Choosing a major is an important step. The Office of Career Development & Internships uses a multifaceted approach that includes assessment and testing to gauge students' interests, values and skills. This process helps to enrich students' academic experience and enables them to link with potential future careers. One-on-one counseling and/or computer-assisted guidance and the tools used to assist students in their choices of viable majors and careers are offered. Workshops on decision-making and how to choose a major are conducted for freshmen and sophomores.

An internship is an individualized program that integrates classroom learning with work experience in a job that is career-related, earns college credits, and may even pay wages. In cooperation with academic departments, the Office develops internship opportunities and provides information and referrals to students. Credit-bearing internships must be approved, guided, evaluated, and supervised by academic departments. Therefore, the first step is to consult with a faculty member about the requirements for internships in the major or minor departments. The Office of Career Development & Internships requires students to attend some workshops to prepare for the internship experience. The Office also offers a credit-bearing course.

To help students stay abreast of changing job market trends, speakers from a variety of fields discuss prospects and career opportunities in various industries and the trends that influence the job market. In these workshops, students meet with professionals and learn more about careers.

Day and evening workshops conducted regularly each semester focus on resume preparation, interviewing techniques, and job-search strategies. Workshop information is posted around the campus, and workshop schedules are available at the Office. Small group workshops are also conducted to help acquaint students with the various on-line job-search resources.

Easy-to-use guides for resume writing, cover letters, interview techniques, and job-search strategies are available at the Office. With these tools, students can organize and package their educational background, work experience, skills, and other qualifications for graduate schools and/or the job market.

Beginning in September and continuing through April, many corporate, public, private, and government organizations interview on campus and recruit graduating students. Resumes are also forwarded to prospective employers for off-campus interview. Check the bulletin board at the Office for announcements and information. Guidelines for on-campus recruitment are available at the Office.

FULL-TIME CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

The Office compiles and updates extensive job vacancy listings and career opportunities for entry-level and other positions. Students and recent alumni can explore these opportunities.

For students who wish to acquire work experience and supplement their income, the Office provides referrals for part-time jobs. The hours for these jobs are posted at the Office. The Office maintains extensive resources and files on a wide variety of occupational and career issues. Up-to-date information is kept on opportunities offered by hundreds of companies and agencies. Career fairs are organized to provide current information.

Counseling and resources about graduate schools, including directories and a computer-assisted guidance system, are readily available. A graduate school information day is also held each year, giving students the opportunity to interact with representatives from different colleges and Universities.

A password protected system eRecruiting offers numerous resources online. Students can access Internships and job listings, and post resumes , sign-up for campus interviews. Alumni can access career opportunities, and employers can list Internships and job information, as well as access student resumes by using a special password.

The Office maintains credential files in which letters of recommendation for students and alumni are kept and sent to graduate schools and prospective employers. There is a modest fee for this service which can be renewed after two years. Additional information and forms for the credentials service are available at the Office.