Career Development Lunch & Learn Series

This series of webinars will help you launch, fine tune, or shift your career development journey into high gear. Each session offers a new and practical subject. 

You can find recordings of all the Spring 2021 Lunch & Learn sessions on the UT L&D YouTube channel.

Session 1: Hosted by Larrimie Gordon 

The Nuts and Bolts of Career Development: Job searching, your resume, and preparing for the interview

Knowing about and keep up with the ever-changing principles of getting the right job is fundamental. Keeping your resume up to date with the latest standards and styles, knowing the key to wowing them in the interview, and being smart about your search, are vital component to your success. Larrimie Gordon will show you the ropes and reveal the insights you need to find your dream job (or at least the job that will get your closer to your dream job).

Gordon has been at UT since 2011. His first role was with Intercollegiate Athletics in their Facilities and Event Operations branch, where he worked for more than six years. He joined Facilities Services (FS) as the Employee Engagement Coordinator in April 2018. In his current role Gordon works to support employees and enhance employee satisfaction. He also works to improve the organizational climate within FS by serving as a bridge that connects frontline employees to Human Resources. He helps employees understand university processes and procedures and navigate through the multiple and varied resources available to employees. He also provides career planning and guidance.

Gordon has built his knowledge and skill sets to develop and effectively perform his current role. He has also gained multiple credentials and has been involved with multiple organizations in order to provide his diverse and multi-faceted approach to employee engagement. He is Mental Health First Aid certified, an OnlyHuman Advocate, a food recovery specialist for Save the Food Austin, a campus LGBTQIA+ Ally, a volunteer with UTPD’s Victims Advocate Network, a UT Austin representative and committee chair for UT System’s Employee Advisory Council, a staff representative on UT Faculty Council’s Police Oversight Committee, a former representative/officer/committee chair for UT Staff Council, and a member of the National LGBTQ Task Force, the Austin Chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby, and UT’s Sustainability Roundtable. 

Session 2: Hosted by Binta Brown 

Q&A on the Career Lattice

Many careers are no longer linear, that is, a straight shot up the ladder. No one wants to wait till someone dies or retires to get an opportunity to “move up.” A career lattice is the notion that career paths can move in any direction—upward, diagonal, horizontal and downward. It allows the employee to view and enable their career in an adaptive and flexibility manner, expanding their options for growth, learning and contributions to their organization. Moreover, the value of career lattices, or “portable careers” may be punctuated by the ever-changing needs and expectations of today’s workforce, benefiting both employees and employers. 

Binta Brown is the Director of Talent Development and Learning Strategy for FAS where her work centers on building sustainable inclusive work environments for all. Prior to this, she held a joint appointment with HR and the Provost Office where she advised campus search committees for executive and hard-to-fill positions in all phases of the hiring process, designed and facilitated EDI related workshops and provided a suite of career coaching services to the partners of high-profile faculty new to the City of Austin. She has more than a decade of experience teaching, coaching and developing others re: their careers and frequently speaks on career development issues for organizations in the surrounding community. She is a nationally certified counselor, certified online instructor and licensed professional counselor-supervisor. Binta is one semester away from earning her doctoral degree in Leadership and Learning in Organizations at Vanderbilt University. 

Session 3: Hosted by Amira Pollock

Finding Your Professional Future – Career Planning Workbook

Whatever your career goals are, you’re more likely to succeed if you have a comprehensive strategy. At the Center for Professional Education, we know how important planning for your future is, and that’s why we’ve developed our Career Planning Workbook to help you map out the steps you need to achieve your professional dreams.

Amira Pollock is a leadership coach and educator who uses her 15 years' experience in education and training to create engaging, interactive learning experiences at UT Austin. She teaches leadership and communication courses for the Center for Professional Education and is a frequent presenter for the Texas MBA+ Leadership Program at the McCombs School of Business.

Session 4: Hosted by LinkedIn Learning

Using LinkedIn Learning to develop marketable skills

Did you know the shelf life of a technology skill is about 5 years?  What about the fact that 52% of your core job skills likely changed in 2020? We are excited to bring you a discussion about how to stay ahead using AI technology and our partnership with LinkedIn Learning in our changing environment.  LinkedIn Learning is our online, learning and development library that’s available 24/7 on your desktop or via apps. It has over 16,000 courses in 7 languages and has content that covers everything from data modeling, leadership, project management, civility and even how to talk to your coworkers.  This discussion will cover how you can use this tool to make your life easier and develop your marketable skills quickly and efficiently.  

Nicole is a representative from LinkedIn who is passionate about the company and what she does.  With over 10 years in talent acquisition and about 7 years at LinkedIn specifically, she is well versed in the art of creating a professional brand.  Currently, she works exclusively with Higher Education institutions in Texas.  Her favorite aspects of the learning solutions platforms are the ability to draw out data and insights from the LinkedIn Economic Graph and the ability to cultivate a love for lifelong learning.  She currently resides in the Bay Area with her husband and 6 year old twins.

Session 5: Hosted by Emil Kresl

An overview on all the resources UT Learning & Development has to offer to help you with Career Development

UT Learning & Development has incredible resources available to help you on your career path. From 360 assessments and competency tools, to online videos and personalized coaching, we’re here to help you realize your potential. Emil Kresl, director of Learning & Development will wrap of the series, show you where to find great resources, and chat with you about exciting project on the horizon for UT L&D.

For twenty years at The University of Texas, Emil has helped people at every level of the university better understand their own jobs and discover ways to make those jobs better. His work in academic departments, The Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost, and now Human Resources has provided him with a comprehensive knowledge of the systems, policies, and procedures of UT and higher education. In all of those UT departments Emil improved working conditions and increased efficiencies. He now reaches out to the rest of The University to do the same.

Session 6: Hosted by Melissa Totah 

Playing to your Strengths: Finding the right career path for you

What will you be great at? If you want to be successful in your career, you need to know your strengths. Veteran career coach Melissa Totah will show how to how to identify your strengths and use that information to take on the world.

Melissa Victor Totah is a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC) and Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor (LPC-S) within the State of Texas, specializing in career development. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from The University of Texas at Austin and a Master’s degree in Professional Counseling from Texas State University-San Marcos. Since finishing graduate school, Melissa has spent over 14 years training, coaching, and counseling thousands of people to help them achieve career success. She has held positions with DBM, Workforce Solutions, Wolfgang Career Coaching, and the HIREDTexas Job Club, where she served on the Board of Directors for four years. Melissa joined UT Austin in 2017 as a Career Coach with Liberal Arts Career Services, and transitioned into a role with the Master of Science Programs at the McCombs School of Business in 2019. She currently helps graduate students earning 10-month Master’s degrees find meaningful work within their chosen fields.

Session 7: Hosted by Lesley Robinson

Career Backchannels: The power of networking and word of mouth

Did you know that people usually find jobs through word of mouth? Getting involved with groups where people can help you and you can help others is a great way to advance your career. Lesley Robinson from Kendra Scott Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute will show you how to get your name out there on the path to a rewarding career.

Lesley Robinson is passionate about empowering students - especially women - to find the best path to their destination and absolutely believes in ‘taking the world by the horns.  Robinson brings a mix of experience in higher education, nonprofit management, and corporate partnerships, with a proven record of supporting students and early-stage entrepreneurs to have innovative experiences with impact embedded. 

Currently, Lesley is the inaugural Director for the newly launched Kendra Scott Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute at The University of Texas at Austin. The WEL Institute supports a curricular and co-curricular effort to provide students with promising college-to-career pathways, especially women and creatives underrepresented in entrepreneurial roles.