The essential guide to career resources for UBC alumni
Just graduated? alumni UBC has you covered.
If you were among the nearly 13,000 UBC students who walked across the stage this year, congratulations are in order! This is a significant achievement that deserves celebration. Take a moment to pat yourself on the back for the hard work that it took to get to this point.
While the months after graduation are an exciting time, they can also be full of uncertainty, especially as one question looms large — how do I find a job?
The job-hunting process is just that: a process. It’s normal for it to take time, and it will look different for everyone. Maybe you already have a job lined up and need advice on adjusting to the workplace. Maybe you’re sprucing up your resume in another tab as you read this but wondering how to make it pop. Maybe you’re overwhelmed and have no idea where to start!
No matter where you’re at in your career journey, alumni UBC is here to support you. In this article, you’ll find four essential resources every UBC grad should know about.
GET AHEAD BY GETTING INFORMED
Did you know that alumni UBC offers free events where you can learn from career experts? In our monthly career webinar series, specialists in a diverse array of career-related topics share their insights to help UBC alumni reach their full potential in their professional lives.
Each month’s upcoming webinar is advertised on the alumni UBC Career Development page, which also features links to many of the resources covered in this article. New grads should check out the webinar coming up on June 24 at 12 p.m. PT, Navigating life after graduation successfully. Two professional career coaches, who are also UBC grads, will share their tips for managing the uncertainty and opportunity of this unique moment.
But that’s not all — you can also view the archive of webinar recordings right here on the UBC Magazine website, so even if you can’t attend live, you can still catch valuable career insights later. Plus, you can peruse the archive to find the webcasts that are most relevant to you at your current stage in the process.
With the entire history of alumni UBC’s career webinars at your fingertips, where should you start?
If you’re wondering how to optimize your résumé as you begin your job hunt, get tips from two job search experts on how to write a résumé that dazzles. Watch the clip below from their webinar Razzmatazz your résumé to learn about the number one résumé mistake.
Watch the full recording for an in-depth discussion of résumé-writing, complete with concrete examples.
Have an interview coming up? Elena Giorgetti, one of alumni UBC’s experienced career coaches (more on that later), is here to help. Watch the clip below from the webinar Ace that interview to learn how to answer the classic interview starter: “Tell me about yourself.”
Check out the full recording for a complete rundown on the interview process, from how to research an employer effectively to how to write a thank-you email.
Beyond the job search, alumni UBC’s career webinars cover topics that can help you at any stage in your career, from starting your first job to shaping your career trajectory to cultivating skills to help you succeed. Get tips on how to negotiate your salary with confidence once you land a job, hear how to actualize your dream career abroad from three alumni who made it happen, or learn how you can embrace change to unlock your potential.
Bottom Line: There is a wide array of content from career experts available to you as a UBC alum, offering advice to guide you on your job search and as you advance in your career. Be sure to check the alumni UBC Career Development page to see upcoming webinars and bookmark UBC Magazine’s Webcasts page, as webinar recordings are typically available for on-demand viewing within two weeks of the event.
PERUSE JOB POSTINGS
You may have used UBC CareersOnline as a student, especially if you have ever pursued a Work Learn position, but did you know the UBC Career Centre’s job board and events are still available to you as a UBC alum? This is a great place to find job postings and scope out the current employment landscape.
UBC CareersOnline offers the ability to filter your results by a variety of criteria. In particular, you can filter by Position Type (e.g., full time) and Experience Level (e.g., graduated with an undergraduate degree) to exclude postings targeted at current UBC students. Additionally, you can browse the Employers tab to find companies that interest you and follow them to stay in the loop when they advertise openings.
Alongside the webinars presented by alumni UBC, the UBC Career Centre hosts free career development events and workshops to aid you in your job search, including annual job fairs where you can talk with employers interested in hiring UBC alumni. You can browse and sign up for upcoming events in the Events tab on UBC CareersOnline.
While the above job postings are available to graduates from both campuses, Okanagan graduates should also check out the Student & Alumni Job Board, which features postings for opportunities in BC and beyond — available specifically to UBC Okanagan alumni.
Bottom Line: There are job postings available to you as a UBC alum. Make sure to check out UBC CareersOnline or UBCO’s Student & Alumni Job Board as you begin your job search, and check the Events tab to stay up-to-date on upcoming opportunities.
