Students should plan ahead for success
Many students come to college intending to stay for four years, but without scrupulous planning may remain for five or six.
For someone who just doesn’t know quite how to start planning, the Career Exploration Resource Center (CERC) may be the perfect solution.
CERC hosts the four-year timeline program, a tool for helping students transition between school and a work environment, said Peg Hennon, a career counselor.
“Career development can’t be separated from personal development,” she said.
The timeline is a systematic program outlining the steps students should take to assess their interests, gain experience for the future and become their own career managers, Hennon said.
Melissa Scheaffer, assistant director of Career Services, said students should start planning right away. The earlier students start, the more advantages they have for getting valuable internship experience that leads to success in the job market, she said.
CERC provides personalized advising for students no matter what year they are in school. They walk students through their exploration of career options, help them identify potential employers and teach them to create a “network of contacts” for future endorsement, Scheaffer said.
Melanie Weber, a senior studying music therapy, said the timeline is beneficial because it is not set in stone – it’s a basic plan, she said.
Hennon said, “This isn’t going to be a one-time decision.”
The timeline employs a model for sorting through the factors connected to decision-making such as skills, values and realities, she said.
Brittany Davis, a senior studying business management, said the timeline mentions a lot of things students don’t think about with respect to their career paths.
“It gives students a quick idea of what they’re in for outside of the classroom,” she said.
Students who take advantage of Career Services have better access to job interviewing as well as internships, and can get helpful tips on writing résumés and cover letters, Scheaffer said.
CERC also holds a three-credit class that gives students a chance to explore their personal career objectives, Hennon said.
“Identity formation is not always easy,” she said.