Department Spotlight: Career Services
This month’s Department Spotlight is on Career Services, led by Michael Bailey, who also oversees the Office of Accessibility Services, and is part of the Division of Student Affairs. When asked to describe the department of six (across both offices) and what keeps it vital to Saint Leo’s success, this is what Michael had to say.
What makes your department a great place to work?
My hiring philosophy has always been to assess two things about my future employees: personality and ability to grow. While our team is similar in that they demonstrate these key traits, no two people in the department are the same. In Career Services, we are here to channel fun and energy into the student experience, and that doesn’t happen automatically. What I rely on, and what you will find in the Career Services team, is a group of active, engaging professionals who form great relationships with each other and with our students.
While it is implied in the department name, what is Career Services responsible for doing?
Everything we pursue starts from a conversation, and it is the job of the Career Services team to turn that conversation into a connection. For our faculty members and corporate partners, that means building relationships that show them how flexible and creative we can be. While some of our large public university counterparts may attract thousands of students to an event due to their size, we focus our energy on the relationships between the partners, university, and students to create exceptional experiences for everyone involved. For some, that could be building an internship experience from the ground up for our students. For others, it is about spending time in front of a classroom that translates into time well spent for not only the students, but also the professors and our partners.
What is one initiative in your department that is keeping you busy these days?
Leo Great is an important program of ours that will create connections between our faculty and staff, our students, and our partners. The biggest benefactors will be our students. As they work through their coursework and internships to become academically ready to go and graduate on firm footing in their field or discipline, the Leo Great program focuses on developing the nationally recognized NACE career competencies to assist students in managing career development and building insight on what it takes to be a good employee. Our goal is that every student graduates Saint Leo with both technical proficiency in their field as well as general career readiness skills.
What is something that most people don’t know about Career Services?
I think most people would be surprised to find out that from the moment students enroll, either as traditional students or adult learners (we serve both), there are a ton of things Career Services can do to help students meet their career goals. Many students wait until they’re getting close to searching for jobs or internships, but we can do so much to support students throughout their educational journey. That’s why it is so important for our team to meet students in the classrooms, at their club or organization meetings, and at career fairs. When we’re a part of those scenarios, we have the chance to tailor our message to what’s being discussed or what students are really thinking about. Students can begin to see Career Services as a support system with a network that can work for them to set up an amazing internship or more ideal career path after graduation. We get to start a conversation with students that can turn into meaningful career opportunities and personal development. Importantly, these services don’t stop at graduation either as we serve all Saint Leo alumni for life.
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