June 9, 2010 — The University of Utah Alumni Association has launched a new program offering job seekers unprecedented access to a job coach, a job board where professional positions are posted daily, and a variety of specially tailored workshops. Access to these offerings is a free benefit of membership in the Alumni Association.

“The high unemployment rate and evolving job markets have created a negative environment for many job seekers,” says Julie Swaner, program manager of alumni career services, “and the desire for career assistance is now greater than ever. In this economic climate, those looking for jobs in any sector and of any career background need to refresh, refine and, in some cases, relearn their job-search skills.”

Swaner says that “there are jobs out there, but now the environment is different. You can’t just pick up the newspaper want ads and go apply for a job and expect to land it. Instead, successful job searching requires more strategizing, more thorough preparation, and more networking skills.”

She points out that some companies provide out-placement services for laid-off employees, but many businesses are simply too small to offer such benefits. In addition, personal coaching and private career services programs are very expensive and often not an option for those who have lost a job.

In order to address the problem, alumni career services has developed this new program for job seekers in which information and assistance is available simply for the price of membership. A regular membership is $40 with discounts for first- and second-year graduates.New grads get free membership for a year.

“We help job applicants learn about positioning statements, branding, negotiating salaries, and networking and utilizing available resources,” notes Swaner. “We give our alumni the tools to help them find a job. Our goal is to get them back into the workplace as quickly as possible.”

Alumni career services holds a weekly networking and support group called Job Club that meets every Friday at the university’s Student Services Building (Room 308), from 2 to 4 p.m. Job Club is free of charge and the new alumni career services is also open to university employees.

To learn more about this program and its various offerings go to: www.alumni.utah.edu/career, or call Julie Swaner at (801) 585-5036.