Career Center Helps all Students
Students who are unsure about their classes, major or career
path can increase their confidence by seeking guidance at CSU’s
Career Center. The center offers many developmental and recruitment
opportunities to students whether they are nearing graduation or
have a few years left.
Information on individual majors and careers is available to all
students. This includes job listings, career fairs, assessment
tests and resume services.
“We help students figure out a career path based on their
interests,” says Melissa Johnson, a liaison for natural resources.
There are Career Center liaisons for almost every department or
college on campus to assist students, plus an open option
counselor.
These resources are easily accessible on the center’s Web site,
or in person at their campus office in 105 Ammons Hall on the
Oval.
Johnson suggests students make an appointment with one of the
center’s liaisons as soon as they are accepted into the university
or shortly thereafter.
“Early and often is our motto,” she said.
Students can gain so many valuable opportunities and experiences
that are so costly in the real world, Johnson said.
Assessment tests used to direct students’ interests into a major
or career choice can cost up to several hundred dollars, but are
free to students at the center.
Ashley Mickle, a junior health and exercise science major, took
assessment tests as part of a freshman seminar class.
“We basically learned that if we need help we can always come
in,” Mickle said. Visiting the center made it apparent to Mickle
that she was “on the right track.”
These tests, along with the center’s online resources, are the
tools that Johnson uses most to help students who seek guidance.
Liaisons have advice on writing resumes, creating cover letters and
honing interview skills.
Around the end of the fall semester Johnson says that students
are in a “registration panic” and often come to her to seek advice
on declaring a major. Closer to graduation time students will be
more concerned with setting up jobs and internships, she says.
Students who have already decided upon a future can look through
career specific job postings and internships to gain insight.
Employers can even peruse student resumes on the center’s Web site.
Johnson suggests that job planning begin six to nine months before
graduation.
The Career Center also creates opportunities to students who
attend career fairs. Students can speak with employers about a
field they are interested in and get information about various
internships and jobs. All university fairs as well as ones for
focused colleges, such as Media and Communications Career Day or
the Teacher Education Fair, are hosted by the Career Center. The
Spring Career Fair takes place on Feb. 12, next semester.
Junior business marketing major Laurie Dowd said she has never
used the resources at the career center because she has found those
resources elsewhere on campus.
“It’s just not something I’ve found useful yet,” she said. “I’ve
found internships elsewhere but might consider posting my resume
closer to graduation.”
Even students with little free time can learn more about their
major and career direction easily on the Web site. There are resume
writing instructions as well as tips on getting into graduate
school. Employer databases, contacts, job postings and
opportunities to post student resumes are available as well. There
was even an online career fair last year.
With resources like these, the Career Center has many ways to
link students to all the knowledge they need to go places.
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