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Assessments

If you are not sure about your career interests or your college major, the Career Development Office offers the following assessment tools.
For any assessment, please contact the Career Development Office to receive the website as well as the user id and password to take these assessment tests as well as to set up a follow-up meeting with a Career Counselor.

Focus II
This on-line program is designed to help students discover career options through an understanding of a variety of assessments through exploration of one's interests & values; education & training; personality & live values; leisure preferences and finally, skills.

The cost is free to students and alumni. The program can be administered on any computer that has access to the internet. Please call or email for a password as well as to schedule a follow-up appointment with a Career Counselor to discuss the FOCUS II results.

Myers-Briggs
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®) assessment is the most widely used personality assessment in the world. With a proven record of reliability spanning more than 50 years, it offers a foundation for understanding individual differences and applying that understanding to the ways people think, communicate, and interact. The assessment provides the basic MBTI four-letter typeVersatile and dependable, the MBTI tool sets the stage for lifelong learning and development.

These career assessment tools can be administered on-line to Benedictine students in order to help them determine their career interest.
(Cost is free for current students and $10 per inventory for alumni)

Strong-Interest Inventory
For more than 75 years, the Strong Interest Inventory ® assessment has helped organizations attract and retain the brightest talent and has guided thousands of individuals—from high school and college students to mid-career workers seeking a change—in their search for a rich and fulfilling career.

Still the most respected and widely used career planning instrument in the world, the Strong now includes 30 Basic Interest Scales, 6 updated General Occupational Themes, 244 Occupational Scales (122 occupations), and 5 measures of personal style to help individuals discover their interests and chart a plan of action to achieve a satisfying life of work and leisure.

These career assessment tools can be administered on-line to Benedictine students in order to help them determine their career interest
(Cost is free for current students and $10 per inventory for alumni)

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Career Resource Library

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Career Resource Library Websites

Vault
The Career Development Office has subscribed to Vault, a website dedicated to offering students and alumni a multitude of services, such as: guides to various careers; company research; career advice and message boards.

How It Works
Students, with a Benedictine email address, can register on the website www.vault.com/cb/careerlib/careerlib_main.jsp?parrefer=2246. Register by providing your Benedictine email address and you will receive a password within minutes. Then simply enter your password and you will be able to enter the Vault website. Alumni, without a Benedictine e-mail address should contact us at career@ben.edu and we will provide you with a password.

Benefits

Some of the benefits of this service for students/alumni includes:

QuietAgent
The Career Development Office has recently collaborated with the City of Naperville to offer a unique service to Benedictine students and alumni. QuietAgent.com is a unique website that matches the skill sets of a student/alumni to the needs of an employer.

How It Works
Students and alumni register on the system at www.quietagent.com/education/ben/ and they can log in at any time and update their information. In the initial stage, Students/Alumni go through an in-depth assessment in order to articulate their career desires. This information is used as a control in order to appropriately match employers and jobs with those most closely aligned with the criteria set by the students/alumni.

Another unique feature is that the detailed career information and settings the student/alumni enters acts as a buffer. Employers using the information to find a match, will potentially invite the student/alumni for an interview. It is the student's decision to accept or decline or block companies from ever contacting them again. A job seeker's private information is ONLY released to an employer AFTER the job seeker chooses to accept an opportunity invitation.

Employers are screened before they are able to set up an account.

Benefits
Some of the benefits of this service for students/alumni follows:

Set-Up Student/Alumni Account
It is simple and free to set up an account. However, to fully benefit from QuietAgent's website, allow yourself at least forty-five minutes for the assessment portion of setting up your account. To get started, click on Quiet Agent's website at
http://www.quietagent.com/education/ben/

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Internships

Internship Opportunities
The Career Development Office at Benedictine University receives calls from employers offering internships on a daily basis. The Illinois Small College Placement, a consortium of 23 additional small liberal arts colleges, also receive internships. All internships are posted on the ISCPA website. You need to submit a resume and create a user name and password. Don't miss out on this valuable resource. The Career Development Center offers assistance with locating internship sites (graduate students need to see graduate program advisor) and internship files containing current and past internship information.

