New Director of Undergraduate Career Prep Readies Students

Meg Barnes joined the School of Business Staff last November as the Director of Undergraduate Career Preparation, a new position within the School of Business, with the goal of transforming how students prepare for entering the job market. Her vision is to infuse career preparation with academics to create a different profile of students, students who have the rare quality of self-awareness that comes from thorough career preparation.

In order to carry out this vision, Barnes is focusing on four areas: resume building, interview tips and skills, job search strategies, and networking.  She explains, “Career prep should not begin with upperclassman, but instead with freshmen.” By beginning with freshmen and working with them year-by-year, Barnes is building their skill sets, helping them with self-branding, and empowering them to go out and look for opportunities. If they can establish a goal early on, they can begin taking the steps needed to achieve that goal, with Barnes guiding them through the process.

She is connecting with students through guest lectures, workshops, the Ole Miss Career website, and our Facebook page. By using social media, Barnes taps into the students’ network. Service learning positions, job shadowing opportunities, internships, and leadership training programs are posted daily on the School of Business Twitter account like breaking news for students actively looking for opportunities.

According to Barnes, one of the greatest assets to the career preparation process is the strong support of our Alumni. In her short time here, she has already noticed there is something different about Ole Miss Alumni, “This campus lives an Ole Miss experience that extends past sports. You can tell that the alumni are proud of their legacy here.” Alumni can extend their legacy even further by staying involved, whether through attending networking events, reviewing resumes, assisting with mock interviews, or guest lecturing in a class. Interacting with alumni gives students a real connection to the industries and positions in which they are interested and helps them to broaden their networks.

In only a few short months, student feedback has been tremendous. Students are taking advantage of the expertise and career prep tools that Barnes has to offer. With the help of alumni and Barnes’ dedication, Ole Miss Business students are poised to successfully entering the workforce.

 

If you are interested in getting involved in any of the ways listed above please contact Ms. Barnes at mbarnes@bus.olemiss.edu. If you would like to hire an Ole Miss student or graduate, please contact the University of Mississippi Career Center, https://www.career.olemiss.edu/aboutus.html or by telephone, 662-915-7174.