Career Services Success Story: Hannah Bailey (CSB '14)
03/02/2020
After four years abroad, Hannah Bailey knew she needed help approaching the St. Louis job market. Turning to her alma mater, Saint Louis University and its Career Services Center, Bailey felt confident that SLU cared about its graduates’ careers and would be helpful in her job search.
As a student in the Cook School of Business (now the Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business), Bailey had studied for a degree in business administration with a concentration in economics.
During her time at SLU, she interned at Express Scripts, a Fortune 25 pharmaceutical benefit management company, working with its analytics and forecasting team in its supply chain department.
After her years away, she reached back to SLU to help her with her next career steps.
“What surprised me most about SLU’s Career Services was their personalized approach that appreciates the unique strengths and goals of the individual rather than offering generic recommendations,” Bailey said. “Also, their services are available to alumni as well as students and they don’t stop at helping you find a job. Even after landing a job they are available to help in your continued professional development.”
Working with Ahmar Ursani, career counselor, “went well beyond my expectations,” she said.
“He encouraged me to reflect deeply about my career goals and long-term aspirations, while also providing practical tips and tools that really accelerated my job search,” Bailey recalled.
Ursani’s assigned “homework” – writing her ideal job description and thinking deeply about her career aspirations – inspired her to dive into her job search with knowledge and confidence.
“His holistic approach was so much more than simply helping me find a job, it was encouraging me to find a career that I could excel in and enjoy,” Bailey said. “A key Jesuit value is having concern and care for the personal development of the whole person. SLU’s Career Services exemplifies this through their personalized approach that encourages personal growth as well as professional development.”
Following Ursani’s advice – and attending a consulting careers panel hosted by Career Services – paid off. Bailey attended the SLU panel and stayed afterwards to speak to a recruiter from Brown Smith Wallace. The connection eventually led to a position.
What surprised me most about SLU’s Career Services was their personalized approach that appreciates the unique strengths and goals of the individual rather than offering generic recommendations."
Hannnah Bailey (CSB '14)
In December 2019, Bailey landed her “dream job” as a marketing and business performance consultant at Brown Smith Wallace, a top 100 business advisory and public accounting firm based in Creve Coeur, Missouri.
In her new role, Bailey works with a variety of client delivery and business development projects, all supporting the overall firm mission to impact the growth and success of their clients, colleagues and communities.
“This role is a great fit for me because it leverages my previous work experience and education, and the company’s core values of excellence, improvement and integrity align with my own,” Bailey explained.
The company’s strong training and development program that supports employees’ professional growth at every stage in their career attracted her as did the chance to work at a local firm invested in making a positive impact on St. Louis.
Her Advice to Billiken Job Seekers?
“At any point in your education or career, I recommend making an appointment with Careers Services. It's never too early – or too late – to use these services to help you achieve your next career goal. Jesuit education inspires students to be well-rounded people that contribute to the greater good, and our Career Services provide a path for SLU graduates to pursue meaningful careers that make a positive impact.”
Founded in 1818, Saint Louis University is one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious Catholic institutions. Rooted in Jesuit values and its pioneering history as the first university west of the Mississippi River, SLU offers nearly 13,000 students a rigorous, transformative education of the whole person. At the core of the University’s diverse community of scholars is SLU’s service-focused mission, which challenges and prepares students to make the world a better, more just place.
Story by Amelia Flood, University Marketing and Communications. Photo courtesy of Hannah Bailey.