How to Register for an Internship
Procedures for obtaining an internship:

Alumnet

AlumNet is a database of alumni volunteers willing to share their time and knowledge with current students and fellow alumni. AlumNet volunteers are available to discuss their career paths, occupations, firms, industries, experiences and majors. While not a job placement service, AlumNet is a valuable tool for individuals who wish to obtain career information from and network with their fellow alumni. Both current students and alumni are encouraged to use this valuable service.

Students:
By participating in the Alumnet program you can discuss your career plans with a professional in your chosen field.

If you are a student interested in talking to an alumn in your desired field, call the career development center at (630)829-6040, or email us at career@ben.edu.

Alumni:
By volunteering, your knowledge may help a student select a major and learn more about a given occupation. You may help an alumnus/a make a career change, learn more about your company, relocate to your city or expand their network of contacts. You decide how, when and where you may be contacted. As a volunteer you can:

To utilize the program, submit the online request form , or open the print version and return to the Career Development Center. Using your criteria we will match you with a student or alumni in our database and send you their contact information. If you have any questions, please contact Lindsey Fritz at (630)829-6040.

Resume Referral

Benedictine Career Development Center Resume Referral Service
The Resume Referral Service is available to students and alumni. By completing the resume referral registration form you grant permission for the Career Development Office to immediately distribute your resume upon employer request.

Often an employer is seeking a candidate in a specific area and if your resume is on file with us along with your referral form, we will be able to quickly email your resume to the employer, which may result in an interview with the particular company.

To take advantage of this program, email your resume AND complete the Resume Referral Registration Form by choosing ONE of the following versions:
[Online Version] [Printable .doc file]

ISCPA Resume Referral Service
Students and alumni of ISCPA member schools may post their resumes on this online database. Employers search this database when they are recruiting for various vacancies within their company or organization and have a particular interest in hiring students or alumni from small liberal arts colleges. To register with ISCPA in order to upload your resume, please click on the online Student/Alumni ISCPA Registration Form and complete the registration process.

Career Opportunities Bulletin

A weekly listing of staffing company and off-campus/part-time positions is available in the Career Development Center. In addition, the Career Opportunities bulletin is posted through this website. Full-time career and internship positions are listed through the ISCPA (Illinois Small College Placement Association) website: www.iscpa.org

On-Campus Recruiting

Employers interview Benedictine students/alumni on the Benedictine University campus or on the campus of another member school of the Illinois Small College Placement Association (ISCPA). Click here for a current list of employers visiting the campus, or go to www.iscpa.org for recruiters visiting other ISCPA member universities and colleges.

Benedictine co-sponsors CareerFest & TeacherFest with ISCPA. The Career Development Center holds career and internship fairs annually. Promotion of various job fairs and employer interviews in the area can be found in the Career Development Office and on the Coming Events page.

The Credential File Service is a service provided to Education Majors, whether you are a current student or an alumni. The first five credential files mailed are free; additional cost for each file mailed is $3.00. The Career Development office houses credential files for education majors and mails them to private and independent schools as well as school district(s) upon written request, via the Credential Request Form:
|Download form.pdf| OR |Online form|
Please note that many school districts are moving away from credential files housed in University/College Career Development Offices and have been progressing to complete online applications that ask for uploaded documents (resumes, transcripts, etc.). Check the school district's website for particular requirements.
Note: Credential files will be kept for 5 years in Career Development and then will be purged.

