Toppel Career Center is once again open to students for in-person career advising and even life design services, a new addition this fall.
While all University of Miami students can still access internship, career, and graduate school advising virtually, they can once again visit the Coral Gables center just off Stanford Drive to work on their resume or prepare for interviews with the help of peer advisors and full-time staff members.
“We are always hybrid now, so our front desk is operating in person and on Zoom from 8:30 to 5,” said Carly Smith, Toppel’s director of education. “So, students can access us however they’d like, and our staff is glad to see them either way.”
Meanwhile, Toppel is gearing up for a semester full of events, including Pre-Law Week starting on Sept. 13, the Fall Job and Internship Expo on Sept. 22, and three sessions of a new series called Life Design, which can help guide students and alumni to find a career that truly aligns with their interests and skills. Currently, research from Gallup indicates that just 36 percent of Americans are engaged in their careers and workplaces.
“The goal here is that if a person gains a strong understanding of their own skills, values, and interests, then hopefully, they can find work that’s more engaging for them,” Smith said.
Ismaris Ocasio, Toppel’s first assistant director of exploration and life design, will be leading the first of three life design sessions on Oct. 6 from 5 to 6 p.m. and every other Wednesday thereafter. At the virtual sessions, students will have the opportunity to delve into why they have certain career aspirations, and whether they also should consider other paths. Ocasio noted that just 27 percent of people have jobs today that align with their college majors, indicating that many often modify their goals.
“We want students to recognize that exploration isn’t just something they do their freshman year,” Ocasio said. “There’s exploration at every life stage—even when you’re finished with college and in a job search, or sometimes when you’re four years into a job. This series will be the first chance to get at those questions, like, ‘What do I want in my career?’ ‘What do I want in my life?’ ‘How might I transfer to another field?’”
To learn more about the resources at the Toppel Career Center, visit its website. To join Toppel’s job search platform, Handshake, and to register for events, click here.
