Getting ready for graduation can be an overwhelming experience. With resumes to be edited and sent out, cover letters to be written, and what can sometimes seem like a never ending job search this time of year can seem down right dismal to grad students like myself approaching the end of their program in December.I personally re-vamped and revised my resume mid – September. It was a fairly painless process that took only about twenty minutes in the Office Career Services and Cooperative Education (a shameless plug I know), and not to brag but my resume is probably better looking than yours now : )Just teasing…but really if yours is looking rough you may as well do yourself the favor now and make an appointment to get it looked at, your future self will thank you later.

Cover letters are another thing to start thinking about. Knowing how to write a good one will help you later on when you find jobs you want to apply to. A good cover letter may even help you get the job you want, making you part of the (gasp) working adult population, a scary thought I know…

Anyhow, first things first, get your work done and get it done well. Do not get so caught up in your future, aka that cap and gown at the end of the tunnel, that you lose track of what you are doing in the present. Your resume and job search are important and definitely need to be considered, but they can most likely wait until you finish that paper or project that has been nagging on your mind, because in the end that nice looking resume won’t be able to make up for that 1.5 last semester GPA you let slip in.

First year students have a lot on their minds just adjusting to Suffolk and taking the steps they must take to identify a  major that’s a good fit for them.  Seniors are absorbed in doing well their final year and starting to get going on “life after Suffolk”.  So, what might Sophomores and Juniors want to think about? 

 Well, one of the most important things we hear from employers who are looking to hire graduates, and from recent graduates themselves who are in the midst of their job search, is that having some kind of experience related to their career goals and majors is a must!  And, at Suffolk, getting that experience comes through co-ops or internships! 

What’s the difference between the two?  Well, internships here at Suffolk usually are unpaid.  It may be possible to work through your academic advisor to get course credit for an internship in the academic department of your major, though, and that is something you might want to investigate.  Co-ops are paid experiences relate to your major.  To be eligible for co-op, you must have sophomore status (or have completed one full semester if you’re a transfer student), and you must have at least a 2.5 gpa.   Co-ops are competitive; you must apply to them as you would any other position with a resume and cover letter, and you must undergo a successful interview. However, once you secure a co-op, you are getting valuable experience that can really enhance your resume.  Most Suffolk co-ops are part-time, allowing you to continue with a full load of classes while simultaneously scheduling your work hours around those classes. 

Whether you do a co-op or an internship, it’s the actual experience that counts!  A future employer cares less about whether you were paid than they care about what you learned and experienced in your field of interest through the work you did.  We know that it can be hard to think about getting a co-op or internship and, maybe (but not always!) making less money than you might in your job waiting on table or  landscaping.  However, it will always pay off when it comes to competing with other job seekers for your first professional position.  AND, it will help you confirm your career direction!

 So, don’t delay!  Make the most out of your sophomore or junior year by getting a great, career related experience on your resume!

I know that seniors sometimes start their final year and wonder what they can do to make sure that, come graduation day, they feel great about what’s going to happen next in their lives.  Amidst having that ever-present thought, there are capstone classes to finish, final requirements to meet, and Suffolk friends to have fun with for this final year together.  Plus, there are part-time jobs and family obligations and life in general to fit in somewhere!

 There are some things you can do that can help you address your “life after Suffolk” worries.  If you’re planning to enter your professional working life after graduation, make sure you visit the Career Services office early this year.  We can help you get your resume together, practice for interviews, write a cover letter and figure out the specific job searching strategies and resources that are unique to your interests and goals.  We can also map out a timeline for you to follow, so you can proceed with the things that will make the most sense when they make the most sense.

 If you’re thinking about graduate school, there are things to start to pull together early in the year, like identifying the best programs for your area of study and scheduling the entrance tests for which you must submit scores for admission.  Then, there are applications to fill out, visits to make to your targeted schools, recommendations to gather, and essays to write!  Again, there’s a plan that you’ll want to put together to get all this done, and there are resources available to help you, so you might to talk to a counselor in the Career Services office or to your faculty advisor.

 The most important thing to remember is that Career Services is here to help you.  So, stop by SOON and start to get that “life after Suffolk” worry off your mind!

One of the things that happens as a new school year begins is that we realize that different students are worried about different things!  AND, that all students are really balancing a lot between school and part-time jobs and activities.  But, as I think about it, I also know that there are definitely career concerns that should be on the minds of all students.  Despite everything that might be on your plate, you can’t put off thinking about the issues that might make your future career choice a good one.

 For new students, I think it’s really important to make sure that you are starting to pay attention to who you really are!  That means starting to notice the things that you like and the things you’re good at.   For example, what are your favorite classes?  What do you like doing in your classes (writing? reading? solving problems?  discussing?)?  What parts of your jobs have you liked (working with people? organizing things? helping?  being  active? researching? working with data?)?  Until you pay attention, it can be hard to get a handle on the things you like and the things you are good at.  And, it’s those things that help you make sure you choose or you’ve chosen the right major.  After all, you want to be going mostly to classes that you will enjoy and that will grab your interest, not classes that are boring or that make you spend the whole class waiting for it to be over.  And, if you are enjoying your classes, it’s more likely that you will be motivated to do well in them and get good at the things that the classes focus on.  The reverse is true, too.  If you are good at what a class is requiring, you’re probably going to enjoy being in that class more because you’ll be successful in it.  So, getting a handle on what you like (your interests) and what you’re good at (your skills) can really be the key to choosing a good major.

 For my next edition, I’m going to look at what seniors might really be concerned about these days.

Here is some recent news from the world of work from the CareerJournal.

Firms Get Creative to Work
Around Visa Bottlenecks

Credit-Market Downturn
Poses Risk to Job Market

Welcome to CareerCompass, the blog for Suffolk University’s Office of Career Services and Cooperative Education.  We hope to share the latest trends and ideas from the working world with you so that you will be pointed in the right direction and arrive at your chosen career destination!

 

Check back often to hear about events or seminars you might want to attend, and to get up-to-date news to help you navigate toward a great new career. This resource also provides the latest buzz on how to write a fabulous resume and prepare for your next interview. Be sure to share the information, ideas, and links you’ve discovered on CareerCompass with other readers!