Career Planning
The Center for Career Development offers its services to all Washington College students from freshman through senior year and to all alumni. An example of just one of those services is the maintenance of the following Job Search list serves for which you can sign up below and receive emails of all available job opportunities as they are posted:
- Student Job Hunters for part-time local jobs
- Internships Info for paid/unpaid/not-for-academic-credit Internships
- Graduating Seniors for entry level positions
- Alumni Job Hunters for experienced positions
If you would like to be notified of all Career Center events and programs and receive information and tips throughout the year that will assist you in your career planning and job search, you will need to sign up on the new Career Center Events list serve.
We offer a wide variety of services designed to help students and alumni make decisions about their futures, and to develop and implement a plan for achieving their goals. Career planning can be viewed as a four step process:
- Step 1: Self-Assessment
- Step 2: Career Exploration
- Step 3: Career Experience
- Step 4: Implementation: Job Search
The Center for Career Development will help you with each of these steps. You may use all of these services or just those you need. If you are just beginning the process of career planning, you should start with a thorough self-assessment. If you have several careers in mind but you don't know which one is of most interest to you, you should begin with career exploration. If you have already decided what kind of work you want to do but you lack relevant experience, you should use our career experience services. If you are ready to start a job search or to apply to graduate or professional school, please use our implementation services.
Employment Disclaimer
The Washington College Center for Career Development makes every effort to assist students and alumni in reaching their career goals. Washington College makes no guarantees about the positions listed on our website or layered web links on our site.
Washington College is not responsible for wages, safety, working conditions or other aspects of employment. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the student or alumni to take all necessary employment precautions.
The Washington College Center for Career Development does not support pyramid schemes, multi-level networking/marketing or any other company or entity which misrepresents itself to students or provides vague intentions. Companies and organizations may be asked to supply lists of customers and proof of intent prior to visiting the campus, posting positions on our web site, and contacting students.
Step 1: Self-Assessment
Self-Assessment is the crucial first step in career planning. It involves deciding what kind of career you want by looking first at yourself. Jobs are not a one-size-fits-all proposition. A job which is ideal for one person might be a poor choice for someone else. You need to decide three items: interests, skills and values.
Self-Assessment Services
To help you determine your interests, values and and skills, we offer several services at the Center for Career Development.
Career Counseling
Career center staff will arrange an individual appointment for you and help you decide on your professional goals and begin the process of achieving them.
Life-Work Planning Workshops
Offered several times each semester for individuals or small groups, these workshops lead you through the self-assessment process, helping you to define your interests, your skills, and your work values and to determine what careers are most likely to match those interests, skills and values.
Campbell Interest and Skills Inventory
This test helps to assess your interests and your skills. It asks you to rate your degree of interest in a large number of activities and your sense of confidence about your ability to do a wide variety of things.
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
Based on theories of personality type, this instrument helps people look at four aspects of their personality: extroversion/introversion; sensing/intuition; thinking/feeling; judging/perceiving, which often contribute to work satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Knowing your personality type can help you decide if a given profession is going to be satisfying for you. Offered free of charge to students and alumni, this instrument takes about 45 minutes to do. Career Center staff will administer it and provide an interpretation for you.
Self-Assessment Books
The Career Library has a number of self-assessment books students can use to do their own self-assessment. All of these books can be checked out for a week.
Step 2: Career Exploration
Career Exploration is a vital part of the career planning process. To make a decision about what career you want, you must gather enough information about it to know if you will like it or not. The more facts you gather about an occupation you are considering, the more likely you are to be happy with your choice. There are a number of important questions to ask about any career you are considering:
The Job Itself
- What do people in this occupation do?
- What are their responsibilities, challenges, opportunities?
- What settings do they work in?
- What kinds of people do they work with?
How to Prepare
- What kind of education or training do you need to get this job?
- Where could I get this training?
- What experience should I get to make myself a competitive candidate?
- Where could I get this experience?
- What skills and personal qualities are required to do this job successfully?
Working Conditions/Benefits
- Where do people in this occupation work?
- What companies employ them?
- Are jobs in this field restricted to specific cities or parts of the country?
- What is a typical work schedule like?
- Do people in this job travel often?
- How much money do people in this field make?
Career Future
- Is this a growing field?
- Will there be many jobs available in the future?
- What are the trends in this field?
Career Exploration Services
Career Library
The Career Library, located in Spanish House, has a large number of books pamphlets and other materials to help you learn about specific careers. Most of these can be checked out for one week.
E-recruiting/Experience Online
Check out this career resource to get extensive information about a wide variety of career fields, including Advertising, Consulting, Investment Banking, Journalism, Law, & Public Relations, among others. To learn more about using Experience Online, please contact the Career Center at (410) 778-7890 or 7892.
Occupational Outlook Handbook Online
http://stats.bls.gov/oco/home.htm
Alumni Network
The Career Center has a database of over 300 alumni who are available to talk with students or other alumni about their career fields. In addition, the 1997 edition of the Washington College alumni directory lists a substantial number of alumni who have made themselves available as resources for career information and networking. Alumni may be contacted in writing, by phone or by e-mail. Some may be willing to talk with you at their place of employment. Contact Linda Cades or Vicky Sawyer for further information.
Career Lectures and Panel Discussions
The Career Center sponsors career lectures and panel discussions to help you learn about career fields. Alumni and others who are experts in their field come to campus to talk with students about what they do. In addition, many academic departments sponsor lectures and discussions which offer you an opportunity to learn more about careers you are considering. For information about these events, check the Calendar , look for Career News or posters around campus, and read WAC Happenings.
