In this issue: - Climb to Your Career - Education Career Fair - Career Spotlight - Career Counselors
WS U C a re e r S ervices
Hire-a-Shocker Issue 04 / 10.01 .12
Climb to Your Career in Four Years Where will you be in four years? Will you be ready to join the work force?
Career Counselors:
What Happens in an Appointment
Courtesy of the National Association of Colleges and Employers, copyright holder: www.naceweb.org.
Maybe you have your future planned: You know what you want to be after graduation and you have an idea of how to get there. Or, maybe you aren’t even sure what you want to major in - never mind know what kind of career you want to have after college. No matter if you’re decided or unsure—if you're planning to graduate in four years and find your place in the work force, take steps now to reach your goals. It's never too early (or too late) to start. But—the earlier you start, the easier it will be to prepare! First, develop the habit of stopping by the career services office on a regular basis. Check in a few times during your freshman year, more often during your sophomore year, frequently during your junior year, and weekly during your senior year. Here's a timeline to guide your progress:
Every Fall: - Make an appointment to talk with a career services counselor. - Check your career center's website for a calendar of dates and times of career development and job-search workshops and seminars, career and job fairs, and company information sessions. - Update your resume and have it critiqued and proofread. - Join professional associations and become an active member to build a network of colleagues in your field. Find a student version of your professional association and take leadership roles. - Subscribe to and read professional journals in your chosen field.
Continued on page 2, 3
Val Perkins, Jill Pletcher, Jan Mead, Rachel Gibson
It’s time to select classes for next semester and you haven’t decided on a major. Or, maybe you need a job. What can you do? Call Career Services and make an appointment to meet with a Career Counselor. The objective of a Career Counselor is to help you learn more about yourself and the world of work. To help you set career related goals and develop - and stick to a plan - to meet those goals. The counselor will spend some time getting to know you and asking questions to help you understand yourself better. You may decide to take an assessment, which will take 25-60 minutes to complete on the computer or by hand. An advantage to working with a Career Counselor, as opposed to taking an assessment on your own, is that the counselor will discuss the results with you and help you determine if the assessment is an accurate reflection of who you are. If you need a job, either while in school or when you are about to graduate, the Career Counselor will help you formulate a job search plan, connect with employers, develop your resume and job search correspondence, practice interviewing skills and negotiate salary. Whether you meet with the Career Counselor to decide on a major, determine what to do with your major, or for help finding a job the Counselor’s objective is to help you find something well matched to you and who you are.
Education Career Fair The Education Career Fair will take place in the Hughes Metropolitan Complex on Thursday, November 8 from 2:30 to 4:30 pm. This event provides an opportunity for students and alumni to network with representatives from school districts in the Wichita area and from across the state. In preparation for the annual Education Interview Day to be held on February 18, 2013, education majors graduating in December 2012 or May 2013 are encouraged to attend. Students can take the opportunity to visit with representatives from the various school districts to learn about programs, enrollment, and benefits. Employer registration continues through November 1, so students and alumni should check their Hire-a-Shocker account regularly to view the list of school districts that will attend this event. Attendees are urged to bring updated resumes and dress to impress.
Climb to Your Career in Four Years
Continued from page 1
Freshman Year: Asking questions, exploring your options (up to 30 hours) - Schedule an appointment at the career services center to familiarize yourself with the services and resources available. - Take interest and career inventory tests at the career services office. - Start a career information file or notebook that will include records of your career development and job-search activities for the next four years. - Identify at least four skills employers want and plan how you will acquire these skills before graduation. Visit your career center for information on the skills. - Scan the Occupational Outlook Handbook, which is filled with information on hundreds of occupations. Check out Job Choices and career-search books in the career center library. - Familiarize yourself with your university's career center home page—a good source of tips and articles to help with your job search. - Take a resume writing class and explore other career planning workshops. Write your first resume. - Attend on-campus career and job fairs to gather information on potential careers and employers. - Explore your interests, abilities, and skills through required academics. - Talk to faculty, alumni, advisers, and career counselors about possible majors and careers. - Join university organizations that will offer you leadership roles in the future. - Collect information on cooperative education programs, internships, and summer jobs available through the career services office. - Consider volunteer positions to help build your resume.
