By Rikki Rosenthal ’21

The Office of Career Education (OCE) helps recent graduates and alumni find job opportunities through their Knights Get Hired Program. Recognized as an innovative program in the field of career services, The Knights Get Hired program was featured in the National Career Services news by the Career Leadership Collective at the beginning of July. 

The program was started last year in response to the pandemic and has helped connect graduates with employers. 

Each year, the graduating class receives an email with a first destination survey, so OCE can track where graduates are being hired, as well as compile a list of graduates still looking for employment opportunities. Graduates who respond that they are still seeking opportunities can opt into the Knights Get Hired LinkedIn Program. 

OCE Assistant Director for Employer Relations Maureen Brown shares each Knights Get Hired post that highlights a graduate’s interests, field of study, preferred location, and a direct link to their LinkedIn profile, where employers who partner with the University can connect with students, as well as on the “Arcadia University Office of Career Education” LinkedIn Group. In this space, students, alumni can support the highlighted student, by sharing the post to ensure it reaches potential employers outside of the group. Since its start in 2020, nearly 50 Arcadia graduates have participated in the program. 

Caitlin Joyce ’20 opted into the program last year, and has since found employment with the Victim Witness Services of South Philadelphia. 

“What led me to be most successful is thinking outside of my comfort zone when applying to job opportunities,” said Joyce. “I majored in Sociology and wanted to find a job in social research or nonprofits after graduation, yet I was having a hard time landing a position in those fields during the pandemic. So, I started applying to jobs that I didn’t major in, but had the skill set for —I knew I had writing skills developed during my time as a student writer, so I started applying to jobs as a freelance journalist. I landed a contracted role as an esports journalist, which was great since I love video games. I did this until I had an interview lined up in the nonprofit field, and the person interviewing me was impressed by skills I learned as a freelancer, such as the ability to stick to a deadline and independent work ethic. It landed me the job.”

OCE also offers support for alumni through career fairs, career counseling, practice interviews, resume reviews, and LinkedIn reviews. Each Arcadia alum is entitled to four appointments with OCE, no matter how long it’s been since they were a student. 

OCE works closely with Alumni Engagement to ensure they’re providing the best support for alumni. They host networking events, where alumni can talk to current students and fellow alumni about their experiences in the workforce. 

“It’s really great to see recent graduates and alumni connect through the program, and support each other when searching for job opportunities,” said Brown. “You really feel a sense of community, which is something we were missing when we started the program during the pandemic.”