Career Guide for HBCU Students

Over the past several decades, enrollment at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) has grown. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the number of Black students enrolled at HBCUs increased by 14% between 1976 and 2021. In 2020-2021, HBCUs conferred 48,200 degrees. Tens of thousands of HBCU graduates enter the workforce each year.

Even with the workforce preparation provided by an HBCU education, embarking on your job search can be intimidating. This guide aims to clarify the process. It offers job search advice and breaks down how to prepare for your career and where to look for internships.

When you’re in college, your career might seem far off in the future. In reality, graduation day will arrive sooner than you think. These tips can help prepare you before you apply for jobs.

Consider what career you want to pursue based on your major. Even if you don’t land a job within your area of study, you can utilize the skills you’ve learned. For instance, many English majors don’t become literature professors or writers. Instead, they might use their critical thinking skills to land a job as a marketing specialist or project manager.

Your college wants you to be successful. That’s why most schools, including HCBUs, have career or professional development centers to help students prepare to land full-time jobs. In fact, students who utilize career centers receive more job offers than students who don’t use any career center services, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers.

Not sure what to do after graduation? Talk to your career center staff. They may have career assessments that will give you ideas of jobs that could be a good fit based on your interests. From there, you can work together to craft your degree plan to prepare for that job upon graduation.

Internships are a great way to meet potential employers and determine if a role is a good fit while still in school. Yvette Clayton, a student affairs administrator and the director of the Career Development Services Center at Alabama A&M University, recommends students start thinking about internships as early as their first year, as she’s seen an increase in employers recruiting first-year students for internships.

Many companies are pausing hiring as they navigate high inflation and a potential recession, making for a tough job market. Professional networks are critical during these times, as they can lead to job referrals or introductions to hiring managers.

If you’re just starting out in your professional career, consider starting at your college’s career center or reaching out to Greek Life members or alumni working in your dream field and inviting them to lunch to learn about their path to employment. According to Clayton, Deans, department chairs, and faculty can also be a resource for helping students to prepare for their internship or job source. Some have research opportunities and employer contacts.

According to Clayton, many employers have taken a candid look within and determined that they should be more intentional about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). You can learn about what a company values by reviewing its mission statement. Once you start landing interviews, you can ask questions about their latest DEI initiatives.

Your resume should include both your academic achievements, like degrees or certifications obtained, and any work or internship experiences you’ve completed. Make sure to highlight the impact you had in each role.

Don’t forget to tailor your resume to what employers want. Clayton elaborates, Most employers look for candidates to have the ability to solve problems. Effective problem solvers have strong critical thinking and communication skills.

Once your resume is up-to-date, utilize a resume scanner to see if your resume will get through applicant tracking systems and make it onto a hiring manager’s desk.

The job market can seem intimidating, but there are several things both students and new grads can do to prepare for the process and improve their chances of landing a job.

Once you’ve built up a network of HBCU connections, share your career goals and the skills you bring to the table as an HBCU grad. Leave contacts with a business card or your updated resume, and make sure they know that you’re open to introductions, referrals, or job opportunities in your chosen field.

Networking like this can serve another purpose, too. It helps students improve how they communicate, which is a key skill in the workplace. Clayton expands, The multigenerational, multidimensional — virtual, on-site, hybrid — tech-driven workplace mandates that interns and full-time staff communicate clearly, effectively, and in a timely manner with a professional tone, verbally and in writing.

Job search strategies might include regularly looking at job boards or career search engines. You should also maintain a LinkedIn presence and directly check company websites for open positions. Keep your resume up-to-date, and practice writing cover letters.

Your career center may host one or more career fairs on campus throughout the school year to connect students with prospective employers. These career or job fairs are a great way for students to get familiar with the companies in their community, see who is hiring, and even network for internships or future job opportunities.

Interviewing for a job is a skill. You should practice if you want to excel. Your school may have a career services department that offers mock interviews and feedback. Additionally, you can find a list of common interview questions online and ask a friend to practice with you.

You did it. You updated your resume, utilized your network, nailed the interview, and got the coveted job offer. The work is over, right? Not quite. This is a critical time to set yourself up for future financial success.

Unfortunately, pay disparities exist, negatively affecting women, people of color, and other historically excluded groups. Nationally, Black workers make an average of 76 cents per every dollar that white workers make. Negotiating your salary can bring you one step closer to equitable pay.

HBCU enrollment increased from 223,000 in 1976 to 287,000 students in 2021, according to NCES. HBCUs granted nearly 50,000 degrees in the 2020-2021 academic year.

And HBCUs provide excellent opportunities for these enrollees and grads to network with alumni and rub shoulders with industry professionals who can help them land high-paying jobs. HBCU students now have more opportunities to build their STEM backgrounds, for example, thanks to a $7 million investment from the U.S. Department of Energy. Employers are also supporting STEM training by offering STEM internships specifically for HBCU students.

Employment rates rose for Black talent from 2021 to 2022. Recently, there has also been a significant jump in monthly hiring of HBCU grads in industries like consumer services, education, arts and recreation, and hospitals and healthcare.

As companies continue to understand the value of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workforce, there will be more hiring opportunities specifically carved out for HBCU students. Below are just seven of the many companies that are actively recruiting HBCU students for full-time jobs or internships.

This job board lists opportunities for HBCU graduates in many fields, including STEM, education, and the arts. Visitors can also get tips about conducting a job search through the site’s career resources page and blog.

This site publishes job postings and scholarships. It also runs a marketplace and forums — all for HBCU students and alumni. Job seekers can upload their resumes directly to the site.

This nonprofit organization aims to help HBCU graduates transition from college into the corporate workplace. Students can look for positions at the annual job conference and career fair with opportunities from over 120 companies.

The White House Initiative on HBCUs hosts this annual event, which advertises both public and private professional positions for interested job seekers.

This organization connects HBCU students and alumni with companies through an online portal and in-person job fairs. Individuals can search through thousands of potential jobs.