A Credential File consists of:
Letters of Recommendation
Although a Recommendation Form is acceptable, it is usually a better idea to have actual letter of recommendations from former employers or instructors.
Recommendations from personal friends & family is discouraged. Recommendations should be kept current so if you have been working for several years, you should have recommendations from current employers and not recommendations from your high school gym teacher from ten years ago.
Also, it is best not to waive your right to view any recommendation. If you waive your right to view a recommendation, federal law prohibits the Career Development Office from releasing or even reading the contents to the individual.
Download Recommendation Form.pdf

Official Transcripts
Students should have all official transcripts from any college/university attended submitted to Benedictine's Career Development Office. Many Records and Registrar Departments of colleges and universities charge a minimal fee for this service. Please note that the actual official transcript will not be sent to multitude schools - only copies of these transcripts.
Double check to make sure a particular school district, does not require official transcripts. Kane County Regional Office does require official transcripts without a broken seal be sent to them.
Call Ben Central to request official transcripts from Benedictine University at 630.829.6500

Teaching Certificate
Please visit the Illinois State Board of Education for the most current certification requirements, which may often change quickly. We will send a copy of your teaching certificate, both front and back, as part of your credential file.

Alternate Certification Brochure and Letter
For alternate certification students, a brochure along with a letter from Dr. Zigmond explaining the program are also included.

Cover & End Sheet
A Benedictine University cover and back sheet professionalize the credential file, which is then sent first class to the school.

Graduate School Information

Tests
Applications for the various Graduate tests are available in the Career Development Office and can also be found through the appropriate website.
GMAT - Graduate Management Assessment Test
GRE - Graduate Record Examination
LSAT - Law School Admission Test
MCAT - Medical College Admission Test
PCAT - Pharmacy College Admission Test
MCAT Self-Study Web site

Career Resource Library
The Career Resource Library in the Career Development Office houses hard copies of books pertaining to Graduate School selection to catalogs from various colleges and universities. Let us know what you are looking for and we may be able to provide you with the material.

Local Job Clubs

For a list of job clubs in the area click Job Club List.doc

Preparing for a Job Fair

Job Fairs provide students the opportunity to network with multiple employers at one time. Go to the Coming Events page for a list of upcoming job fairs in the area.
To Make the Most of Any Job Fair, read our Job Fair Advice handout. Or come to the Career Development Center to obtain a hard copy.

Surveys: Undergraduate and Graduate

Each year the Career Development Department mails or emails a post-graduate survey to recently graduated students on both the undergraduate and graduate level. The individual data is kept confidential, but compiled into a general report. This report is a valuable tool for a number of reasons. Future students and parents thinking about Benedictine University may peruse the information provided to determine if BU meets their standards. Also, the accreditation bodies look at this information for curricular standards. Department Chairs, and Benedictine University administration also view the document to assess the programs and the successes of Benedictine students.
The survey for 2007 graduates is coming soon!


