Carly Bonaventura

Resumes and cover letters are a very important piece of the job placement puzzle.  A great resume is what gets you the invite to the interview!  Training and education is key!

To scale a career services department you need stakeholders.  Employers are a great resource for the center as a whole.  Employers can facilitate training workshops, mock interviews, provide industry experience, and feedback to better programs for students.  This is especially important if you are a team of one.

How have each of you incorporated career readiness throughout the campus, and into classrooms?

Career Readiness is a topic that should be explored at the latest in their first year in college.  Ideally this subject is brought up in Junior High.  This should be part of the college selection process.  Institutions that prioritize career readiness should be sharing stats and results publicly, education is more than learning a subject students should feel confident knowing they will be able to secure employment upon graduating.  

It is imperative to create a space where employers can come and speak with students (panels, workshops, in class visits, tours, etc.) as this gives the students and alumni industry perspective in real time.  Employers can offer insight and perform mock interviews, provide internships, job opportunities, and more.  This should be a working relationship to drive better opportunities and outcomes for students and alumni. 

Career Services plays a vital role in any institution.  It is key to share informed data, statistics, and insights with faculty, staff, students, and alumni.  Sharing this information strengthens the relationships between faculty and staff, in turn further developing programs and initiatives that impact students in a positive way.  Additionally it is important to share insight with employers.  

Gaining insight and working collaboratively with employers for feedback, industry insight, mock interviews, panels, and more drives the effectiveness of career readiness initiatives, and programs, all of which better serve the needs of students.