Vianey Torres is a senior graduating next spring with her bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Management. While she may have gotten her start here with the Shocker Career Accelerator, she’s since used the career skills she gathered as a Career Peer Advisor to secure two different internships in HR management through Handshake.
“During my time at the Shocker Career Accelerator, I gained familiarity with the Handshake database, specifically on how to search for positions relative to my interest and experience,” Torres says. “I gained resume enhancement skills and learned how to highlight my work experience on my resume and tailor it to specific job applications. In addition, I picked up interviewing tips and tricks from the SCA career counselors and from attending their Career Readiness workshops.”
Torres’s internship over the summer was with McCownGordon Construction, where she worked with both the Kansas City and Wichita offices. As well as supporting the company’s onboarding process for new hires, Torres was tasked with an Innovation Project for associates.
“Newly hired field craft associates often experience technology-related issues during onboarding due to unfamiliarity with the technology or a language barrier that causes delays with the new associate starting work,” Torres says. “We created and recorded instructional videos in both English and Spanish on how to use onboarding company software and applications for new field craft associates and those needing additional resources related to technology or a language barrier.”
Torres also developed her networking skills and learned McCownGordon Construction’s employee onboarding software. She’s sure these skills will help her in her future endeavors. However, she gets to put them to the test almost immediately as she starts her new internship with Fidelity Bank this semester as their Human Resources Intern.
“This experience has been valuable for my professional development in many ways,” Torres says. “From this experience, I walk away feeling more confident in myself as I start my search for employment upon graduating in the spring. Through this position, I was able to land another internship for the fall semester and have been able to connect with HR professionals across a handful of companies/industries.”
You don’t have to be an SCA peer advisor to find a major-related position on Handshake. If you need help securing a job opportunity or crafting your professional documents, reach out to the Career Readiness Team at the Shocker Career Accelerator. The Shocker Career Accelerator helps prepare students for their future careers by connecting them with employers and providing career development services. Contact the Shocker Career Accelerator at (316) 978-3688, or stop by and see us in the John Bardo Center Suite 162.