Happy Fall Everyone!
The air is a little crisper and the leaves are starting to change on campus. The semester is quickly flying by. I hope you all are enjoying a little slower pace at this time of year after a very busy start to the fall recruiting season. It was wonderful to see so many employers on campus this September for the career fairs we hosted at JMU.
Our University Career Fair was the largest ever with 88 employers on the first day and 80 companies on the second day. Over 2,000 students attended over both days. The Atlantic Union Bank Center (AUBC) was a great new venue for us, as it allowed for more employers to attend.
We are gearing up for the spring recruiting season here and would love to have you back on campus in 2025. All of our career fair registrations go live on Nov. 1, 2024. You can also make your on-campus interview registrations, information table and information session requests starting that day. The popular dates around career fairs get reserved quickly, so don't hesitate to make your requests as soon as you can.
Some dates to keep in mind as you plan out your recruiting events:
- Thanksgiving Break: Nov. 23 - Dec. 1
- Finals Week: Dec. 7-13
If you are planning on hosting an information table, information session, or conducting on-campus interviews it's not too late to visit campus this fall. Please make your requests in Handshake and the Employer Services Team will work with you on all the logistics.
Our Employer Services Team is here to help as you plan your recruiting strategy at JMU. If you have questions about recruiting or just want to consult about your current strategy, please don't hesitate to reach out to our team.
All the best, Laura
P.S. - Pass It On!
Are there organizations in your network looking to recruit new talent? Share this newsletter with them and let them know they can connect with our Employer Services Team to help navigate their hiring needs, whether they are looking for interns, seasonal or full-time employees.
Spring Career Fairs
Registration for Spring Career Fairs opens November 1st!
- University Career Fair (UCF) Day 1: Tuesday, February 18, 2025 in the AUBC; this event is catered toward ALL majors
- University Career Fair (UCF) Day 2: Wednesday, February 19, 2025 in the AUBC; this event is catered toward ALL majors
- CISE Fair: Tuesday, February 11, 2025 in Festival Ballroom; this event is catered toward the following majors: Biotechnology, Computer Science, Engineering, Geography, Information Technology, Integrated Science & Technology, and Intelligence Analysis
- Hart Fair: Wednesday, February 12, 2025 in Festival Ballroom; this event is catered toward Hospitality and Sport & Recreation Management majors
- Teacher Recruitment Day (TRD): Thursday, February 27, 2025 in the Festival Ballroom; this event is catered toward Education majors
Important Spring Semester Dates
- January 21: First Day of Spring Semester
- March 17-21: Spring Break
- May 7: Last Day of Classes
Don't forget there are other ways to get in touch with JMU students! UCC offers free tabling events for employers to market toward target audiences across campus.
Employer Orientations
Want to learn more about recruiting at JMU? Drop into these informal virtual meetings to get your questions answered by the UCC Employer Services Team. No need to RSVP, just drop in!
- Thursday, November 14th: 2-3pm
- Tuesday, December 10th: 10-11am
Internships & Work-Based learning
Nominate your company for being a top VA Employer for Interns by February!
Recipients are recognized in multiple ways via press releases and social media. The deadline for nomination is February, 2025. Learn more here.
Welcome Ashley!
We're thrilled to introduce our newest team member, Ashley Derynioski, Coordinator of Internships & Virginia Employer Outreach! Ashley graduated from James Madison University with a bachelor's degree in marketing in December 2021. After graduation, she moved to Southern Maryland, where she worked as a Marketing and Advertising Representative for two years before returning to Harrisonburg. Ashley spent several months working part-time in various departments at JMU before securing her full-time role in the University Career Center.
Ashley is eager to be back at JMU and is excited to connect with you to help achieve your recruiting and internship goals. If you have any questions or need assistance with internships, Ashley and Emma Gibbons are the people to reach out to! They look forward to collaborating on your internship initiatives and strengthening our partnerships. Please join us in welcoming Ashley to the team!
Are you a Virginia Employer who wants to learn how to create a internship path for your organization? Consider connecting with your regional VTOP representative!
GET INVOLVED!
The UCC offers virtual and in-person programs throughout the year, allowing employers the opportunity to connect with our students in meaningful and creative ways. These programs include Employer Panels, Practice Interview Events, Career Treks and more! Check out the recruiting timeline of these amazing opportunities with the Employer Menu of Services!
Practice Interview Events
Our Practice Interview Events (PIE) offer students the opportunity to practice their interview skills without additional pressure and allows them to receive feedback from employers.
Our spring PIE dates are in! Hope to see you there!
- February 5th, 2025 (Virtual)
- March 5th, 2025 (In-Person)
- April 2nd, 2025 (Virtual)
Want to get involved? Email Sarah Koerner at koernese@jmu.edu.
Reminder!
Please be sure to take down any old job postings on Handshake to ensure that our students are finding the most recent and available opportunities!
career outcomes of jmu students
JMU is one of the best schools in Virginia when it comes to employment outcomes. Our students are qualified and well-prepared for the workplace. 95% of bachelor's-degree recipients achieved a career outcome in 2023, this includes both employment and continuing education. Check out more Career Outcomes from previous graduating classes!
