Texas ’24 and Beyond

Austin: As of January 2023, 31 of the top 50 metropolitan areas have regained their pre-pandemic level of jobs. Comparing metros based on where they stand relative to pre-pandemic February 2020, Austin, up 12.7%, is the best performing major metro. Dallas (9.8%) and Fort Worth (6.9%) are also in the top 10. San Antonio (5.3%) ranks 11^th, while Houston (2.9%) ranks 19^th. [Austin Chamber of Commerce]

Texas: Texas is well-positioned to weather a potential national recession, Dallas Fed economist says. [Texas Tribune]

U.S.: U.S. Job Growth Slows but Remains Strong. Employers added 236,000 jobs in March, a more moderate pace of hiring that showed the Federal Reserve’s inflation-fighting campaign was gradually taking hold. [New York Times]

Looking for more insight into the current job market? Check out these resources!

The New Phase of hiring: trends we can expect in 2023 – Entrepreneur

What to expect from the job market in 2023 – Forbes

The next era of work will be about skills – not pedigree | Fortune

Salary and pay transparency network trends report | Handshake

Student shouldn’t always choose higher-paying majors – discussing future-earnings statistics | The Chronicle of Higher Education

Check out these curated job posting lists to find an opportunity today:

HireUTexas: Explore the 30,000+ current job and internship listings available on any given day

Handshake: Top 100 Companies Hiring Students on Handshake Right Now

Job Feeds: Explore job and internship postings curated by industries and interests

Job Feeds for Graduate Students: Explore job and internship postings curated by STEM and Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences

Explore this year’s list of best places to work, according to:

Built in Austin

Glassdoor

Forbes – Best Large Employers

A certificate (sometimes called a badge or micro-credential) is an online, competency-based recognition of specific career skills. Through the UT Coursera program, Longhorns have FREE access to online learning for course and professional certificate programs, empowering learners to transform their lives and careers.

Learn and hone career-ready skills by earning company-designed and industry-leading certificates for high-demand career paths. UT Austin students can access  one or more of the following programs in Coursera:

• Career Academy
• Top Tech
• GenAI Academy

*All requests to skill up with Coursera must be submitted by May 30, 2024.

Explore Coursera Certificates

As a student or alum, you can use LinkedIn Learning for FREE access to on-demand online learning on the latest software and skills. Own your journey by connecting with inspiration, learning from industry professionals, and bring your passion to grow and create!

Give yourself an academic edge — whether it’s a software you need for class, putting together a great presentation, or managing projects, LinkedIn Learning has you covered!

LinkedIn Learning

Students and alumni have access to Forage, an online platform that offers virtual (simulated) experience programs designed by leading companies such as Accenture, BCG, Deloitte, JPMorgan Chase, and more. Develop your skills and gain a real understanding of various industries and jobs by working through self-paced modules, with tasks similar to those you would undertake if working at one of these companies.

Job Simulations

Micro-internships are short-term, paid, professional assignments that are similar to those given to new hires or interns. These projects allow you to demonstrate job-related skills, explore career paths and build your professional network.

Micro-Internships

Learn about skills that could help future-proof your career, and the skills driving employment recruiting today and in the future.

• Future of Skills – LinkedIn
• 18 Future Skills for the Workplace – Indeed
• Micro-credentials – what they are and how they can help you –World Economic Forum
• Upskill for Green Jobs of the Future – World Economic Forum
• Top Skills Employers Seek in College Graduates – Bold.org

Explore the following resources where you can connect with training and course opportunities.