Career Development Home Coming Events Student/Alumni Services Employer Services Career Opportunities Bulletin (part time or no degree required) ISCPA (full time jobs & internships) Newsletters Meet Our Staff Contact Us Benedictine Home	Individual Counseling Assessments Career Resource Library Career Resource Library Websites (Vault and QuietAgent) Internships Alumnet Resume Referral Career Opportunities Bulletin On-Campus Recruiting Job Fairs Credential Files (for Education Majors) Graduate School Information 4 Year Plan Interviewing, Resumes and Cover Letters Local Job Clubs Preparing for a Job Fair Exploring Career Options Surveys: Undergraduate and Graduate *Individual Counseling* The Benedictine Career Development Center offers the following services. Call 630-829-6040 to schedule an appointment. Guidance with deciding on a major Help with resume writing Assistance with identifying occupations within a particular major Mock interviewing (optional video taping) Guidance with making the transition from school to work Help with graduate school information Job search techniques Top Assessments If you are not sure about your career interests or your college major, the Career Development Office offers the following assessment tools. For any assessment, please contact the Career Development Office to receive the website as well as the user id and password to take these assessment tests as well as to set up a follow-up meeting with a Career Counselor. Focus II This on-line program is designed to help students discover career options through an understanding of a variety of assessments through exploration of one's interests & values; education & training; personality & live values; leisure preferences and finally, skills. The cost is free to students and alumni. The program can be administered on any computer that has access to the internet. Please call or email for a password as well as to schedule a follow-up appointment with a Career Counselor to discuss the FOCUS II results. Myers-Briggs The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®) assessment is the most widely used personality assessment in the world. With a proven record of reliability spanning more than 50 years, it offers a foundation for understanding individual differences and applying that understanding to the ways people think, communicate, and interact. The assessment provides the basic MBTI four-letter typeVersatile and dependable, the MBTI tool sets the stage for lifelong learning and development. These career assessment tools can be administered on-line to Benedictine students in order to help them determine their career interest. (Cost is free for current students and $10 per inventory for alumni) Strong-Interest Inventory For more than 75 years, the Strong Interest Inventory ® assessment has helped organizations attract and retain the brightest talent and has guided thousands of individuals—from high school and college students to mid-career workers seeking a change—in their search for a rich and fulfilling career. Still the most respected and widely used career planning instrument in the world, the Strong now includes 30 Basic Interest Scales, 6 updated General Occupational Themes, 244 Occupational Scales (122 occupations), and 5 measures of personal style to help individuals discover their interests and chart a plan of action to achieve a satisfying life of work and leisure. These career assessment tools can be administered on-line to Benedictine students in order to help them determine their career interest (Cost is free for current students and $10 per inventory for alumni) Top Career Resource Library Career Books explaining different occupations, types of jobs and salaries Job search books containing company information, contact names and phone numbers, and national job listings. Various job search handouts Lists of employers recruiting your major Internship Resource Files Graduate School Handbooks Graduate School Resources Free magazines that deal with job search and/or career topics Internships/Part-time jobs Assistance with locating internship sites (grad students should consult with their graduate program first) Internship files containing current and past internship information A Career Opportunities Bulletin containing current non-degreed full-time positions as well as part-time and seasonal employment (also found on web) Top *Career Resource Library Websites* *Vault* The Career Development Office has subscribed to Vault, a website dedicated to offering students and alumni a multitude of services, such as: guides to various careers; company research; career advice and message boards. How It Works Students, with a Benedictine email address, can register on the website www.vault.com/cb/careerlib/careerlib_main.jsp?parrefer=2246. Register by providing your Benedictine email address and you will receive a password within minutes. Then simply enter your password and you will be able to enter the Vault website. Alumni, without a Benedictine e-mail address should contact us at career@ben.edu and we will provide you with a password. Benefits Some of the benefits of this service for students/alumni includes: Download Industry Career Guides whether you want to find information on a particular industry or get the scoop on the hiring process or career paths. Download Industry Employer Guides to find information on potential employers. Download Career Topic Guides to get advice on resume and cover letter writing, to networking to setting up your own business. Read Vault's Occupational Profiles to get the real inside of the job, including the pros and cons as well as accurate salary information. Get a closer view into various industries finding out about career paths, salary ranges, industry outlooks and more Read detailed insider information through Occupational Surveys about potential careers - find out about a job's responsibilities, the highs and lows of a job position, the company culture and the salary and benefits. Browse Career Advice articles to find information on cover letters, resumes, interviewing, internships and law and business schools. Take a look at profiles designed with diversity in mind. Network, get advice and information with one of the largest on-line career