Ever since graduation, Stephanie Brudwick (EnvSt鈥�04) had been working at Thorne Nature Experience in Boulder. In 2020, she considered transitioning to a new job.
鈥淚 was feeling ready for a change,鈥� Brudwick said, 鈥渂ut leaving a job during a pandemic was an added layer of scary.鈥�
To explore her options, Brudwick signed up for Zoom counseling sessions with CU鈥檚 Alumni Career Services.
鈥淚 did a few different tests like Myers-Briggs, and we tweaked my resume,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t helped me see things more clearly.鈥澛�
Since the beginning of the pandemic, CU鈥檚 Career Services has ramped up its offerings in response to a growing demand.聽
鈥淲hen people started to get laid off, we knew we had to do some-thing quick,鈥� said Jennifer Duncan, Alumni Career Services program manager.聽
In addition to offering two free one-on-one advising sessions (which are unlimited for new grads), the department launched a Virtual Job Search group, with sessions attracting 70 to 90 alumni worldwide.聽
Duncan also reports an uptick in alumni looking to make career pivots.
鈥淲e鈥檙e seeing waves of people resigning,鈥� said Duncan. 鈥淭he silver lining: It鈥檚 forced people out of jobs they hated.鈥�
In response, Career Services bumped up the offerings in its Career Transition Series, and because the sessions are held virtually, Duncan said, more alums from across the country can participate. Additionally, in September 2020, the 聽was launched, a platform of more than 10,000 CU alums that connects job-seekers with potential mentors. It鈥檚 like LinkedIn, but just for Buffs.聽
Brudwick ended up landing a job with EarthHero, an e-commerce marketplace that features sustainable products. The new job offered not only a salary boost but better work-life balance 鈥� and an ethos that aligned with her experience and passion.
鈥淭he career counseling sessions were so helpful for me,鈥� says Brudwick. 鈥淭hey gave me the confidence to follow my heart.
Photo by iStock/fizkes
