Business Specific Career Resources for Students and Alumni

Business students expect jobs at the end of their college careers.  COVID-19 has not changed that. To meet their needs, the School of Business Office of Career Services provides 24/7 electronic platforms.  Alumni benefit, too.  Career platforms Big Interview, VMock and Vault are available to both students and alumni. Through these resources, the School can now assist alumni with all aspects of the job search.

“School of Business students are blessed to have access to leading-edge career tools, thanks to commitments by alumni and other friends. We are integrating these new resources into selected classes, to maximize their use by students and increase job-market readiness,” said Senior Associate Dean David Smith.

Support from accounting firm EY funds Big Interview, while alumni David and Lynette Buzen and Michael and Barbara Borys fund the other electronic platforms.  “Access to career preparation would not be possible without alumni funding,” said School of Business Director of the Office of Career Services Deirdre Sweeney.

Big Interview

Big Interview is a mock-interview platform providing low-stress practice while considering specific industry, job and experience level. Access Big Interview. Use the organization code: DAMIEN.

VMock Resume Critique Platform

VMock is an automated resume critique system providing instant personalized feedback.  Students and alumni upload resumes, which are critiqued electronically. Improvements are suggested. The system is available round-the-clock, allowing for convenient access, even at 2:00 a.m., when many students are awake! Students who used the system in Professor David Smith’s class have found the system to be very beneficial, adding to their confidence about the quality of their resumes. Graduate students have also made good use of the platform.

“VMock is helpful to find an overall idea of where to start.  It shows what a good resume looks like in terms of design, grammar and punctuation,” said MBA student Jamie-Lee Minkle. Students are made aware of issues like spacing, font size and spelling, as well as whether the wording used is likely to be impactful on readers.

The standardized resume template was provided to the system by Sweeney. The template was chosen to reflect the stated preferences of managers who frequently hire UAlbany students.
Access VMock.

Vault

Using this electronic platform, students and alumni can access career information, job boards, resume and cover letter writing and interview preparation.  Like VMock, it is available around the clock. “It fits students’ busy schedules.  They can work on career prep when they have time,” said Sweeney. It will work for you, too.  

Vault is best known for downloadable “Industry Specific Guides” including Investment Banking, Consulting, 50 Top Banking Employers, Marketing Jobs, IT Job Guide, Networking and many more.
To access Vault contact Deirdre Sweeney.

Additional Career Development Support

These technologies support the work of people who make careers happen at the school. Director Sweeney sends hundreds of emails to students annually, sharing job and internship opportunities. When students are on campus, her office offers individual appointments with career-service professionals, and hosts employers for tabling, information sessions and interviews. She teaches workshops on dining etiquette, interviewing and resume writing. Her one-credit elective course in career development is a popular additional form of outreach to students.