Career Center Support

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As students are finishing the last month of classes, planning for the summer may be on their minds. All students are encouraged to schedule a phone and/or video appointment with the Career Center to outline next steps. For students who do not know what questions to ask, the 30-minute Virtual Career Chat is designed to get them started. Seniors who are thinking about life after graduation are encouraged to schedule a Senior Game Plan meeting.

Here are six suggested steps for students to advance their career development during this time. We encourage you to review this list with your student.

  1. Practice self-care. As students continue to transition to online instruction and prepare for the end of the semester, balancing coursework and integrating self-care practices is essential to health and well-being.
  2. Reflect. The world of work is changing. As students think about next steps, it is important to take time to reflect on past experiences including curricular and co-curricular experiences and the skills/qualifications developed through those experiences. Is your student not sure where to get started? The Career Center has a Skill Identifier as a good first step, or they can meet with a staff member to talk more and outline skills in resumes, cover letters, and interviews.
  3. Schedule an appointment. The Career Center has appointments for all career topics.
  4. Activate their Handshake account. The Career Center utilizes Handshake as the centralized hub for internship and job opportunities. All students have access. Does your student need tips on how to best utilize Handshake? They can schedule an appointment to learn more.
  5. Connect with people. While in-person opportunities are not currently an option, students can connect virtually for informational interviews.
  6. Create opportunities. Students should consider internship or job opportunities that may not be posted. Students can consider what value they can add to a company and create their own opportunity.

The Career Center can be reached at 503.943.7201 or career@up.edu.