Career Coffee Blog...By Jan Mead Fall 2012 Job Fair Recap Our Fall 2012 Job Fair was last week. Employers saw many people and behaviors. Some great, but some had no place at a job fair. Listed below are some of the “no place at a job fair” items, followed in bold italics by what probably went through employers’ minds in response.
Jeans, shorts, t-shirts, short skirts, revealing blouses, clothes that were too tight, wrinkled clothes, tattoos, body piercings (other than one pair of conservative earrings), running shoes, flip flops. Limp handshakes. Meek little voices. Develop some confidence, dress professionally and then come talk to me.
Career Spotlight: Biomedical Engineer Biomedical Engineering might sound like something out of a science fiction movie but it is actually a growing career field with a wide range of opportunities. Biomedical Engineering is a broad term that refers to jobs that analyze and design processes, equipment, and materials that address medical needs. Examples of jobs in this field include designing prosthetic body parts, developing materials which work with the body such as biodegradable stints, or creating new software and instruments for medical testing. Biomedical engineers work in hospitals, private companies, government organizations, and universities.
No resumes and/or business cards. How am I going to know how to get in touch with you?
People interested in this area should have strong analytical and problem solving skills in addition to the
Knew nothing about my company. You don’t care enough to do some research.
business professionals.
ability to innovatively collaborate with individuals from many disciplines, such as patients, doctors, and
Babies...toddlers...kids younger than college age! What will you do with those kids if I hire you?
If this sounds like the field for you, the first step is to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Bioengineering.
Bottom line: I expect you to be the best you can be when you come to a job fair. The impression you make is an indication of the quality of work you will do. Take this opportunity seriously.
degree in Bioengineering provides a broad foundation to enter the field with entry level positions in sales,
Companies receive countless resumes each week. The opportunity to talk with an employer is invaluable. Take it seriously and take advantage of it. Get a job!
This is also a good time to consider a specialty area, such as those listed at the link below. A Bachelor’s customer service, or trouble shooting of medical devices.
If you are interested in the research and development side of bioengineering, a Master’s degree in Bioengineering is often required. If you have determined a specialty area, search for a Master’s program that has a similar focus. For more information visit the Frequently Asked Question page of the Biomedical Engineering Society’s website at http://www.bmes.org/aws/BMES/pt/sp/be_faqs.
Sophomore Year: Researching options/testing paths (up to 60 hours) - Schedule an appointment with a career services counselor to bring yourself up-to-date on what's needed in your career file. - Update your resume (with your summer activities) and have it critiqued in the career services office. - Begin a cooperative education program or consider internship, summer, and school-break job opportunities that relate to your interests. - Read at least one book on career planning recommended by career services staff. - Explore at least three career options available to you through your major. - Take a cover-letter writing workshop.
Hire-a-Shocker If you’re looking for a job, you need to check out Hire-a-Shocker, our online recruitment system. Post your resume and search for part-time, full-time, degreed and nondegreed positions, including oncampus opportunities. Hire-a-Shocker also shows which employers are coming to career events and allows you to apply for on-campus interviews.
- Review your progress in learning four (or more) skills employers look for in new hires. - Research various occupations in Job Choices, Occupational Outlook Handbook, and materials in the career center library. - Attend on-campus career and job fairs and employer information sessions relating to your interests. - Identify organizations and associations in your interest areas for shadowing opportunities and informational interviews. - Join at least one professional or honorary organization related to your major to make contact with people in the professional world. - Work toward one leadership position in a university club or activity. - Begin to collect recommendations from previous and current employers. - Put together an interview outfit.
