Career Development

Career Development

Whether you are a recent graduate of the university or are looking to pivot your career, the Alumni Association has resources to connect you with other Gamecocks to network, share skills, or find that next career move.

USC MENTORSHIP HUB MATCH PROGRAM

The Mentorship Hub Match program’s purpose is to provide students with support in the form of one-on-one guidance, advice, and insight from an alumni mentor who has been in their shoes.

Role of the Mentee: Receive guidance and advice from a mentor to assist in career development, goals setting, and career-related decision making.
Role of the Mentor: Provide insight and guidance for the mentee based on personal experience in career and academic pursuits.

Visit Mentorship Hub Match

Mentorship Hub Profile

Create your free USC Mentorship Hub account to serve as a mentor for recent graduates and current students. You can even find a mentor for yourself. With functionality similar to LinkedIn, this platform is just for Gamecocks.

Create a Profile

Overview of the Program:

What is Mentorship? Mentorship is a process in which an experienced individual helps another person develop his/her goals and skills through on-going, supportive one-on-one conversations and learning exercises.
Our Mission: To assist students who are approaching graduation to make a successful and informed transition from university into the work world, preferably in their field of interest.

Program Structure/Expectations:

Application Window: August 16 – September 3
Mentorship Orientation Virtual: September 1 at 12 p.m.
Favoriting Period for students: August 29 – September 4
Match Day: September 5
Program Begins: September 10
Program Ends: October 14
Program End Celebration (in-person): November 2
Program Survey Sends to Mentors & Mentees: October 31

Weekly Themes

Week 1: Get To Know You

Week 2: Transferable Skills – Student Involvement & Alumni Involvement

Weeks 3 and 4: Career Path & Professional Development

Week 5: Future Goals & Planning

Why Join the Mentorship Hub Match?

Our Spring 2023 Mentorship Hub Match program was such a success that we decided to host another Match in the Fall 2023 semester! But don’t take our word from it, read a few student and alumni testimonials below:

“It is a wonderful opportunity to connect with the next generation (I am newly retired) and share my experiences. My mentee’s intelligence and enthusiasm are infectious… I anticipate that I will receive more than I can give in this relationship.”
Alumni Mentor

“I learned from [my mentor’s] experience in a global company and even as a human. I was so impressed by how she was willing to be there for me and even fit with my busy schedule. I can even call her anytime if I want to.”
Student Mentee

A Mentee’s Responsibilities

To discuss their needs and expectations with their mentor and think about what they want out of the relationship prior to the meeting
Put time into preparing to talk with their mentor
Be receptive to suggestion and feedback
Contact their mentor if they are unable to participate in scheduled meetings in a timely manner
Realize that having a mentor is a privilege, understand the mentor is busy with their life as well and work hard to take advantage of the opportunity
Maintain a professional demeanor at all times

A Mentor’s Responsibilities

Recognize the apprehension mentees may have with working with a mentor, especially if this is their first time speaking with an alum
Listen to the needs and expectations of your mentee
Provide honest feedback and advice relating to their experiences to support the success of the mentee’s career development
Work with the mentee to help him/her develop and establish realistic and obtainable goals
Offer suggestions and feedback
Be committed to serve as a resource to their mentee
Follow up on commitments made to their mentee

Helpful Hints & Shared Expectations

You must create a profile in the Mentorship Hub to apply to the Mentorship Hub Match.
Once you create a profile, don’t forget to go back to apply to the Mentorship Hub Match program!
To get the best match, make sure your profile is filled out completely – including your major, industry and availability.
Be sure to turn on notifications for messages within the Mentorship Hub so you don’t miss any communications from your mentor/mentee!

EXPECTATIONS OF BOTH MENTOR AND MENTEE:

Respect confidences and trust each other
Discover common ground and respect each other’s differences
Be yourself and be flexible
Be a good listener

Stay Connected

USC Alumni Association LinkedIn

Keep up to date on the latest events, networking opportunities, and alumni achievements by following our LinkedIn page!

USC Career Center Benefits

Members receive three free hours of career consultations per year from the USC Career Center. This is an annual value of $120.

Become a member

NEW! – Lunchtime Learning

Lunchtime learning is a program that provides hour long learning sessions for working professionals and students on their lunchbreak. These virtual sessions feature different topics and occur once a month. Register through Eventbrite to receive access to join the Zoom webinar:

Unlocking Your Potential: The world of a million job options and choosing the right resources for them.

ALL UPCOMING EVENTS

Our networking events help professionals engage with new people in their industry or their new city. They are for people at all points in their careers. Check our events calendar below for links to sign up or for when a networking event is coming to your area:

Looking to co-host a career development event with the Alumni Association? Reach out to connect@uofscalumni.org or call 803.777.4111 to get started.

PAST VIRTUAL EVENTS

Check out our free video series where USC alumni and industry professionals provide insight for growing your career! You can view all of these videos and more on our YouTube channel.