Early mornings, late nights and countless hours of studying are evidence of the motivation that college students have in order to succeed. Students choose to pursue a college degree with the expectation that it will land them a job afterwards. However, increased competition across all industries has made finding a job more difficult. Even with the end in sight, many students still find themselves asking, “How can I be successful in my job search?”
Stevenson University’s Office of Career Services is well-equipped to prepare students for life after graduation. Jennifer Jericho, the industry specialist for the School of Design, is just one of the many staff members available to provide counseling and guidance. Jericho serves as a liaison between students, employers and faculty.
STEVENSON’S INDUSTRY SPECIALIST EXPLORES CAREER GOALS
“I spend a lot of time career coaching,” she said. “Anything from ‘what do you want to be when you grow up?’ to ‘I need helping finding a job or internship,’ I’m available to assist students however they need me.” In addition to career coaching, Jericho communicates with faculty and outside employers to find new job opportunities and monitors current trends in the industry.
Stevenson Career Connections, otherwise known as Handshake, is perhaps the best resource for Stevenson students during their job search. Handshake replicates a social media website and is very easy to navigate. New internships and job postings are added daily, and all the posted positions are approved by the Office of Career Services.
Additionally, students can schedule an appointment through Handshake with a career counselor on their own. Whether it’s getting help updating their resume, preparing for an interview or discussing general career goals, the staff at the Office of Career Services is waiting to help. Even for those students who have no idea what they want to do, career counseling and assessments are available to help guide them.
Jericho said, “We’re doing so much of the work for you – why not take advantage of this plethora of resources that we have?”
CAREER SERVICES STRESSES THE IMPORTANCE OF RESUMES AND NETWORKING
Beyond using Handshake, Jericho advised that students build their resume as early as possible.
“The resume is a living, breathing document. The earlier you start building it, the more you will see where there’s room to grow,” she explained. This applies to career fairs and networking, as well.
“You don’t have to be looking for a job,” Jericho said, “but you might make a connection and learn more about a company you really like.” One of the most important pieces of advice she gives to students is to “get out there. The only thing that hurts is when you don’t do anything.”
Trying to find a job after college can be stressful, but the Office of Career Services helps make the process as simple as possible. With the support of industry-specific career experts and committed staff members, students develop a personalized strategic plan based on their interests, values and individual goals to ensure success after graduation.
Located on the first floor of Wooded Way, office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Students can schedule appointments on their own through Handshake or contact the office directly at 443-352-4477 or [email protected]. For more information, visit Stevenson’s Career Success page.
