- Meinders School of Business is modernizing student job searches with a platform that automates cover letters, optimizes resumes and streamlines applications.
- MSB pairs cutting-edge tech with face-to-face career acceleration, using its Executives in Residence program and exclusive, twice-yearly business career fairs to link students directly with top Oklahoma City employers.
- Supported by data showing career center users are more likely to land jobs paid internships, MSB’s strategic pipeline is launching students into long-term professional success.
BY ROD JONES
Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³» MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
In today’s fast-paced and competitive hiring environment, every extra advantage in the job search process can make a huge difference in forging a career path. For students in Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»â€™s Meinders School of Business, entering the professional arena comes with a mix of personalized guidance, real-world networking and cutting-edge technology.
Central to the initiative is building a two-way pipeline between Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»'s campus and the business community, a mission spearheaded by Kyle Golding, director of corporate relations and special projects for the school. An Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³» alumnus and veteran business consultant, Golding views MSB Career Services as an administrative necessity combined with an engine for economic growth, matching high-performing applicants to top-level jobs in several industries.
"We aren't just handing out brochures or telling students to blindly upload their resumes online," Golding said. "Our goal is to combine a rigorous academic foundation with professionalism as soon as our students are ready to enter the workforce, ensuring our students and graduates are at the top of the hiring process."
There’s supporting data that using career service offerings gives students a leg up. According to a Class of 2022 student survey by the , graduating seniors who used at least one service received an average of 1.24 job offers while those who didn’t use any of the career center’s services averaged 1.0 job offers. And for every additional service they used beyond just one, their average number of job offers increased by 0.05.
Career services are helpful at the internship stage as well. The survey found that students who use a career center’s help are 2.2 times more likely to get a paid internship than an unpaid internship or no internship at all.
And with today’s automated and AI-assisted hiring procedures, the usefulness of career services is expected to increase.
Tools of the (job search) trade
In recent years, the Meinders School of Business has established additional career service offerings including AI-assisted resume building and job application tools, an Executives in Residence program, and hosting in-house job fairs.
MSB has modernized its technological toolkit through a partnership with , an innovative career prep platform assisted by artificial intelligence. Tailored specifically for upperclassmen, the platform optimizes the job application process from start to finish including resume building and cover letter crafting, interview prep, LinkedIn profile optimization, job searching and salary negotiation.
WriteSea is just one component of a multi-pronged digital strategy curated by MSB Career Services. Students gain direct access to a curated featuring internships and college-friendly employment listings, alongside the widely utilized network.
Recognizing the shift toward flexible working environments, the school has integrated into its roster. These project-based roles allow students to gain professional experience and build immediate corporate portfolios without disrupting their academic schedules.
For broader market searches, MSB guides students through platforms that feature comprehensive onboarding experiences such as:
- , which focuses on early-career opportunities
- , which specializes in linking students to local and national employers
- Traditional mainstays like , , and round out the digital ecosystem, ensuring students have several avenues open to them.
Riley Randall, a senior in the Finance, Banking and Real Estate program, earned an internship with the Bethany Children’s Health Center as an accounting specialist last year the old-fashioned way — by applying and securing recommendations. Due to his performance, the center offered him a full-time job this year.
After the business school introduced the new platforms, Golding asked Randall to test them out and offer feedback.
"During my search (before the new tech was introduced at MSB), I was using all sorts of different websites and I had to personally rewrite my cover letter for every single one to fit the job description," Riley explained. "It was extremely time-consuming and just wasn't efficient. If I’d had access to these tools back then, I could have applied to probably 20 or 30 more jobs daily."
Bridging tech with face-to-face connection
While digital tools assist with the preparation, face-to-face interaction seals the opportunity.
Enter the Executives in Residence program, which enables professionals of various fields to share their real-world experiences, expertise and personal networks with students and faculty.
"I’m in an accounting position right now, but I don't know if I want to stick to that for the rest of my life," Riley said. "One of my plans this upcoming semester is to reach out to the Executives in Residence and get their opinions on where I should take my career. These guys are all incredibly experienced in their respective fields. I want to hear their stories, see what those industries are like, and take their advice to heart."
Another in-person offering that started this year is the MSB Spring Career Fair, an exclusive on-campus event designed specifically for business majors. At the request of employers, Golding plans to start hosting two career fairs per academic year, one in the fall and another in the spring. The inaugural fair in April brought a prestigious lineup of prominent Oklahoma City employers directly to MSB students including , , , , , and .
"Events like our career fairs are designed to give Oklahoma City employers direct access to our students," Golding noted. "The feedback we receive from the corporate community consistently reinforces that MSB students are uniquely prepared for immediate impact. When we bring top-tier employers to campus, it’s a springboard for the next generation of Oklahoma’s business leaders."
