They say college is when people find and figure themselves out, whether it is who they are, their taste in music, love, their sense of fashion, and especially what career they may want to pursue for their rest of their life. I am not entirely sure who “they” are, but they seem to hit the nail right on the head. While there are a few people who have known that they wanted to be a doctor since the age of four after watching an inspiring episode of “Barney,” most people use college as a time to explore their options and interests in terms of career development.
Shepherd University provides the students with a resource to help with this process: the Career Development Center, or the Office of Career Services. The center provides students with aid for almost anything that they could possibly think of that is career-oriented.
From helping a student decide on a major, CLEP testing, career advising, resume writing to help finding internships and career and graduate school opportunities, Shepherd University’s Office of Career Services provides students with resources that can be easily utilized to ensure student success. Not only is the office easily accessible, as it is located in the ground floor Gardiner Hall and open 8:30-4 p.m. Monday through Friday, but also the technologically savvy can find helpful materials on the center’s Web site, http://www.shepherd.edu/jobweb/.
Links can direct people to resume writing tips and hints, upcoming job and internship fairs and events, and information on how to join the job and internship database. Students can also make appointments via phone or e-mail to speak directly to the staff of career services to find out more information about current or post undergraduate life. The best part of all these services is that they are entirely free to Shepherd University students. Yes, free, that magical word that makes the face of any college student light up. Resume generators online can cost anywhere between $20-$75, but Shepherd University students can obtain the same guidance and help for free (this cannot be emphasized enough).
Internship and job fairs can also be extremely costly and have limited registration space, but Shepherd University provides the same services with no cost to the student. Unfortunately, as undergraduate students of today, we are entering the job force in what is still a considerably stifling economy. A bachelor’s degree is arguably no more an option or a grand asset, as much as it is a requirement in order to hold a competitive edge in the job market.
With this in mind, it is vital to take advantage of the opportunities at hand. As students, we are often bogged down by our coursework and tend to neglect how close graduation and the real world we really are. The Career Development Center is at our fingertips, (well, more like a few steps to Gardiner Hall), and if we use it fully, we can exponentially increase our knowledge, opportunities and success in the long run.
Next time you have a couple of minutes left before your next nursing class, you’re walking to or from the dining hall, you have to pick up your paycheck from Ikenberry Hall, or you have to talk to the staff at the Financial Aid Office, please make it a point to stop by the Career Development Center in the bottom of Gardiner Hall. It could make a world of a difference for your future.
Career development center can benefit both job seekers and employed people, no doubt about that. You should continuously improve your skills and knowledge if you want large companies to notice you. Keep in mind that other competitors always there, and some of them will use all means to leave you behind. I know that for sure because I managed to land a job after using ResumeWritingReviews and getting professionally crafted resume. It really impressed my recruiter and I feel a little guilty because other applicants probably have never used resume writing assistance.