Published Work - Le Provocateur

Career Services offers 'Advice and a slice' - News - Le Provocateur
Published in November 14, 2012 issue of Le Provocateur 

On Monday November 5, Assumption students gathered in the Plourde Recreation Center Conference Room for "Advice and a Slice," where Bethany Rossi, Director of Career Services, shared tips for creating an internship or job search strategy.

According to Rossi, students should first reflect on their strengths, skills and interests, which may include categories such as motivation and intrinsic reward, classroom education, internship and work experiences, activities and leadership roles, hobbies and interests, project and team experiences and community, network and exposure.

Rossie distributed a handout explaining the importance of both in-class education and experience outside the classroom.

For the second step, students relate their skills and interests to a future career path. According to the handout, a student should think about how his/her skills go beyond life on campus. Since Assumption's liberal arts curriculum provides a variety of courses, students' majors do not have to restrict them to a certain job.

The third step is identifying target lists. Rossi's example target lists included job functions, industries, companies/organizations and personal preferences. She stated that all of these topics should be considered when compiling target lists for jobs.

Students need to be strategic when planning for a career. When creating a target list, students should start small and then build up the list over time as the job search progresses.

The fourth step includes using campus resources to prepare and launch a job or internship search. Not every student realizes how many sources are right at his/her fingertips. Hound Explorer is a great resource to find internships in the Worcester area. It's as easy as just creating an account and uploading a resume. Hound Explorer is a simple resource to search and apply for jobs, and students can even sign up for on-campus interviews through the website.

Another on-campus resource is Career Services. Located in the Student Development and Career Center, it is available to help build and review a resume, support students through their searches and to prepare for interviews.

The fifth step is to leverage online resources to enhance a search. Students should go and browse around the website for each company they have added to their target lists from step three. They can research ratings of different companies from Business Week's Best Places to Launch a Career. Other useful websites to use are simplyhired.com or college.monster.com

Social media, surprisingly, is also helpful when it comes to searching or jobs. A lot of companies have Twitter accounts and Facebook pages, which they keep up-to-date with information.

Rossi repeatedly encouraged students to create a profile on LinkedIn, because it is a great way to get connected with companies and employees to show interest in working for them.

The sixth step is to network, network, network. Networking and making connections through friends, family and alumni is helpful when trying to land a dream job. According to the handout, it's very helpful to schedule informational interviews, which can provide useful information, help a student make connections and show companies they are interested.

Finally, it is key to stay focused. Assumption students have a lot on their plates with full course loads, internships, jobs and extracurricular activities, but Rossi emphasized that it is important to set a goal and a target date in order to keep on the right track. She said to keep in mind that rejection isn't the end; just reassess your approach and set new goals.

If you have any further questions or want to make an appointment with Career Services, call 508-767-7049, email careerservices@assumption.edu or visit collegecentral.com/assumption.