Alumni Career Network

Looking to advance in your career? Gain insights on what it takes to make the move from independent contributor to leading a team or advance from mid-level management to senior leadership roles. Our diverse panel addressed career management strategies to help you prepare for the next step and insights into the distinct challenges senior leaders face. Please note that during the original recording of this webinar we faced audio issues with panelist Melinda Yee Franklin which have been edited from this recording. We will host Melinda for a future UC Alumni Career Network webinar.

Featuring

Moderator: Erin Tanenbaum (UC San Diego '90), senior managing director, Southern California Leadership Network

Jim Houpis, Ph.D. (UC Berkeley '78, '89), president of Modesto Junior College

Christine Simmons (UCLA '98), chief operating officer for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Originally recorded on January 30, 2020

Are you looking for a career change? Re-entering the workforce after taking time off? Hoping to find a job that aligns your passion and skills? Navigating career transition can be a daunting task filled with complex questions and uncertainty. This UC Alumni Career Network webinar features Marcia Wall, who offers actionable tips and insights to help you prepare for a career pivot or job change, and is moderated by Randell Rueda. This webinar also focuses on identifying passion, assessing skills, identifying market opportunities and positioning one’s background to land the next opportunity.

Featuring

Moderator: Randell Rueda (UC Merced '11, UC Davis '17)

Marcia Wall (UC Santa Cruz '92), career and academic counselor

Originally recorded on November 20, 2019

Are you combining your passion with a purpose you care about? Looking to transition careers or apply your skills and expertise towards a more meaningful avenue?  Merideth Mehlberg chats with UC Vice Provost, Yvette Gullatt about discovering a meaningful 2nd act career.

Featuring

Merideth Mehlberg, UC Berkeley alumna and Executive Coach and Career Strategist

Yvette Gullatt, UC Berkeley alumna, Interim Vice President for Student Affairs and Vice Provost for Diversity and Engagement for the University of California system

Originally recorded on October 24, 2019

Are you jumping back into the workforce? Looking to advance in your current company? Thinking of the right ways to increase your professional brand and connections? This edition of the UC Alumni Career Network featured UC alumni working as career coaches and executive recruiters to share tangible tips to help you advance, expand, and stay relevant in today’s workforce. This session covered topics including revisiting your professional pursuits, identifying challenges and solutions to common career barriers, hiring trends, and steps you can work on to better your skills and brand.

Featuring

Moderator: Kris Hergert, Executive Director of the UC San Diego Career Center

Mike Hirshman (UCSD ’09, UCLA ’15), Executive Search and Engagement Manager at Heidrick & Struggles

Marcy Morrison, Career Coach and Author, (UCSD ’97), Founder of Careers with Wings

Originally recorded: October 18, 2019

LinkedIn is a powerful networking and career building tool, but with so many features and options, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. Robin Reshwan shares tangible tips to help you unlock the full potential of LinkedIn. Whether you’re looking to grow your network, identify your next job, or share your expertise on a topic you’re passionate about, this session will help you maximize your use of LinkedIn and its many tools.

Featuring

Robin Reshwan (Davis ’92), Founder and President, CS Advising

Originally recorded on September 10, 2019

This video presents an action-packed hour focused on networking strategies and tips to tap into your University of California network. Oscar Garcia shares actionable tips to help you build and nurture relationships, identify opportunities to connect with others, and authentic ways you can leave new connections with a lasting positive impression.

Featuring

Oscar Garcia, UC Berkeley alumnus and Founder & Chief Empowerment Officer of Aspira

Originally recorded on August 21, 2019.

This online panel discussion dives deep into the various ways your academic training can be applied to industry roles in a wide variety of fields. Panelists will share their stories and advice on how they transitioned from academia to private and public sector. Learn how to market and position your Ph.D. for professional success. This panel was moderated by Michael Matrone, Ph.D., Program Director for PhD Career and Professional Development at the UCSF Office of Career and Professional Development and included insights from:

Featuring

Joseph Bernardo, Ph.D. (UC Santa Barbara), Intercultural Affairs Associate, Loyola Marymount University
Shruti Kapoor, Ph.D. (UC Riverside), Founder, Sayfty
Neil Rath, Ph.D. (UCLA), Associate Consultant, ZS Associates

Originally recorded July 9, 2019

This edition of the UC Virtual Career Series focused on LGBTQ at Work.  This video offers a transparent, e-conversation around LGBTQ and identity in the workplace. During this hour-long, online panelists talk about everything from finding a support network (even when a formal one does not exist) and ways to determine if a company is inclusive to being a great ally and mentoring others as they navigate the intersections of identity and work. This panel is moderated by UC Merced Alumni Association President, Keith Ellis (UC Merced '12), who serves as the Student Personnel Assistant for Disability Support Programs & Services at Cosumnes River College and includes insights from UC alumni panelists:

Featuring

• Chloe Corcoran, Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement, UC Davis
• Mark Dresser, Ph.D. (UCSF ’00), Denali Fellow, Denali Therapeutics
• Anders Truong (UC Berkeley ‘16), Software Engineer, Pandora
• Erin Jackson-Ward, MPH (UCLA ‘12), Senior Program Officer, Cedars-Sinai
• Olivia Hernández (UC Davis ’13), Associate Director, UC Davis Cross Cultural Center

Originally recorded June 12, 2019

This high-impact, panel driven session discussed the intersection of culture and career. Panelists discussed how one’s culture comes into play in the workplace and how workplace culture impacts productivity, mobility, and success. This video will help you learn how to examine company culture beyond the mission statement, identifying whether a company is a ‘fit’, and being your authentic self in the workplace.