Career Communities
The UCC unveiled a Career Communities model this fall. Career Communities are a grouping of loosely related industry and job function areas, with one or more UCC Champions from the Career Advising and Employer Services teams. The goal of Career Communities is to provide a framework for students to learn about the world of work and to recognize how numerous academic disciplines can prepare students for a specific industry or set of job roles. You will notice that in registering for the University Career Fair, you'll be asked to align your registration with one or more career community. Newsletters curated for each community will be sent out once or twice a month.
Here are the 10 JMU Career Communities:
- Arts, Communications, & Entertainment
- Education & Training
- Health Sciences
- Hospitality & Tourism
- Management, Operations, Human Resources, & Finance
- Public Service, Law, & Government
- Research, Science, & Environmental Studies
- Sales, Marketing, & Entrepreneurship
- Social & Behavioral Scienes
- Technology & Engineering
Donate to our JMU Career Closet!
Hosted and organized by the University Career Center and The Pantry, the JMU Career Closet is a clothing and accessory resource for all JMU students, with a specific focus on work and interview attire. This is a donation-based resource, and students are welcome to take one complete outfit or up to 5 items from the closet each semester, FREE of charge. 1,347 students visited this past year! We would love to have more donations and we would welcome your donations at any time. We ask that donations be new or gently used; in ready-to-wear condition; with no stains, odors, tears, or missing buttons. All apparel and footwear sizes are needed!
Appropriate items for donations include business suits, dress shirts, blouses, slacks, jackets and/or skirts. Dress shoes, ties, belts, and scarves are also accepted. To setup a drop off or want more details on donation please contact Alyssa Hawley, adamsar@jmu.edu
Highlight your company with donations
Donations received from specific companies will be highlighted within the next Employer Newsletter as a featured partner of the Career Closet. We appreciate your support!
Campus Spotlight
Center for Global Engagement
The Center for Global Engagement is an on-campus office that ensures international students have a smooth transition to the United States and JMU. They are also home of Study Abroad programs that send hundreds of students to be immersed into new cultures and gain new perspectives each semester.
Katie Sensabaugh, Director of Study Abroad, talks about how students that study abroad can bring a diverse skill set that is beneficial to the workplace:
"Students have the unique opportunity to enhance their soft skills- qualities that are increasingly desired in the workplace. Studies show that students who study abroad have increased skills in interpersonal communication, are better problem-solvers, are more curious and resilient, and have more self-direction. "
Katie states cultural complexities and moments where things did not go as planned are an inevitable part of the study abroad experience. "Out of these moments of adversity come immense learning that is seldom apparent in traditional on-campus classroom settings. And because of this experiential learning, students come back from their study abroad as more confident, competent, and complex thinkers".
Katie encourages employers to pay extra attention to candidates that have studied abroad while searching for new employees. She advises asking about the experience and how it makes them a great hire. "I'm sure they'll have a story or two to tell" she states.
Free Employer Workshop
Hiring International Talent: Work Visa Tips for U.S. Employers
- When: Thursday, Nov. 7th @ 3pm Eastern / 12pm Pacific
- Register here!
Do not let the complexities of the work visa process hinder your organization from hiring some of the best and brightest talent studying in America. United States law provides several ways for employers to hire foreign graduates of US higher education institutions.
In this webinar, GoinGlobal, the market leader in providing location-specific career and employment resources to leading academic institutions around the world, has partnered with top immigration attorneys, Mark Rhoads and Crystal Malik, to present an easy guide for hiring international talent.
Because your company works with our school and we subscribe to GoinGlobal, you are eligible to join us to learn more about the two most common avenues for hiring American educated foreign graduates- Optional Practical Training and H1B visas.
About the Speakers: Mark Rhoads and Crystal Malik are well recognized immigration attorneys with the McCandlish Holton law firm. They work with companies and universities throughout the United States successfully processing thousands of work visas and green card applications each year. Mark and Crystal frequently collaborate with universities to counsel staff and students on the latest guidelines for successfully navigating the US immigration process.
Mark has been repeatedly recognized as one of the "Best Lawyers in America for Immigration Law", while Crystal has been highlighted as one of the "Best Lawyers in America- One to Watch" in the same field.
About GoinGlobal.com: For more than two decades, university and college professionals have relied on GoinGlobal to help students and alumni pursue employment both at home and abroad. GoinGlobal supports more than 800 leading colleges and universities from St. Louis to Saudi Arabia.
UCC Partner Program
Looking for help with marketing your positions and events on campus? Consider joining the UCC Partner's Program. There are many benefits to this program, including:
- Recognition as University Career Center Partner on digital channels (website, social media, newsletter, etc.)
- High-traffic space at the Fall or Spring career fair
Want to learn more? Contact Laura Hickerson, at hickerly@jmu.edu
Thank you to our current UCC Partners!
Our UCC staff would like to thank you all for your continued support in recruiting our Dukes! We hope you enjoy the fall colors and the holiday season. We look forward to seeing you here at JMU soon. GO DUKES!!!
Connect with the University Career Center on social media @jmucareer!