Explore, prepare and network through the Career Development Center
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Those statistics are why Lisa Shacklett works so hard to build up Lipscomb’s Career Development Center (CDC). Shacklett, director of the center, came to Lipscomb in 2005 with a vision for services the CDC could offer to students and alumni as they struggle with basic questions about majors, internships, careers, interviews and resumes.
Shacklett brings with her almost 20 years of experience in sales and marketing. As a Lipscomb University alumna with a marketing degree, Shacklett also knows the value of a degree from Lipscomb. She knows that Lipscomb alumni are respected around the nation and around the world as leaders in their field dedicated not only to academic excellence, but also dedicated to allowing their faith to inform their decisions.
“Lipscomb has such a great product,” Shacklett states. “The students make wonderful employees, which I’ve observed in having hired them myself at a former job. They have quality ethics driven by good morals and good values. Their work ethic includes respect and discipline. When I’m talking to the business community, Lipscomb graduates are top notch.”
Shacklett uses her creative approach to helping students combined with her determination to bring the top-quality services and opportunities to the campus to breathe new life into the CDC. Her predecessor, Jim Yates, laid a strong foundation for her to build from. Now Shacklett takes the center to new heights by continuing successful programs such as Meet the Firm for accounting majors and by introducing innovative programs such as career planning workshops, Career Café, and networking events.
Meet the Firm
Charles Frasier, professor and chair of the department of accounting, knows the value of networking in the accounting field. He works with the CDC to organize Meet the Firm night at Lipscomb. This year the event will be held on August 29 at 6:30 p.m. in Allen Arena. According to Frasier, 20-25 businesses will be represented at this event. Accounting majors will have the opportunity to network with accounting professionals from local, regional and national companies. The companies will be recruiting seniors for full-time entry-level jobs following their graduation. Juniors can come to the event to locate part-time work and internship opportunities.“This event is an opportunity for our students to get a feel for these companies and help them decide where they may want to begin their careers,” Shacklett states.
The CDC will provide each company represented with a resume CD. Students can upload their resumes through the CDC eRecruiting program. Students are also encouraged to bring a minimum of 25 copies of their resumes with them to the event. Companies present will have sign up sheets for accounting students to complete in order to be considered for an interview.
“This event is critical in the career development for our accounting students,” Frasier states. “In the profession of accounting, these firms have set early fall as the time to recruit seniors. They want to handpick the best and the brightest students. Recruiters hit most colleges in August or September now to set their schedule for formal interviews with seniors.”
Frasier has seen the demand for accounting students grow over the past three years, partially due to the passage of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. This act came about in response to the Enron, Tyco International and WorldCom scandals. The act establishes the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board which oversees, regulates, inspects and disciplines accounting firms in their roles as auditors of public companies. The act also places new demands on companies such as more internal control evaluations, certification of financial reports and fully independent audit committees that oversee the company’s audit committee. Auditors and accountants have been in high demand since the passage of this act. Accountants have the expertise needed to fulfill the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
Career Café
Career Café offers students a chance to learn about different careers and get advice from professionals in a relaxed setting. The Café will be open every Tuesday after University Bible in the Allen Arena Hall of Fame room. Students and alumni can come drink coffee, have a doughnut and spend 15-30 minutes with professionals from a variety of fields. The CDC will host nine Career Café gatherings during the fall semester. The speakers will discuss the positive aspects of their career and offer advice to students wanting to enter their field. Careers covered in the fall Café gatherings include accounting, financial services, distribution, ministry, graphic arts, the FBI, restaurant ownership, engineering and marketing.eRecruiting
eRecruiting is the newest tool used in the job and internship search. The CDC helps students and alumni search for full-time career opportunities as well as part-time jobs. Users can search for jobs using keywords so they don’t have to flip through thousands of pages of job descriptions to find a match for their needs. Students and alumni can also upload their resumes into the system for recruiters to view as they seek qualified candidates to fill their open positions.“I want to build a great database of qualified candidates,” Shacklett claims. She hopes to use the eRecruiting system to build an electronic network of professionals who want to be mentors to our students, people who want to offer internships to our students and people who want to hire our students.
Shacklett has already seen success at the CDC. Over 90 companies have previously recruited Lipscomb students as interns. Leslie Ellis came onboard as assistant director of career development to continue to build that program. Ellis’ responsibilities at the CDC include growing the student internship program into a highly visible program attracting top-notch employers and assisting the students entering the program. She meets with alumni and students individually for career coaching, resume preparation and interview instruction. She also assists students in choosing a major and a minor, as well as offering them direction in how to best use their chosen fields of study.
“One of my main objectives,” Ellis states, “is to give students encouragement and motivation. I encourage students to see all of the possibilities before them.” She knows an internship, as well as other tools offered through the CDC such as eRecruiting, can make a difference in the transition of our students from the academic world to their chosen careers.
Young Alumni in Motion
Statistics show that 75% of all jobs come about because of networking. Shacklett knows how to make that networking happen for recent graduates and seniors at Lipscomb. She hosts Young Alumni in Motion Mixers. On February 15, 2007, the CDC will bring together alumni from the last five graduating classes for the second event of this type. “They will have an opportunity to meet other young professionals and network with alumni from a variety of businesses at this event,” Shacklett states.Et Cetera
Wondering how you are ever going to choose a career? How are you going to break into your field fresh out of college? How will you ever decide if your resume looks good enough to get that interview you’re hoping for? What will you say if you do get the interview? Should you apply for an internship? How do you know which one is right for you?Questions, questions, questions from college students looking for a job and from alumni transitioning from one career or job to another. Well, Lipscomb’s CDC has answers, answers, answers. Check it out soon so you can discover, explore, network and prepare. The CDC wants to help students and alumni “major in success,” according to Shacklett. They offer over 30 workshops and events each semester. There’s something that fits almost any schedule and can answer almost any question.
--Chris Pepple