Junior Year: Making decisions/plotting directions (up to 100 hours) - Schedule an appointment with a career services counselor to have your updated resume critiqued.
Holiday Jobs
- Narrow your career interests.
To find a holiday job on Hire-a-Shocker, log in and
- Review your participation in a co-op program or explore internship opportunities with a career services professional.
go to the Job Search screen. Search for the
- Participate in interviewing, cover-letter writing, and other job-search workshops. - Practice your skills at mock interviews. - Review your progress in learning four (or more) skills employers look for in new hires. - Attend on-campus career and job fairs and employer information sessions that relate to your interests. - Take leadership positions in clubs and organizations.
Position Type: Seasonal/Temporary/One-Time. Click on job titles to view job description, requirements and how to apply. Some employers will allow you to apply directly through Hire-a-Shocker and you can do so by clicking the Submit Resume button, if you already
- Consider graduate school and get information on graduate entrance examinations.
have an approved resume on the system. Be sure
- Ask former employers and professors to serve as references or to write recommendations to future employers.
to note any additional requirements for application.
- Complete at least five informational interviews in careers you want to explore. - Shadow several professionals in your field. - Research potential employers in the career library and talk to recent graduates in your major about the job market and potential employers. - Start your professional wardrobe.
Senior Year: Searching, interviewing, accepting, success! - Update your resume and visit the career services office to have it critiqued.
Seasonal opportunities and one-time jobs are available throughout the year. Consider creating a job agent. Click on “Email me New Jobs for this search.” Name your job agent and save. Hire-a-Shocker will send you an email when any new/updated jobs matching this search are available. You can access your existing job agents in My Activity.
- Get your copy of the career center's calendar and register for on-campus interviews. Also schedule off-campus interviews. - Develop an employer prospect list with contact names and addresses from organizations you are interested in pursuing. - Gather information on realistic salary expectations. Your career services office will be able to help. - Attend local association meetings to meet potential employers. - Draft a cover letter that can be adapted for a variety of employers and have it critiqued. - Participate in interviewing workshops and practice interviews.
Seasonal and one-time jobs are a great way to
- Read two or more professional or trade publications from your major and career field on a regular basis.
earn cash and gain job skills without committing to
- If you are planning to go to graduate school, take graduate school entrance exams and complete applications.
a permanent part or full-time position.
- Follow up on all applications and keep a record of the status of each. - Go on second interviews. Evaluate job offers and accept one. - Report all job offers and your acceptance to the career services office.
Questions? Call Jeanne Hopkins, 316.978.3242 or stop by Career Services, 203 Grace Wilkie Hall.
Fall 2012 Job Fair September 20, 2012 - Koch Arena
Office Hours In the next issue: - Choosing a Major - Career Testing - Career Spotlight - True Colors
Fall 2012 Events Nov. 8 - Education Career Fair - Hughes Metropolitan Complex Nov. 27 - Sales Panel 5:30 pm Clinton Hall 206
Monday & Tuesday 8:00 am - 7:00 pm Wednesday through Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Walk-In Hours
Monday, Tuesday, & Wednesday - 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Spring 2013 Events Feb. 18 - Education Interview Day
Notice of Nondiscrimination
Apr. 12 - Physical Therapy Career Fair
Wichita State University does not discriminate in its programs and activities on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, status as a veteran, genetic information or disability. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding nondiscrimination policies: Director, Office of Equal Employment Opportunity, Wichita State University, 1845 Fairmount, Wichita KS 67260-0205; telephone (316) 978-6791.
TBA - Spring 2013 Job Fair
Hire-a-Shocker September Stats Degree Preferred - 37% Degree Required - 36% No Degree Required - 21%
1845 Fairmount Street, Wichita, KS 67260-0042 316.978.3435 - career.services@wichita.edu www.wichita.edu/career
On-Campus - 4% Seasonal/Temp/One Time - 2% Volunteer - 0%