Career cafe offers free advice to students
Coffee and pastries aren’t the only things offered at a café anymore.
Now Utah State University students and alumni can go to the Career Café and feast upon the abundant information available to them through Career Services.
Melissa Scheaffer, associate director of Career Services for USU, said, “The Career Café is a place where students and alumni can come to satisfy their career search appetites.”
She said it is a place where students and alumni can do research on a variety of career topics. There are books and periodicals on every topic from exploring different majors and internship directories to tips for resumes and the job application process. They have a bank of computers for online research, she said.
“Finding a job is a big job,” Scheaffer said. “Students on their own can find it a daunting process. We can help make it a manageable process.”
She said students can come in and get a good sense of direction and it is a good place to start their searching.
“It’s one-stop shopping for Career Services,” Scheaffer said. “It’s a warm, inviting atmosphere to do career research.”
In the café, there are shelves marked with almost every topic a career-seeker could be looking for. Employment tips, international jobs, self-assessments and salary surveys are among the titles.
“You are likely to find information in the café on any topic you are looking for,” Scheaffer said.
When searching for a new career, students can go in and find the best location for the job, what companies are available and who hires people with their experience and education, Scheaffer said.
“We have a lot of good information,” she said. “We’ll break it down – everything from negotiating salaries to finding companies.”
Scheaffer said there is plenty of information, including industry and salary information and entrance exam information directories.
Since the café was recently remodeled, Scheaffer said the warm atmosphere is good for spending time doing research.
“We just updated most of the library within the last two years,” Jennifer Loscher, assistant director of Career Services, said. “We’ve got a lot of new books.”
“Students should definitely stop in and see what’s available,” Scheaffer said. “They will be surprised to see how much is available in a good, relaxing, inviting atmosphere.”
Loscher said anyone who wants to can come into the café at any time. It is available from 8 a.m-5 p.m. Monday-Friday for anyone wanting to browse what is there. To meet with the professional staff or for answers quick questions, drop-in times are 1:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m. every day.
“The professional staff is here to help them meet their needs,” Scheaffer said. “Someone to help them interpret the information and give students a full, broad range of career services.”
She said one thing most students don’t realize is how helpful the staff at Career Services can be. They are all certified, professional resume writers, which means they have taken classes about writing resumes, Sheaffer said.
“We are all geared towards writing resumes,” she said. “It really recognizes our abilities in that area. We can help students market cover letters and resumes to focus on a specific employer.”
Loscher said they can help develop and refine interview skills and networking skills as well.
Katie Packer, a senior in public health, said, “I’m graduating this year. I don’t know what jobs are on the market, so it’s ideal for me to go to Career Services because they have resources for job opportunities.”
Scheaffer said the café is an increasingly popular location. She said people should come see what the publications have to offer because sometimes there is a lot more in them than a student can find on the Internet.
“They are used to doing research online,” Scheaffer said. “Opening a book becomes foreign. Online is convenient and fast, but people shouldn’t overlook the value of printed productions.”
There is a campus-wide Career Fair March 1, which Scheaffer said is the largest career fair in the state.
“That speaks well of students, employers and our staff,” she said.
Scheaffer said students should start their career hunt early and get to know what Career Services has to offer.
“The earlier they start – even as freshmen – the better,” Scheaffer said. “But we can help at any point – freshman to alumni.”
-hollyadams@cc.usu.edu
The Career Cafe at Utah State is availablefor students to get one-on-one help with certified, professional resume writers who can help students with interview and marketing skills. The career center is available by appointment or for drop-ins from 1