Kendall Wayland worked at Talbots while in college, and since she didn’t know what she wanted to do, she took the classes she was most interested in.
She graduated in 2006 with her bachelor’s degree in liberal studies.
“When I graduated I felt a little lost, a little scared at first,” Wayland said.
She wasn’t alone.
Many students have trouble choosing a career, and with unemployment rates rising, graduating and finding a job can seem more like a daunting event than a joyous one.
In May 2010, the Bureau of Labor and Statistics reported that Florida’s unemployment rate was 11.7 percent, compared with 10.2 percent in May 2009.
Additionally, the U.S. Department of Labor reported in June that people between the ages of 16-24 were more likely to be unemployed than other age groups.
Wayland, though, was able to find a job at Vantage Communications, a PR agency in Orlando.
The Vantage Communications office sits on the 14th floor of the Plaza in Downtown Orlando.
Behind the desks are young, bright faces, and 70 percent of them are U. Central Florida graduates or current students.
“We have had very good luck recruiting at UCF,” said Catriona Harris, the vice president of the company.
When sorting through resumes, Harris explained that she looks for candidates who have done something work-related or have had some experience while in college.
For interns, Harris said the most important thing is “a go-get-’em attitude.”
“I had a student that called when there was no position open,” Harris said. “But she called over and over, and I figured if she was that persistent with me, I could only imagine how persistent she would be with a client. So we made a position for her.”
“Most of our employees got started as interns,” said Danny Betancourt, a Vantage employee who graduated from UCF in 2009. “Not only is it an opportunity to learn but also to get your foot in the door.”
Elizabeth Buccianti did just that. She completed three internships while at UCF, earned a degree in advertising/public relations and now works at Vantage.
“An internship gives you such a competitive edge to get a job with that company,” Buccianti said, explaining that it allowed her to get a taste of what the real thing would be like.
UCF student Kira Baldwin, Vantage’s current intern, had luck posting her resume on KnightLink, UCF’s career search website. After seeing her resume on the site, Vantage contacted her for an interview.
KnightLink is a free service offered by UCF Career Services that allows students and recent graduates to search for jobs, post resumes, research employers and access information about recruiting events.
Career Services also allows students to take assessments to determine what careers would be a good fit, have their resume critiqued and practice interview skills.
Perhaps the most valuable resource at UCF is its staff. Many successful graduates credit their success to their professors or other mentors they sought out during college.
“There was a professor, Frank Stansberry, in the advertising/PR department that was kind of a matchmaker with companies and agencies and helped students find internships that were a good fit,” said Buccianti, who credits much of her success to him.
“Find those teachers that stand out to you and make that relationship with them,” Betancourt said.
Jeff Sharon, one of the newest employees at Vantage, graduated from UCF in 2005 and said every position he had he found through networking.
“Don’t get discouraged,” Sharon said. “It’s easy to get discouraged these days, but you can’t do it.
“You can’t control the market. All you can control is you. If you keep working hard, someone down the line will notice you.”
After posting her resume on KnightLink, Vantage noticed Wayland, who had felt intimidated while looking for a job. Now, the pressure is off.
“I enjoy the younger working environment and hope to grow within the company,” Wayland said.