• Khan Academy: Khan Academy offers practice exercises, instructional videos, and a personalized learning dashboard that empower learners to study at their own pace in and outside of the classroom. They also partner with institutions like NASA, The Museum of Modern Art, The California Academy of Sciences, and MIT to offer specialized content.
• edX: Founded by Harvard University and MIT in 2012, edX is an online learning destination and MOOC provider, offering high-quality courses from the world’s best universities and institutions to learners everywhere.
• Udacity: With industry giants—Google, AT&T, Facebook, Salesforce, Cloudera, etc.— Udacity offers classes and programs designed so professionals can become Web Developers, Data Analysts, Mobile Developers, etc.
• UN Institute for Training and Research: UNITAR offers open and free trainings and courses to enhance the effectiveness of the UN through diplomatic training, and to increase the impact of national actions through public awareness-raising, education and training of public policy officials.
• The Center for Professional Education (UT Austin): Designs and delivers professional education and training to individuals interested in improving their professional skills, earning a credential or making a career change.
• Top Skills Employers Seek in College Graduates – Leadership, Teamwork, Written and Verbal Communication, Problem-solving & Critical-thinking, Analytic & Quantitative, Technical, Initiative, Computer skills, Flexibility and Adaptability, Interpersonal, Detail-oriented, Organizational, Strategic Planning, Amiable and Outgoing, Entrepreneurial, Diplomacy and Creativity.

Visit us for help tailoring and targeting your resumes and cover letters for job or internship opportunities. Appointments for undergraduates and appointments for graduate students are available year-round. Career coaching and counseling with TCE is available for one year after graduation. Your  college-specific career services office may also have services for alumni.

Even as some organizations have returned to in-person or hybrid work situations over the past year, virtual interviews continue to be a popular recruiting trend. It is important to be familiar with how to navigate and best prepare for this interview experience. Virtual interviews can be through various platforms such as Zoom or Skype, and can be live or asynchronous (recorded). Be sure to test your technology (microphone, camera, internet connection) before the interview. Utilize a virtual background if needed to minimize distractions, and ensure lighting is set to illuminate your face. Ensure the camera view is angled to mimic the view of an in-person interview. Finally, wear appropriate attire such as business professional or business casual to convey professionalism. If you need a place to take a virtual interview, come reserve an interview room at Texas Career Engagement.

Looking for more tips and tools to improve your interview skills? Check out these resources!

In-Person and Phone Interviewing Tips and Resources –Forbes
Webinar: Interviewing in a Virtual World: What to Expect and How to Excel
Practice Your Interview Skills through Big Interview
15 Virtual Interview Tips – LinkedIn
How to Succeed in a Virtual Interview – Indeed
Video Interview Tips – LinkedIn Learning

Negotiating a job offer can be new and intimidating for many college students. However, the more information you have about what to expect and how to prepare, the more confident you will feel in the process. Check out these resources to learn more about negotiating.

How to Negotiate Salary as a Recent Graduate – SHRM
How to Negotiate Salary: 4 Essential Tips for College Grads – Best Colleges
10 Tips for Negotiating Your First Job Offer – CNBC

Leverage the power of the UT network by connecting to employers, alumni, friends of UT, and other professionals to explore career paths, make professional contacts and tap into the hidden job market.

HookedIn – Join HookedIn, the official UT Austin social networking platform designed to connect students, alumni, employers and friends of UT for career connections and mentorship.

LinkedIn – You can find more than 426,000 UT alumni on LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional networking site. Take our online LinkedIn Masterclass to learn how to create an effective profile and to share your professional goals.

Explore more networking resources here.

One factor that job seekers are considering more than ever is whether they prefer a virtual or in-person work environment. The past few years have shown us that many roles can be successfully completed outside of the office, but that does not always mean that is the best option for all employees. When evaluating which environment may be the best fit for you, consider some of these pros and cons of working remotely:

Pros of working remotely:

• Studies show people can be more productive when working from home
• Can find work opportunities that were once only centered around bigger cities
• Lower operational cost (parking, gas, etc. )
• Can lead to better work-life balance
• No physical barriers that are in office (cubicles)

Cons of working remotely:

• Since everyone has a different living situation, working from home can create inconsistent work environments amongst coworkers
• Upfront cost may be higher for office needs (ex. Need to buy a desk for home)
• Studies show increase in loneliness and lower mental well-being
• Harder to bond and communicate with co workers
• There can be greater interruptions and distractions depending on your living situation
• Miss out on impromptu mentoring

In the end, there are benefits and challenges to any work environment. Think about your own preferences and needs and determine what would work best for you. Can’t decide? You can always seek out a hybrid position that provides the opportunity to work in both environment types!

