’s changing all the time. Your career services team is trying to be current and know what employers are wanting or what the automated side is looking for so that we give you accurate information. I had someone yesterday come in and say, “I checked on Google and I saw [resumes] were all written in little paragraphs.” I said, “Don’t look at Google.” Short little paragraphs, people. Your potential employer looks at your resume seconds, seconds, and if you’ve written a paragraph they can’t scan and get any idea about you quickly.  

How College Credentials and Corresponding Skills Accelerate a Job Search 

Merritt: We just hosted a career fair, and the majority of the employers that were here are looking for [candidates] that have the skills and the academics that a degree offers. They’re looking for the one that has gone through the entire degree program, because the fact that you’ve completed a degree shows that you can complete something. I talk to students all the time about the academics that employers expect you to have when you have that degree. But then we talk about all the other things, the career readiness skills that they … need to be working on, whether it’s leadership or computer literacy, communicating well verbally and in writing.” 

The Benefits of Virtual Career Services 

Merritt: For those students that really, really want to meet you face to face, I get that. But when it comes down to interviews, then [I ask], “So, is your interview face to face or is it virtual?” And if it’s virtual, I tell them we’re meeting virtually because there are too many other little items that you have to check and talk about that have nothing to do with what’s coming out of their mouth, but everything to do with their background, their eye contact, etc. 

Baeza: All of our services can be done virtually. 

Passionate About Student Success 

Baeza: I wish I would have found this [career] sooner. I had previously been in human resources for 10 years and done a lot of hiring and recruiting, so I definitely know what the market is looking for. I feel very confident in helping students prepare to go meet with people like me in my previous roles.  

Merritt: I will second that. I wish I’d have found this career sooner. I do know a lot of employers and have a lot of connections. I love being part of the students’ lives. I love being able to help them make that next decision to move on to be successful in their own career. I would say I was the person that has never been confident going into an interview, even as an older adult. So, helping them to feel more confident in how they present themselves in a very nerve-wracking situation, it’s very much a blessing to be able to provide that level of service. 

Here’s a question for you: Will you take advantage of the many benefits our Career Services team provides? Explore available career resources now. 

You can also reach out to the team at careerservices@utpb.edu. 

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