The College World Reporter

The College World=20 Reporter

March 2011

http://www.cwrmagonline.com/

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CWR=20 Career Zone =

Top=20 11 Ways to Make the Career Services (CS) Work = for=20 You

By=20 Tara Goodfellow,=20 MBA

Tara=20 Goodfellow, MBA=20 =

1. =20 Stop=20 by and introduce yourself (or make an = appointment if=20 they prefer). Let them know who you are, your = interests,=20 needs, and skills. They can't help you unless = they know=20 you, right?

2. =20 Career=20 Services is a great resource to help with = narrowing down=20 your career field of interest. Perhaps you = started as an=20 accounting major, but after taking a few finance = courses, decided finance and management might be = a=20 better fit. CS staff has a vast array of tools = to help=20 you from self-assessments and inventories to = data on=20 salaries and project growth for your areas of=20 interest.

3. =20 Sign=20 up to follow your career services office on = Facebook=20 and/or Twitter. Offices across the country are = utilizing=20 social media as a way to notify students of = everything=20 from upcoming job fairs and available employment = to=20 workshops. Topics might include resumes, = interview=20 skills, volunteer opportunities, networking, and = even=20 business etiquette.

4. =20 Attend=20 career services sponsored events. Don't wait = until=20 you're a senior. There's a great deal you can = learn=20 along the way. You may not need a resume for 3 = more=20 years, but there are steps you can take now to = make the=20 process easier on yourself come senior = year.

5. =20 You've=20 already stopped by and introduced yourself, = right?=20 Great, but much of the job search process is = about=20 promoting yourself. Try to keep them updated on = career=20 related events along your college journey. For = example,=20 if you've completed an internship with a company = that=20 you'd like to see interview on campus, let them = know.=20 Or, stop by with a list of companies you might = be=20 interested in completing an internship with, and = use=20 their resources and connections.

6. =20 Check=20 out their website. More than likely there are = tutorials=20 you can view at your convenience. You can see = samples of=20 industry related resumes, how to write an = effective=20 cover letter and thank you note, job search = resources,=20 and links to assist you with work/life related = issues.=20 Other topics might include a list of student = groups,=20 fellowship and graduate student = information.

7. =20 Visit=20 the websites of other college career services. = There is=20 a wealth of information out there accessible to=20 everyone. If you want to listen to a = presentation on How=20 to Create an Effective Resume or Networking = Tips, you=20 can find several by just searching = online.

8. =20 Bookmark=20 the CS's "calendar" as one of your "favorites." = A lot=20 happens each week! A recent look at a = university's=20 career services calendar included The Miller = Analogy=20 Test, Pharmacy Speed Networking, and a Bootcamp = Career=20 Program. Another had Applying to Grad = School-Strategies=20 for Success, Drop-in Advising time, The = Essentials of an=20 Effective Resume and Cover Letter, and an = information=20 session about Study Abroad Grants. Consider = selecting at=20 least one event per month to attend or a certain = number=20 of events during the year.

9. =20 Build=20 a relationship. I used to stop by my career = services=20 office for various reasons. After graduation, I = headed=20 back home for the summer with a few leads but = nothing=20 concrete. Mid-summer I received a phone call = from the=20 dean at home. He was in need of an admissions = counselor,=20 and stopped by the career services office to see = if they=20 could offer a suggestion. Yep, my name was front = and=20 center in the minds. That was how I landed my = first=20 job!

10. =20 Ask=20 for their guidance and advice. If you do wait = until the=20 end to start the process, you'll probably find = it's=20 quite stressful and overwhelming. Still, they're = valuable resources. Share with them the steps = you're=20 taking to obtain employment, and perhaps they'll = have=20 additional suggestions for you.

11. =20 Remember=20 that career services are available to alumni as = well.=20 They can continue to be a great resource even = after=20 graduation.

=A9=20 Copyright Donell Edwards Media, 2008 -2010. All = rights=20 = reserved.

About Tara=20 = Goodfellow

Mrs.=20 Tara Goodfellow owns Athena Educational = Consultants,=20 Inc. a career consulting company that provides=20 individual career related services such as = professional=20 cover letters and resumes, interviewing skills = &=20 mock interviews, networking & job search = strategies,=20 and career assessments. Mrs.=20 Goodfellow's professional experiences include = Director=20 of Administrative & Financial Services and = Career=20 Development Instructor at a North Carolina=20 college. Other related positions include = technical=20 recruiter, higher education sales and student = lending=20 account manager. In addition, she serves on the = board of=20 an education related foundation. = After=20 earning a Bachelor of Arts in Business = Administration=20 from Belmont Abbey College, Mrs. Goodfellow = earned a=20 Master of Business Administration from Queens = University=20 of=20 = Charlotte.

About=20 Athena Educational Consultants (AEC),=20 = Inc.

=20

Athena's=20 mission is simple: assist clients in achieving = their=20 professional goals. Although it is a very = personal=20 process, some principles are encouraged from = each=20 client:

=B7 =20 Keep=20 focused & keep perspective. We work=20 to

ensure=20 your efforts are targeted yet = effective.

=B7 =20 Network. =20 We brainstorm to grow your networking list =

=20 and=20 utilize relevant social media = sources.

=B7 =20 Provide=20 structure & accountability.=20 =

Contact=20 = Information

=20

Athena=20 Educational Consultants, = Inc.

4023 = Cameron Creek Drive

Matthews,=20 NC 28105

704-641-4000

aec@consultathena.com

http://www.consultathena.com/

Legal=20 = Information

The = CWR=20 logo, the It's A Reader's = World=20 logo, and the names, Leader's, Mentors, = and Role=20 Models; Career Zone; = and=20 Security Focus are all either=20 trademarks or copyrights owned by Donell Edwards = Media,=20 and may not be copied, reproduced, or used in = any manner=20 without prior written=20 consent.

Disclaimer

The opinions = expressed=20 within The College World Reporter by writers not = associated with Donell Edwards Media, are those = of=20 the writers, and are not necessarily shared = by the=20 publisher. The items contained herein=20 are provided for general information = purposes=20 only. Readers should not rely solely on = this=20 information, but should do their own=20 research. This ezine may contain links = to=20 websites that are created and maintained by = other=20 organizations. Donell Edwards Media does not = necessarily=20 endorse the views expressed on these websites, = nor does=20 it guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any = information presented=20 = there.

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