Featuring

• Moderator: Aaron E. de Santiago-Jones (UC Santa Barbara ’94, ’03, ’14, ’19), Director of the Educational Opportunity Program at UC Santa Barbara
• Jane Castillón (UC Irvine), Disability Specialist, Disabled Students Program, UC Santa Barbara
• Jessica Chen (UC San Diego ’10), Founder & CEO, Soulcast Media
• Kelly Fong Rivas (UC Santa Cruz ‘07), Chief of Staff, Office of Mayor Darrell Steinberg, City of Sacramento

Originally recorded May 8, 2019

This session will help you learn how to effectively work a room and develop a compelling ‘elevator pitch’ to wow employers. Viewers will gain an understanding of the strategies, tactics, tools and techniques necessary to optimize their time and investment in preparing for and attending the Hire UC Alumni Career Fair. Tim provides insights into how you can develop a brief yet compelling “elevator pitch” in response to the ever popular, “Tell Me About Yourself” (TMAY) question. This webinar discusses crafting a strategy for engaging with and establishing a strong connection with other participants and company representatives.  

Featuring

Tim Johnston, UC Berkeley alumnus, Managing Partner and Co-Founder of WayFinders Careers LLC.

Originally recorded April 18, 2019

This webinar will help you gain clarity on what you want from the next phase of your career by distilling your core strengths and competencies.  Viewers will gain further insight into what target employers expect to see in your resume and how best to showcase your experience in your resume to put your best foot forward.  This webinar was brought to you by the UC Office of the President in collaboration with all ten UC alumni associations.  

Featuring

Merideth Mehlberg, UC alumna and Executive Coach & Career Strategist

Originally recorded April 16, 2019

Did you know that the University of California is the top employer of UC graduates? Whether in the classroom, out in the field, in the lab, or behind a desk, UC offers a wide variety of career opportunities. This recording offers advice on the hiring process, what it’s like to work at UC, and how you can put your best foot forward as a candidate. Panelists shared their expertise on the hiring processes for a variety of roles. 

Featuring

• Moderator: Yvette Gullatt, UC Berkeley alumna, Interim Vice President for Student Affairs and Vice Provost for Diversity and Engagement for the University of California system
• David Odato, Associate Vice Chancellor of Human Resources at UCSF and the Senior Vice President of Human Resources for UCSF Health
• Gwynn Benner, a UCLA alumna who currently serves as the Assistant Vice Provost of Student Success and the Co-Director of the First-Generation Initiative at UC Santa Cruz
• Donna Salvo, the Executive Director of Systemwide Talent Management for the University of California

Originally recorded Tuesday, April 9, 2019

Learn how to market and position your undergraduate or graduate degree by gaining insights and advice from UC alumni who’ve found career success as a result of their liberal arts education.  This session provides tangible insights and advice relevant for current students and alumni of all career levels and backgrounds!

Featuring

• Moderator: Erin Gruwell (English, UC Irvine ‘91), Founder and Executive Director, Freedom Writers Foundation
• Carly Chittim (American Studies and English, UC Santa Barbara ‘11), University Recruiter for Business and Marketing Internships, Facebook
• Carol Kim (English, UC Los Angeles ‘98), Director of Community Engagement, San Diego County Building Trades Council
• Arya Zarrinkelk (Communication Studies and English, UC Davis ‘05), Employment & Training Specialist III (Arts, Media + Entertainment), City College of San Francisco

Originally recorded March 5, 2019

What is the gig economy? Is it really possible to work from home and have a fruitful career? Learn more about flex jobs, working remotely and career opportunities tied to the gig economy along with how to secure your spot during this in-depth, interview-style session. 

Featuring

Sara Sutton (UC Berkeley ‘01), CEO & Founder of FlexJobs, Remote.co, and 1 Million for Work Flexibility

Originally recorded February 13, 2019 

This e-conversation with UC alumni provides an in-depth look at the hiring process and what happens after you click “submit.”  UC alumni working as professional recruiters and hiring managers provide an insider’s look at the hiring process and provide tangible advice to help you maximize your job search and land your next great opportunity! This interactive session reviews how companies source talent, the platforms and keywords used to identify candidates and things you should consider before connecting with a recruiter.  

Featuring

• Moderator: Jorge Ancona (UCLA ‘93), Assistant Vice Chancellor of Alumni & Constituent Relations at UC Riverside
• Brett Fisher, MBA (UCLA ‘00), the Founder and Managing Director, Brett Fisher Group - Search Consultants
• Brigitte Kearney (UC Riverside ‘02), Recruiting Manager, Tesla
• Dorian Mastrogany (UC Davis '10), Manager of Recruitment, Summit Public Schools

Originally recorded January 15, 2019