Got Jobs?

That’s the title, minus the question mark, of the monthly job prospect report sent out to alumni from Tafflyn Williams-Thomas, NUNM’s Career Services manager. Fortunately, according to a survey of the Class of 2014, 89 percent could say “yes” to “Got Jobs?” when queried about whether they were employed in an endeavor related to their degree.

Helping grads connect with prospective employers is a key part of Williams-Thomas’ position, but perhaps equally important is her goal to equip students and alumni with the “tools to succeed in careers and build confidence in the job search,” she said. To that end, Williams-Thomas meets regularly with students to help produce cover letters and CVs, and develop job-hunting expertise.

Williams-Thomas, who worked as a career advisor at the Art Institute of Portland for five years, wants to create an awareness early in students’ academic careers on the need to build self-marketing skills well before graduation. Last fall, her office sponsored its third annual career fair on campus, which included tables from prospective employers and a variety of small business resources. In the meantime, the word is getting out about NUNM graduates. Williams-Thomas is fielding a growing number of inquiries from prospective employers. “That kind of thing is always rewarding,” she said, “it’s exciting to see the growth in job opportunities out there for our alumni.”