Fresno State Professor Betsy Hays and co-author Tori Terhune hosted a book launch event in the Speech Arts Building TV studio on Sept. 6 for the second edition of their book, “Land Your Dream Career in College,” published in July.

The event brought students and faculty together for cupcakes, a career talk and strategies for turning college experiences into future opportunities. Hays said the updated edition accounts for many shifts in the job landscape.

“In between the first and second edition, there was a pandemic, the increase in remote work and virtual networking, the rise of social media and the introduction of AI,” Hays said.

Hays added that she was inspired by the idea that college students have “pixie dust”: access to information, people and opportunities that can help them land their dream careers.

Fresno State alumna Terhune is a freelance social media and artificial intelligence (AI) strategist. She said coming back to campus to talk to students felt like a full-circle moment and emphasized that today’s students need to figure out how to use AI tools strategically while staying true to their own unique skills.

“As a college student, if you’re paying all this money and giving all this time, you want to get a job,” Terhune said. “Optimize your networking, your branding, your experience—so when you graduate, you feel like you gave it your all.”

Ashley Martinez, a freshman studying biochemistry, echoed this. She said she is excited to read the book because it could push her toward her career goals. 

Fresno State Professor Jim Boren plans to use the new book in his classes. He called it a complete guide to success, especially in preparing students for their futures.

“Looking at your career and your job in a holistic way to see all the things that pull together,” Boren said. “Your education, your resume, your mentorship and how to network. All those things are important to get jobs. It’s a constant learning experience.”

The new edition of the book took roughly six months to write and offers practical tips for building a personal brand, networking and creating “wiggle room” for fun; a blend of career strategy with real advice. 

There is also a chapter that focuses on guiding students who aren’t sure of their plans or who intend to pivot into a different career. 

When researching and preparing early book drafts, the two knew it was important that this book stay relevant for years to come. In order to accomplish this, they worked on strategies rather than technicalities so that it could be used by all students, from high school through college.

The authors said the biggest challenges with the book were finding ways to make sure the information doesn’t age. 

Hays and Terhune said that they hope students will take their pixie dust and turn it into possibilities that last beyond graduation.

Correction: an adjustment was made on Sept. 9 to correct the spelling of Betsy Hays’ last name.