TAMPA – Jacob O’Neil is the first to admit he was a bit lost during his first two years at USF.
The USF Muma College of Business junior and finance major was unmotivated and unsure of his career path. But O’Neil has found his academic and pre-professional footing thanks to the new career development programs and services at the Bellini Center for Talent Development.
Opened this spring after a ribbon-cutting ceremony in late March, the center offers an innovative approach to getting students the skills they need to land internships and jobs after graduation. Through a progressive certification program, students enroll in career-focused modules that strengthen the skillsets they need to achieve their goals.
O’Neil said he is currently taking the Business Skills and Practices class taught by Pavla Ozkul, the center’s director of internal employer relations. While the course is required for each business major, it has helped introduce him to leaders at the Bellini Center for Talent Development. The course covers valuable soft skills such as goal setting, time management, critical thinking, unspoken rules in the workplace, and developing an elevator pitch.
In a span of about three weeks, O’Neil landed several job interviews for internships, created a professional resume, and received help from the center in securing a jacket and tie to wear hours before an interview.
“I almost wish I had this sooner,” he said. “I didn’t have a clear path, and I think that is what this program has given me. It’s such an amazing program. Both Dr. Ozkul’s class and the Bellini Center for Talent Development have re-sparked my interest and motivation in school and my desire to do well.”
Under the badging system, business students will work through a progressive program designed to increase internships and post-graduation job placement and develop the hard and soft skills future employers want.
O’Neil said he now has a “big-picture” view of his academic journey and realizes there are steps he needs to take to put himself on the best possible career path.
“The Bellini Center for Talent Development and this class has changed my mindset about school and life after college,” he said. “They have helped me build a great resume, spent hours with me practicing interview questions and helped me know how to answer interview questions in the best way possible.”
And the best advice he has received?
“Planning for your future while still in college and not waiting until you graduate,” he said.