USF to offer alumni free help finding jobs

University of South Florida alumni who are searching for work will soon be able to get free help from their alma mater.

USF's "Alumni CareerQuest" starts next month with an all-day workshop on interviewing, polishing a resume and job searching strategies in a weak market.

After the workshop, on Sept. 25, alumni will have full access to the university's career counseling services at no charge.

People may think they know how to write a resume and get through an interview, but they'd be surprised at the difference some professional career counseling can make, said Drema Howard, the director of USF's career center.

"What we're finding is that a lot of people aren't being very strategic," she said. "Someone may have everything they need to do a job, but it's all in how you package it."

The idea began with USF Provost Ralph Wilcox, Howard said. "He saw this was a very difficult market and wanted to do more for the alumni."

The USF Alumni Association wanted to be part of it, too, in its effort to be more relevant, said Executive Director John Harper.

The association has long offered vacation discounts and other perks, he said. But it's learning that alumni need more these days, such as help finding jobs and finding health insurance when they lose their jobs.

The jobless rate in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater area rose to 11.3 percent in July, compared to 6.9 percent in July 2008, according to the Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation. That's well above the national rate of 9.7 percent.

The USF career center doesn't offer job placement. Its primary service is counseling, Howard said. Trained career advisors will help alumni identify their strongest skills, put together or spruce up a resume and prepare for interviews.

They'll also help alumni search databases containing contact and background information on companies across the country.

Alumni who live out of town will have access to free webinars and online and telephone consulting.

The career center has always been free for students, but USF has charged alumni $50 for every six months of service. The alumni charges are being dropped through June 2010, Howard said.

Ordinarily USF serves about 250 alumni job hunters at any one time, she said. It's looking at hiring more career counselors because it expects the numbers to go up when the fee goes away.

The Sept. 25 workshop, called Job Search Strategies for a Tough Economy, will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the USF Alumni Center. Registration, which is required, begins Sept. 8 at USF's career center website, www.career.usf.edu.