Professional Associations
Virtually all professions have a professional association which provides services to its members. Such associations often have free or very inexpensive information about their career fields which they will send you. In addition, they often have student memberships which allow you to attend meetings, learn more about the field and network. Many associations also have jobs lists. To find professional associations of interest to you, check out Associations Unlimited on-line.
Step 3: Career Experience
Gaining directly related experience is the best way to know if a given career is for you. If you do your career exploration carefully, you will have a good idea of whether the career you are considering is what you want, but you won't know for sure until you try it. In addition, you will need to have directly related experience on your résumé when you look for that first full-time job. People gain career experience in several ways:
Entry-level jobs
If you are about to graduate and do not already have experience in your chosen field, you may be able to get it by taking an entry-level position. Many companies have training programs designed to give you experience on the job.
Internships
Internships offer an outstanding opportunity to learn about a career field, gain practical experience and make contacts who can help you find your first job. Internships can be paid or unpaid; for credit or not for credit. You can do them full-time in the summer or part- time while you go to school. Many internships are available to students after they graduate. Most academic departments have internship programs in which you can participate for academic credit. Check with your department chairperson, or use the Career Center's resources to find Internships on the web.
Summer Jobs
Summer jobs provide a way to earn money for school, but they are also good opportunities to gain career experience. If you start looking early, you may be able to land a job which allows you to try out a career you are considering. Check out our Summer Jobs Resources on the web.
Part-time Jobs
Many students work part-time to earn money for school. Part-time positions can also be used to gain career related work experience. There are many jobs on campus or in the local community which can help you build your résumé while you earn spending money. For information about Part-time jobs on and off-campus, please contact the Financial Aid office.
Volunteer Work
Volunteering your time is an excellent way to get career related work experience. Most organizations welcome volunteers who can provide them with extra help while the volunteer learns about interesting careers and makes some contacts in the field. Check out our Service Resources to find out about service organizations on campus, and also to find contact information for local businesses and organizations that often need volunteers.
Student Activities
Campus clubs and organizations offer a chance to develop leadership skills as well as learning more about possible careers. Writers can develop a portfolio by contributing to campus publications. People interested in theater can try out for plays. Student government representatives learn about how the democratic process works. Any organization you join will help you learn something which may be of use in your career. Check with Student Affairs for a list of clubs and organizations you could join. If you don't see an organization in an area of your specific interest, start one.
Step 4: Implementation and Job Search
Some students may be ready to enter the job market directly after graduation. Other students may want or need to attend graduate or professional school to achieve their career goals. The Career Center offers numerous services to assist students and alumni in finding employment or in applying for graduate or professional school.
Employer Research
The Career Library has a large number of directories which will allow you to learn about potential employers. The most comprehensive and up-to-date information about companies, however, is usually found on the company's own web site. Many organizations now post job openings on their sites. Links to job search sites are available on our Job Search page.
On-Campus Interviews
Some companies will come to campus to interview you for jobs. These interviews offer you the opportunity to meet with a recruiter personally, learn about jobs with their organizations and to make a personal impression. You should register for an appointment to interview with any organization which interests you. On-campus recruiting dates are posted on the Calendar along with the deadline for signing up and submitting a résumé if the company requests one in advance. To get further information on the company, submit a résumé or schedule an interview appointment, contact the Career Center.
Career Library Jobs Lists
The Career Center receives a number of jobs lists which are filed in the Career Library. You can use these to find out about jobs or just to get an idea of the kinds of jobs available in fields which interest you.
Links on the Web
The Center for Career Development has collected information on a large number of the job search sites on the internet. Many of these sites allow you to post your résumé on line free of charge to allow employers to see your credentials and contact you after visiting a given site. Visit our Job Search page for additional information about jobs and other resources. You may also check out our links to Internship opportunities.
Alumni Network
The Alumni Network includes the names of alumni who are willing to help with your job search. In most cases, they will not be able to hire you directly. However they may be willing to talk with you about hiring at their companies, give you the names of people to contact or suggest other organizations which may be hiring. Contact Jim Allison or Vicky Sawyer for help with researching alumni contacts.
Professional Associations
Along with career information, professional associations often publish jobs lists. To find out if the professional associations for the occupations which most interest you offer this service, check their web page or call them. You can find such associations at the Associations Unlimited web site.
Job Search Workshops
The Career Center offers job search workshops to assist you in preparing for your job search several times a year. For the workshop schedule, check the Career Events Calendar.
Job Search Services
While some employers use application forms, most will want a résumé and a cover letter. For useful information, check out our Résumé Writing, Cover Letter, and Interviewing resources. The Career Center also offers Résumé/Cover Letter Writing Workshops several times each semester. We also offer Interviewing Workshops and Mock Interviews to help you prepare for your job search. Check the Career Events Calendar for information on scheduled workshops.
Job Search Tip of the Month
Typing mistakes in a job application can kill a would-be employee's chance of landing a job as employers bet that a sloppy resume means the applicant will do a sloppy job.
A telephone survey of 100 senior Canadian executives showed that more than a fifth of executives said a single typo on a resume or cover letter could cost a potential employee a job, while 28 percent said two mistakes would kill their chances.
The survey, published on Tuesday, was carried out by online job search firm Accountemps.
"The resume is an applicant's first chance to impress the hiring manager," said Kathryn Bolt, president of Accountemps' Canadian operations. "Mistakes on one's application materials may prompt employers to assume there also will be mistakes made on the job."
Common mistakes include: "Dear Sir or Madman", "I'm attacking my resume for you to review", "Following is a grief overview of my skills" and "Have a keen eye for derail.
Wednesday, Jul 15, 2009 -- TORONTO (Reuters)