START BUILDING YOUR NETWORK
While public job postings are a great way to find jobs and gain an understanding of the current career landscape, there is plenty of information that you will only learn by talking to the right people. Making connections in your desired field is an excellent way to gain insight on positions and companies, as well as learn about opportunities that wouldn’t otherwise be on your radar.
The first step to accessing this valuable information is building your network, and your fellow alumni are a great place to start.
Luckily, LinkedIn has a handy tool specifically designed for finding other UBC alumni. The Alumni tab on UBC’s LinkedIn page will allow you to search the profiles of everyone on LinkedIn who went to UBC. You can search by keywords, or you can filter the results by where they live, where they work, and even what they majored in. Use the arrows at the top right of the widget to see all the possible filters. (You can also watch this video for a quick tutorial.)
The reasons to research other UBC alumni on LinkedIn are manifold. You can filter for people who majored in the same subject as you and learn where their careers took them after graduation, or you can go in reverse and find alumni who work in the field you’re interested in and investigate how they got there. It’s a great way to see what opportunities are out there — you might discover jobs you didn’t know existed! You can even find alumni living in the city where you live or in a city you’re considering moving to.
If all the results from your search appear as “LinkedIn Member” and you find that you can’t click on any of the alumni profiles, it’s time to connect with some classmates on LinkedIn. By expanding your network, more profiles will become visible. For more guidance on building your LinkedIn presence, watch the webcast Revolutionize your career with LinkedIn resolutions and follow along as career expert and UBC alum Rob Kim (BSc’98, BEd’00, MET’08) reveals tips and tricks for getting the most out of this platform.
Once you find some fellow alumni whose careers intrigue you, now is a perfect time to reach out and see who’s interested in doing an informational interview. This is a great way to learn more about the field you want to go into while creating meaningful connections with people who can support you along your career journey. Check out this handy list of networking do’s and don’ts for guidance on how to approach networking situations.
As powerful a tool as networking is, reaching out to strangers can be daunting! Watch this clip from the webinar Network your way to career success to hear how Arts career strategist and networking extraordinaire Robyn Stalkie reframes networking to make it feel more positive and manageable.
Watch the full recording for advice on how to craft a cold call, conduct an informational interview, and continue exercising your networking muscle throughout your career.
Bottom Line: It’s time to expand your connections, and your fellow alumni are a great place to start! Use the alumni search tool on LinkedIn to learn about the career paths your fellow alumni have taken. Don’t be afraid to reach out to people already working in the fields that interest you.
GET ONE-ON-ONE GUIDANCE
When a situation is overwhelming or uncertain, sometimes you just need to talk to a human. In 2023, alumni UBC launched a highly anticipated career coaching and advising service to support the professional development of UBC graduates. Our Career Education team assembled a diverse group of professionals with unique backgrounds, styles, and areas of focus, each of whom offers excellent coaching or advising services. The icing on the cake? All of the alumni UBC coaches and advisors offer a 10-20% discount for UBC alumni, so be sure to tell them you’re an alum when reaching out.
If you are looking for personalized, one-on-one help, then speaking to a career coach or advisor is the way to go — they will take a collaborative approach to help you navigate any career challenge you’re currently facing, whether that’s deciding what direction you want to pursue post-graduation, sharpening your job search strategy, or transitioning from school to full-time work.
Of course, getting one-on-one coaching isn’t only useful at the beginning of your career — it can also help with setting goals for growth or navigating a career transition. This service is available to all alumni, from new grads to seasoned professionals.
Bottom Line: Personalized support is available to you at a discounted rate as a UBC alum. Schedule a session with an experienced career coach or advisor if you want guidance in the job search process or need tips for starting your first job on the right foot.
Feel free to bookmark any or all of these resources and return to them as needed throughout your career journey. Remember that this process takes time and looks different for everyone. Even if you feel like you’re behind, you’re probably exactly where you need to be.
If you are feeling overwhelmed or unsure of where to begin, one simple step you can take is registering for the June 24th webinar, Navigating life after graduation successfully, which could help clarify where you need to focus your efforts.
Lastly, remember that whenever uncertainty abounds, it usually comes with a lot of opportunities too. So no matter where your path takes you next, these resources are here to help you take advantage of those opportunities. Good luck on your post-graduation journey!