In-Office vs. Remote vs. Hybrid Work Two Years Later – Forbes
Remote vs. In-Person Work – Forbes
New Graduates, You Should Actually Go Into the Office – The Washington Post

Class of 2024 graduates have full access to career counseling or coaching through the end of the spring semester, after which, most alumni have access to career advising for up to one year beyond graduation.

Schedule an Appointment to discuss your post-graduation goals and develop a personalized strategy. The university offers various types of advising and coaching:

• Career Counseling for All Majors: Get help deciding what you want to do, what is fulfilling to you, and what your next move might be, as well as exploring mindfulness, stress management and resiliency in the job search. (Alumni access up to one year beyond graduation)
• Career & Internship Coaching: Get support with job and internship searching, including professional documents, interview preparation, and assistance throughout the process. (Alumni access up to one year beyond graduation)
• Industry-Specific Career & Internship Coaching: Tailored career coaching help searching for jobs and internships, crafting tailored resumes and cover letters, preparing for interviews, and exploring online recruiting systems. (Alumni access determined by individual college/school)

Graduate students can schedule an appointment to meet confidentially with a graduate-specific career advisor from Texas Career Engagement, the College of Natural Sciences, or the College of Liberal Arts. Advisors work individually with graduate students and postdoctoral scholars on a wide range of career-related topics to help them explore and prepare for careers in academia, nonprofit, government and industry.

Congratulations on becoming a Texas Ex!

Texas Exes Membership: Every graduating undergraduate student has been gifted a one-year membership in the Texas Exes by your college’s or school’s dean. Explore your membership benefits.

Alumni Engagement: Many campus resources and services are available to alumni for defined periods of time depending on your college or school. Visit our alumni page to learn about:

• Lifetime access to HireUTexas job board, which includes career-oriented opportunities across a variety of industries, and to various online resources and tools
• HookedIn, the official UT Austin social networking platform designed to connect students, alumni, employers, and friends of UT for career connections and mentorship
• College- and school-specific resources available to alumni

UT Austin provides multiple job and internship resources, including the campus-wide HireUTexas job board, college and school job boards, general job posting sites and career networking. Visit the Job & Internship Postings page to access:

• HireUTexas – the university’s all-inclusive job board
• HireUTexas Job Lists – a curated selection of lists featuring industry- and interest-specific job postings
• Colleges & Schools – a directory of college- and school-specific job boards with opportunities tailored to disciplines
• General Job Search Engines – a directory of national, publicly-available search engines

Graduate students can visit our Graduate Student Job Search Resources Page to access curated lists of advanced degree job feeds for STEM jobs and Humanities, Arts & Social Science Jobs.

From exploring one’s own professional interests, to researching possible career paths, to preparing for the job/internship search process, and more; our Online Career Resources page can serve as a go-to for any stage of your career development.

• Explore Majors & Careers
• Articulate Career Competency
• Watch Career Education Videos
• Take a Career Assessment
• Take a LinkedIn Master Class
• Practice Interview Skills
• Explore International Careers
• Explore LinkedIn Learning Professional Development
• Explore Occupations

Graduate students can visit our Graduate Student Explore Career Options page to access graduate student-specific resources, including  ImaginePhD and MyIDP.

Pre-Recorded Webinars and Presentations: Visit our undergraduate digital resource library or our Graduate Student Develop Professional Skills page to access video and downloadable resources on a variety of career and professional development topics.

Additional resources available through your College or School: Explore our campus career center directory to find resources from your colleges and schools related to career planning, resumes, cover letters, networking, online presence, interviewing, salary negotiations and more.