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Services for Students The CDC offers a variety of career-related services to the students of Penn State Erie. Any enrolled, full-time student has access to the following services free-of-charge. Even alumni are offered these services free of charge for one year following graduation. After one year, alumni are charged $25 per hour for one-on-one counselor time. The CDC print resources, jobs e-mails, and career fair are provided to all alumni at no cost. The following is a list of services available through the CDC.
Individual Career
Counseling Choosing a major and making career plans are difficult tasks for many people. Individual career counseling is one of the services offered by the CDC to help students with such decisions. Students may schedule appointments to take occupational interest inventories, and to discuss such issues as interests, skills, values, where to find career information, and how to set goals. Counseling appointments are usually scheduled for one-hour sessions. Appointments can be made by calling or stopping by the CDC. Visit Career Exploration for details on the career planning process and steps to take from year to year.
A variety of workshops are available each semester
Books, videos, CD ROMs, and reference materials regarding occupations, potential employers, geographic regions, career planning strategies, interviewing, and portfolios are available in the CDC. Many resources are available for a one-week borrowing period. The CDC also has a work-station to use the materials in the office. Materials available include annual
reports and company information on over 1,000 companies;
periodicals such as "Job Opportunities in Business," "Job
Opportunities in Engineering," and "The Job Choices" manuals.
We also have links to many different
career and job sites. Choosing a major is one of the most important and most difficult decisions that a college student has to make. There is no shortage of advice. The CDC is the primary source for information that will help you to determine a major that is best suited to you. You should talk to others as well. Mom & Dad, faculty members, university staff, and even your classmates can help you in your decision making process. The only way to get answers is to ask questions. Visit Career Exploration for some great tips and links, as well as What Can I Do With This Degree? What is an e-Portfolio? e-Portfolios are a great way to become actively involved in planning, achieving, and displaying your educational and professional goals and experiences. It's more than just a resume. By creating an e-portfolio with the Penn State site, you can provide links to your accomplishments, experiences, and interests as well as showcase your individuality, skills, and more. It may help you to put in perspective what you've accomplished and what skills you've gained from activities, classes, work, etc., as well as what you still have to learn. It's also a great way to let potential employers learn more about you!
Assistance and tutorials on building a web site are available on
both the e-Portfolio
web site and through the
Behrend Computer Center Students who are interested in interning should visit the CDC at least six months before the desired internship is to begin. Counselors will help to guide students through the process of investigating internship possibilities, as well as outline the internship application process, discuss student responsibilities and employer expectations, and provide assistance with resumes, cover letters, and interviewing. Visit the internship page for more information and resources. FULL-TIME JOB SEARCH OR GRADUATE SCHOOL COUNSELING Counselors assist seniors seeking full-time jobs after graduation to develop strategies and resources, to create or improve resumes and cover letters, to practice for interviews, and to enhance other job search skills. Students interested in graduate school are encouraged to talk with counselors as early as possible, even as sophomores or juniors, to learn how to research schools, to develop appropriate experiences, and to understand that application process. CAREER & GRADUATE SCHOOL FAIRS Each year the CDC offices at Penn State Erie and University Park hold fairs where employers visit the campus and talk to students regarding careers, internships, summer, and full-time jobs. Also, explore our Graduate School page. The CDC frequently offers a one credit class that covers many different aspects of the job search. The Job Search Class is an informal presentation of the major issues that students encounter when trying to find that elusive full-time job. Seniors are strongly encouraged to use Penn State's Web-based recruiting system to make their resume available to employers searching for candidates. The Web-based system replaces paper files and makes it easier for the CDC and employers to find appropriate candidates. Visit the CDC for directions on using the Web-based system. The use of e-mail submission for resumes for internships has replaced the need for paper internship resume files. View sample resumes, cover letters, and reference sheet The CDC often receives job announcements from employers. Full-time, part-time, summer, and internship positions can be found on the CDC job posting boards and inside the CDC. Many announcements are e-mailed to students and alumni, based on the majors being sought for the position. Contact recruitbehrend@psu.edu if you do not receive these e-mails or if you'd like to be on a different list. Nittany Lion Recruiting is a free service for Penn State students and alumni. Job listings may include: full or part-time jobs and internships from regional, national, and international job sites. Each year from September through April, many companies visit Penn State Erie, University Park, and Harrisburg campus. Seniors are strongly urged to utilize this recruitment program. To participate in on-campus recruiting, seniors must attend a training session or visit the CDC to get directions to use Penn State's Web-based recruiting system. On-campus recruiting is available to all students and alumni. Anyone offered an interview at another campus is responsible for his/her own transportation. Current students granted interviews at another Penn State campus may request a video interview. Video interviewing eliminates the lengthy travel time to University Park or Harrisburg. Arrangements for video interviewing are made on a first-come, first-served basis. Contact the CDC to make arrangements. WHAT CAN I DO WITH THIS DEGREE? Need some help understanding what career opportunities you will have with various majors? Ever wonder what you can actually do with the major you've already chosen? "What Can I Do With This Major or Degree?" Each title outlines common career areas, typical employers, and strategies designed to maximize career opportunities upon completion of a four-year degree. |
