USF offers alumni free help in job hunt

University of South Florida alumni who are searching for work soon can get free help from their alma mater.

USF's Alumni CareerQuest will start Sept. 25 with a workshop on interviewing, polishing a resume and job search strategies for a weak market.

After the workshop, alumni will have free and full access to the university's career counseling services.

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, 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."

USF Provost Ralph Wilcox came up with the idea, and the USF Alumni Association signed on.

The association long has offered vacation discounts and other perks, Executive Director John Harper said. Alumni need more these days, Harper said, such as help finding jobs and health insurance.

The jobless rate in the Tampa Bay area rose to 11.3 percent in July, compared with 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. Career advisers help with strategy and database searches for contact and background information on companies nationwide.

Alumni living out of town will have access to free webinars and consulting, online and by telephone.

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

On average, about 250 alumni are using the service to find jobs. The university is looking at hiring more career counselors, expecting that dropping the cost will increase use.

The workshop, Job Search Strategies for a Tough Economy, is set for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 25 at the USF Alumni Center. Registration, which is required, will begin Sept. 8 at www.career.usf.edu.