Katelyn Caragher

About

With over nine years of experience in career services, I am passionate about helping individuals discover their purpose and achieve financial stability through strategic career planning. Throughout my professional career, I have honed my skills in planning large-scale events, developing impactful career readiness programs, and enjoy fostering meaningful partnerships both on and off campus. Some of my notable achievements include assisting in creating a university-wide career readiness badging curriculum that equips students with the skills needed to thrive in their professional journeys. Additionally, I developed a student staff professional development program and an Exploratory and Sophomore Career Engagement/Retention Initiative. This initiative, based on research and presented at our university conference, focused on undecided students to help them decide on their major, starting with exploratory students and followed by sophomore check-ins. This structure has significantly increased our direct impact on first and second-year students by over 3000%. Lastly, with my love for personal branding and content creation, I created an Instagram takeover guide that was shared through Handshake's employer newsletter, reaching over 8,000 employers. Outside of my professional values, I deeply cherish the idea of community and the importance of being a helping hand to others. I believe that supporting and uplifting those around us is key to building a successful and thriving community. As I progress in my career, I hope to continue in roles where these values are celebrated and integral to the mission. My commitment to community and support is a core part of who I am and guides me in all my endeavors. Strengths: • Developer: Recognizing and cultivating the potential in others, helping them achieve their best. • Adaptability: Embracing change and thriving in dynamic environments. • Continuous Improvement & Initiative: Always seeking ways to grow, achieve set goals, and proactively launch and manage new projects and ideas. • Relationship Building: Forming strong, lasting connections with colleagues, students, and industry professionals.

Experience

• Career Consultant · Purdue University Northwest2019-05-01 –

  • Advise Purdue students and alumni individually or in groups about career and personal development to ensure a positive transition from higher education to the world of work. • Develop services, programming, workshops and events that support the intersection of education and career goals. • Consult with employers to determine the best recruiting plan for their unique needs. • Serve as the department liaison to the campus community to establish and maintain strong partnerships with campus colleagues and faculty. • Connect the department and student organizations to create meaningful interactions that increase student's professional development. • Create a greater awareness of the Career Center by developing creative and intentional marketing as well as outreach strategies.

• Intern- Zhang Career Center (Business College) · Western Michigan University2019-01-01 – 2019-04-01

  • Collaborate in the development of student staff professional training program rooted in NACE Career Readiness Competencies • Research ideas and practices that could be implemented into the training program

• Career and Employerment Services- Graduate Assistant · Western Michigan University2017-08-01 – 2019-04-01

  • Implement new partnership with JCPenney through the Suit Up event which services 350+ students a semester • Advise students in their professional development through resources and constructive feedback during drop-in advising hours, appointments, or group settings • Contribute to events by problem-solving and establishing rapport with students as well as employers • Support career fairs of 120+ companies to increase student employment opportunities • Conduct and design presentations to classrooms on resources, services, and specific aspects of career development to increase student’s professional identity

• Intern- Engineering Retention · Western Michigan University2018-08-01 – 2018-12-01

  • Assessed current WMU campus resources with an academic concern checklist to determine what would be used for a centralized student resource page • Connected with students who were identified as facing academic concern to evaluate needs and directed them to appropriate resources • Discussed new ways for students to be engaged within the university to increase retention rates

• Seita Scholars- Summer Intern · Western Michigan University2018-05-01 – 2018-10-01

  • Implemented and organized a career mentor program providing support and skills to students during and post-graduation • Collaborated with team of 3 on a benefit dinner to increase donations and sustain the program • Researched ways to increase retention in foster care youth within higher education

• Career Informational Specialist- Career Center · Valparaiso University2015-08-01 – 2017-08-01

  • Led students in critiquing and revising resumes, cover letters, as well as professional statements • Served as first contact directing people to appropriate resources to increase office productivity • Researched and implemented new strategies to 3 social media accounts to increase followers and make it more applicable to students.

Education

• Western Michigan UniversityMaster's degree, Higher Education
• Valparaiso UniversityBachelor's of Social Work, Social Work

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