Personal Perspective, continued from p. 1
Welcome Back!, continued from p.1
CAREER JOURNAL
our Business Etiquette dinners and receptions where you can learn good networking skills, as well as how to conduct yourself at a business function.
Internships and Co-ops make a valuable addition to your resume and curricular exPublished Officefor of Career Cooperative Education perience. If you by arethe looking one forServices Springand semester, drop by our Fall Career Fairs where employers will be interviewing, and check JobCat and the local area job board for opportunities. For more information about internships and co-ops, please contact our officeIN and THIS set up an ISSUE: appointment with a Career Counselor.
1 Asure Personal Seniors, make to comePerspective by and let us help polish your resume so that you can put your best foot forward. Check out professional opportunities, such as jobs and intern3 How to Handle a Struggling ships via JobCat, which can be accessed through our website. It’s a great resource for local and national jobs and professional opportunities. Economy
jors and minors, developing a career plan with short-term and long-term goals, pursuing experience in the areas of co-ops, internships, and service learning, and effectively marketSeptember 2008, Vol. 6 Issue 1 ing themselves to employers, Western students will be seen as purposeful, prepared, and excellent.
Michael Despeaux, career counselor and publisher of the Career Journal
Also, take advantage of ourCalendar online resources such as Perfect Interview. Perfect Inter4 Fall Events view allows you to participate in a mock interview, record it, and review your performance. It’s a great tool that will give you an advantage when you start interviewing for jobs.
Welcome to Western!
Do you need a little extra cash to get you through the semester? Our office also provides student employment opportunities with non-work study and local jobs. Check By Brandy Kiger by clicking on the ‘Local Jobs’ link. From out our listings at http://careers.wcu.edu/ WCU Career Services has a Facebook there, you can contact employers and set up an interview. Whatever your career page! needs may be, we’re help. Stop ourlast, office, call or send us an email. We Whether this ishere yourtofirst year or by your promise doglad our best to prepare you forbeginning the real world, whether it’s tomorrow or wetoare that you’re here. The Become a fan, and we can send you upfour years from now.year Have a great semester! of the school is an exciting time, with dates on Career Services and Co-op Valley Ballyhoo, new friends, and new Event Happenings. Find us online by classes. As the dorms open up and college searching keyword: “WCU Career gets back into the full swing of things, we’d By Mike Despeaux like you to start thinking about your goals. Services” on Facebook. By Brandy Kiger What do you want to achieve while you are With tighter credit, a struggling real estate market, high gas and food prices, Planning future in What an uncertain ops, and pursuing learning opportuhereyour at Western? do you econwant to do andservice our larger economy in a probableFacebook recession, college students may is atoday’s registered trademark omy can seem daunting, but it doesn’t have nities. Take those extra classes that willfuture. Some may personally experience financial when the doors close on your senior year, feel anxious about their of Facebook, Inc. to be. There are only many you give you a leg up on the job your and you’re out so in the realthings world? hardship, andmarket. nobodyIscan escape the daily deluge of tough economic forecan control, and while the job market might GPA not so hot? Getin a tutor. Be proactive casts the news and on the internet. As a college graduate during the receslook a Iflittle it’sstarted your best bet toabout focusthatand focused, and it will take you long youshaky, haven’t thinking sion of 1991, I cana personally relate to the fear induced by coming of age duron yourself and your academic success, way. Here are waystimes. that you can make yet, or don’t know where to start, feel free ing a period of rising unemployment andsome difficult instead. yourself marketable: to come by the Career Services office. opportunities and to maintain perspective, students at Western can We’re here to help. We’ll talk with you The external factors Whileare it can be challenging There about are lotscareer of opportunities available out threats in the job market. These things Keep a strong opportunities, help you decide take heart in some greatare initiativesŹ happening at theirGPA University that will prethere, you just have to look for them. We what you don’t have a lot of control over. what major would best suit your plans and pare them to weather this storm and be successful in the new economy. Durrecommend useand a SWOT ap- career While you should beemployers aware of in everyŹ Network people inwho yourcan field careeryou goals, go overanalysis important ingdefinitely lean times, field look forwith the workers offer proachdocuments to corner your area of the market them, they should not your like resumes andjob cover letters. proven skillsprimary in areassources such as communication, teamwork, and the ability to and look what is best you. SWOT is of concern. your at skills and how Ourfor counselors are for available Mondayapply classroom knowledge in a real-world setting; Western, our QEP Ź Identify Weaknesses, Opan acronym for Strengths, fit in withtothe job you Friday, and we recommend that you call seeks to provide every student with thethey opportunity develop andwant apply portunities, Threats. areadeterRight now, the these job market is tight and required in their major or not, co-ops and internships aheadand or e-mail to These schedule time to meet qualities. Whether minedwith by internal highly competitive, know what ita chance is that to gain Źcareer-specific Clean up yourexperience resume and an edge in them. and external factors. offerso every student employers are looking for and tailor your the job market. We expect career fair attendance to rise as employers seek to The internal factors, your strengths and experiences to meet that demand. and Ź efficiency Participateand in Internships We also have career events scheduled hire graduates whoMore can improve their raise the bar&inCo-ops terms of weaknesses are unique to you, more employersenergy are looking to see what throughout the year, and and Fallonly 2008you events and innovation. At Career Services, we also help students capture have control over them. is important to 4 ofkind of soft skills a potential employee can on their Ź resumes Take advantage of service materials are outlined on theItcalendar on page these skills and experiences and job application know what you’re good and where you to start offer. They want to prepare know ifto a candidate learning opportunities this newsletter. It’satnever too early and interview.has fall short. Whatout do internships you alreadyorbring to theem-good communication skills, and if he or she scouting potential table? ployers, What cansoyou do to improve your effectively. They exist want now to andŹ Improve your and written stop by our Career Fairs andwrite clearly and Many opportunities on the horizon fororal students who are purmarketability in this economy? Make a list, hire people with a strong work ethic and skills Expos to see who is hiring. In addition to poseful and prepared. As one professorcommunication told me in 1991, in any economy, and look forevents, ways toyou strengthen your weak Thinkthere about how you can show- for excellence.” Through careful selection of mathose are welcome to sign upcharacter. for will always be “room areas by participating in internships and co- case these things and you’ll be golden. Ź Practice your interviewing skills
A Personal Perspective on the Job Market How to Job Search in an Uncertain Economy
Continued, Personal Perspective, p. 3
Continued, Welcome Back!, p. 3 3
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