Finance Executive Mentors UM Students to Land Jobs with Personal Approach

Blair Bingham

Finance executive Blair Bingham returns to the University of Mississippi this month to educate, inspire and direct students on how to develop and tell their story to stand out in the job interview process.

Bingham will speak on this approach at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 22 in Conner Hall, Room 113, and at 11 a.m. Feb. 23 in Holman Hall, Room 30. All Ole Miss students are welcome to attend.

Bingham, chief financial officer for the Alabama Housing Finance Authority, helps college graduates develop their personal story for use in interviews. He guides clients through a process of examining their college and high school experiences to identify skills employers are looking for in job candidates.

He visited Ole Miss in September 2017 at the invitation of the business school’s advisory board, and his presentation was well-received. His talk last year was titled “Your Story and How It Gets You Hired,” and he received rave reviews from students who attended.

“More lectures like this one would be very helpful, not just for a business major, but for all majors, because it is beneficial for everyone to have good interviewing skills,” wrote one student in his/her evaluation.

“We are excited that Blair Bingham is coming back to enrich our students’ understanding and abilities in their career preparation,” said Ken Cyree, dean of the School of Business Administration. “Our students greatly benefit from Blair’s expertise and enthusiasm, and we are glad that he will continue to add value to our efforts in careers and job placement.

“The business school is delighted to offer all UM students the opportunity to benefit from Blair’s knowledge and wisdom.”

Developing a personal story to prepare for interviews is a solid approach for graduates in all fields, not just business, Bingham said.
“Every graduate entering the workforce has a story to tell: their own story,” he explained. “That story is much more than reciting a resume. This hour is designed to show how to take your own experiences and make you a much more attractive candidate in the interview.”
Bingham earned a bachelor’s degree accountancy and a Master of Business Administration from Millsaps College. He lived in Jackson for 37 years, working in finance for the Mississippi Home Corp., WorldCom and Regions Bank.
While serving as the CFO of Mississippi Home Corp. for 10 years, Bingham interviewed numerous candidates for corporate positions. This experience led to an avocation in mentoring and coaching students to enter the work force quickly and with great success.
“We know we have a great product in graduates and we want to help land their dream job,” said Melanie Dowell, president of the Business Advisory Board. “The board established several outreach programs we call ‘Rebel Connect’ to help connect our graduates land their dream jobs.
“Through the devotion to Rebel Connect board members Bill Andrews and Stan Viner, we have launched what we expect to be a very integral part of our students’ career paths.”
By Stella Connell