The Career and Professional Development Center helps students with so much more than just resumes and job searches. Students can meet with a career counselor one on one to help with choosing a major, (for those who are undecided or would like to switch), and also help students practice mock interview skills, develop their LinkedIn profiles and expand their network.
Freshmen to seniors use these services year-round to improve themselves daily when talking to employers, or networking with family, friends and alumni.
Networking is one aspect that the Career & Professional Development Center helped Michelle Murray, a junior in graphic design, with. She met with Jason Whitney, a career counselor that meets with students with english and business majors. “Jason introduced me to people I could reach out to through LinkedIn. I got the chance to interview someone that does web design and web development and the interview gave me some great insight on web design and I was able to make a new network connection along the way.”
Keeping up with a counselor is important as well. Jay Jenkins, a sophomore in sports management, says, “Jason and I have met about 2 or 3 times a month and have communicated about my career goals. He gives me advice when I need some guidance.” “I have gotten a lot out of every meeting I have with Jason. Whether it’s about internships or just general guidance, he has helped me expand my knowledge about the industry that I am pursuing, as well as giving me advice on professionals to reach out to.”
There are many success stories of students obtaining a job or internship because of the help they get working directly with advisors in the Career & Professional Development Center.
One thing that a lot of students may not know about the Career & Professional Development Center is that students can use all of these services and resources after they graduate. If you graduated with a bachelor’s degree, alumni are welcome back to use all of the services the center has to offer.
Jay adds, “I think that I will continue to communicate and get advice from Jason after I graduate. He has given me tremendous guidance. Keeping that connection is important to me so that I can ensure that I am doing what is right for myself and my career. I am a firm believer in that if you surround yourself with good people, good things will follow. I feel like I am fulfilling that mindset by having an established relationship with the Career & Professional Development Center.”
