Over the past year, UC Davis has been actively supporting potential hires through Career Chats, one-on-one sessions with Talent Acquisition Coordinators aimed at assisting candidates in their job search journey at UC Davis.

Career Chats focus on unraveling the challenges candidates face when navigating the job board. The primary goal is to align candidates' skills and interests with suitable roles. The emphasis is not just on finding any job but on discovering the right fit where individuals can thrive and contribute meaningfully. Aligned with UC Davis's commitment to community, Career Chats have helped foster connections and enrich the university through strategic career placements.

Navigating the Application Journey

Career Chats are scheduled through the UC Davis website. During the 15-30 minute chat, coordinators review the candidate's resume, explore job opportunities, provide detailed information about UC Davis's application process and guide them on how to tailor their application to meet the qualifications sought by recruiters.

Resume and cover letter writing are pivotal aspects discussed during Career Chats. Applicants are asked to come prepared with their resumes and targeted roles so coordinators can provide real-time advice and highlight their suitability for specific positions. Insights provided range from using action words to meeting minimum requirements, ensuring candidates' applications move to the next round of consideration.

Jordon Friend, a Recruitment Operations Specialist, highlighted the role of Career Chats in demystifying the application process at UC Davis. “The sessions help applicants understand the intricacies of the process, including when and how to apply, what happens after submission, and the importance of a well crafted resume and cover letter. This clarity contributes to applicants feeling more confident and informed about the application journey.”

Accomplishments and Future Initiatives

In the past year alone, UC Davis has successfully facilitated over 280 Career Chats, providing personalized support to individuals seeking career guidance. Many of these chats have resulted in candidates successfully receiving employment offers.

Dreya Yin, the Diversity and Outreach Analyst for Talent Acquisition, shared a recent success story of a candidate who had accepted an offer following an in-depth career chat. “He expressed heartfelt gratitude for the confidence boost our Career Chat provided,” said Yin. “This is a great testament to the impact and value our Career Chat program can have. It's not just about guiding candidates toward the right roles but also about empowering them with the confidence and clarity they need to apply with their best foot forward.”

The impact of Career Chats extends beyond the initial application, providing ongoing support for those progressing to the interview stage. “I recently had two conversations with people who had already gone through the first process, but now they're interviewing,” said Friend. “So they emailed and asked if we could do another career chat. And these are people who had applied to Davis three to 10 times before and never gotten routed for consideration. So now they understand the system, they're able to put their best foot forward.”

Yin also noted candidates who have had positive experiences have shared the resource with family and friends, allowing for more chats and connections to be made. “A part of our mission here at UC Davis is heavily steeped in community, so the more that we're doing to enrich that experience for potential candidates helps all the way around.”

Looking ahead, UC Davis plans to build on the success of Career Chats by strategically engaging with the community, including hosting in-person workshops and implementing more strategies based on feedback. Yin and Friend also look forward to the eventual development of a dashboard that tracks how many hired candidates participated in a Career Chat. The goal is to make these engagements even more effective, leveraging the insights gained from successful Career Chats to enhance the program.

Schedule a Career Chat