Boost Your Career With The Bear Network

The Bear Network is an ever-growing network of alumni and friends who provide advice and insight, connect prospective students to UNC, and hire current students and alumni in companies across the United States.

Put this network to work for you by attending online and in-person career events, connecting on LinkedIn, volunteering with an alumni group in your area, or by posting or finding a job through the Office of Center for Career Readiness.  

For alumni looking to give back, the Bear Network provides an opportunity to support the career success of fellow Bears through volunteering, on-campus recruiting, and network development.

Are you interested in serving on a career panel or sharing your professional expertise with UNC students and recent graduates? Sign up to be an alumni career advisor. Reach out to alumni@unco.edu for additional information.

YOU’RE NOT ALONE

When you put the Bear Network to work, the challenges that come with career launch and transition don’t have to feel as daunting. Get the advice you need, create genuine career connections and access valuable resources and insight from UNC Center for Career Readiness and your Alumni Association.

If you need career assistance, then give us a call. Alumni who graduated less than 3 years ago may contact the Office of Center for Career Readiness. Experienced alumni and those transitioning careers may reach out to UNC Alumni Relations at alumni@unco.edu or 970-351-2551 for assistance in accessing alumni Center for Career Readiness and professional development support.

CAREER RESOURCES JUST FOR YOU

Your Alumni Association works to create, collect and provide relevant resources to help you succeed in your career development and transition. Increase your LinkedIn savvy with a career webinar, refine your skills and strengths through career assessment tools, learn from and about fellow alumni on our career blog, or update your résumé and cover letter with Career Counselor approved templates.

SURVEY SAYS: SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS

Spring 2018 grads, now that you’re officially members of the Bear Alumni Network, we want to hear from you!

Every year the Office of Assessment distributes the university’s alumni survey to individuals who graduated within the past year. The survey is an opportunity for UNC’s newest alumni to share feedback about the quality of their education and their post-graduation employment. Responses play an important role in improving the university’s offerings and supporting a career-ready education. 

If you graduated last Spring, there’s less than two weeks left to submit your survey. Please check your email and share your feedback by December 21, 2018.

UNC’s alumni survey takes 5-10 minutes to complete and is based on standards set by the National Association of Colleges and Employers.

 “UNC’s Office of Assessment relies on high quality data to tell our story regarding the quality and value of our degree programs,” shares Allison Grant, UNC’s assessment data analyst. “Our alumni survey is a particularly important source of data. We ask about program satisfaction, broader university experiences, employment status, and continuing education.”

DATA MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Primarily, the survey collects feedback on academic and student support programs. Faculty and administrators rely on the data to monitor and improve programs; fulfill accreditation requirements; track employment and continuing education placement; inform national rankings such as the U.S. News and World Report; and educate students about enrollment and career choices. 

 “I use the data to prepare students with some expectation for what life after college is like,” says Renee Welch, director of Center for Career Readiness. “If I know how long it takes for UNC students to get their first job, I can help set the expectation of our graduating students and help them plan. It is a way to normalize the career search timeline and process.”

Recent alumni report a 91% placement rate for bachelor degree graduates following their first year of post-graduation life. 76% of those employed are in a role related to their academic major. The rates jump for graduate degree alumni to 96% and 93% respectively. Placement rate is calculated by asking recent graduates to report their employment status and pursuit of additional education.

 “Our ability to know how our grads are doing helps us make the changes we need to make UNC better. Data help us proceed forward on the program and university level,” encourages Grant.