communities through Vault's message boards. *QuietAgent* The Career Development Office has recently collaborated with the City of Naperville to offer a unique service to Benedictine students and alumni. QuietAgent.com is a unique website that matches the skill sets of a student/alumni to the needs of an employer. How It Works Students and alumni register on the system at www.quietagent.com/education/ben/ and they can log in at any time and update their information. In the initial stage, Students/Alumni go through an in-depth assessment in order to articulate their career desires. This information is used as a control in order to appropriately match employers and jobs with those most closely aligned with the criteria set by the students/alumni. Another unique feature is that the detailed career information and settings the student/alumni enters acts as a buffer. Employers using the information to find a match, will potentially invite the student/alumni for an interview. It is the student's decision to accept or decline or block companies from ever contacting them again. A job seeker's private information is ONLY released to an employer AFTER the job seeker chooses to accept an opportunity invitation. Employers are screened before they are able to set up an account. Benefits Some of the benefits of this service for students/alumni follows: Ability to actively or passively seek job opportunities Only ever receive opportunity invitations that meet personal career desires, with the knowledge that the employer has also pre-qualified you because you meet their needs for a particular role. No marketing, job-alerts or spam, nor thousands of jobs to have to search through Total privacy and security of your data - students have final control over the release of personal details to employers, and can remain anonymous, if desired. Set-Up Student/Alumni Account It is simple and free to set up an account. However, to fully benefit from QuietAgent's website, allow yourself at least forty-five minutes for the assessment portion of setting up your account. To get started, click on Quiet Agent's website at http://www.quietagent.com/education/ben/ Top Internships Internship Opportunities The Career Development Office at Benedictine University receives calls from employers offering internships on a daily basis. The Illinois Small College Placement, a consortium of 23 additional small liberal arts colleges, also receive internships. All internships are posted on the ISCPA website. You need to submit a resume and create a user name and password. Don't miss out on this valuable resource. The Career Development Center offers assistance with locating internship sites (graduate students need to see graduate program advisor) and internship files containing current and past internship information. How to Register for an Internship Procedures for obtaining an internship: Meet with Julie Cosimo, Internship Coordinator/Director of Internship Program to discuss internship opportunities and details of the program, (call 630-829-6040 for an appointment). Submit Resume Referral Form and email a copy of your resume to career@ben.edu Obtain the Internship Registration Form from your advisor and turn it into the Registrar. Complete the Student Learning Contract and turn it in to your advisor within the first two weeks of the internship. Obtaining Academic Credit All students have the option of registering and receiving academic credit for their internship experience. Credit is awarded in the ratio of one semester hour per every 50 hours worked on site and may range anywhere from two to six credit hours. However, six is the maximum amount of internship credit that may be counted toward graduation requirements. To obtain academic credit, students are expected to: Keep a journal of the daily activities including reactions to what is being learned. Submit a final research report related to the internship experience. Evaluate the internship site, supervisor, and experience as a whole. Be evaluated by the sponsor and the Faculty Internship Coordinator. Qualifications of Interns All prospective interns have completed a significant amount of coursework and have the academic foundation needed to make a positive contribution to any company or organization. To qualify for participation in Benedictine’s internship program, a student must: Be enrolled in the University with degree or certificate seeking status for the duration of the internship program. Meet the academic requirements set forth by the sponsoring academic department. Have completed 60 academic credit hours. Top Alumnet AlumNet is a database of alumni volunteers willing to share their time and knowledge with current students and fellow alumni. AlumNet volunteers are available to discuss their career paths, occupations, firms, industries, experiences and majors. While not a job placement service, AlumNet is a valuable tool for individuals who wish to obtain career information from and network with their fellow alumni. Both current students and alumni are encouraged to use this valuable service. Students: By participating in the Alumnet program you can discuss your career plans with a professional in your chosen field. Learn from an alumn's professional and personal experiences Network with alumns and their colleagues Receive guidance searching for internships or jobs, writing resumes, and preparing for job interviews Receive guidance in applying for advanced degree programs Visit an alumn's place of work Engage in discussions about career-related activities with your mentor If you are a student interested in talking to an alumn in your desired field, call the career development center at (630)829-6040, or email us at career@ben.edu. Alumni: By volunteering, your knowledge may help a student select a major and learn more about a given occupation. You may help an alumnus/a make a career change, learn more about your company, relocate to your city or expand their network of contacts. You decide how, when and where you may be contacted. As a volunteer you can: Arrange to have the student shadow you at work for a day Suggest professional development activities Critique a resume and/or conduct a mock interview Introduce the student to professional colleagues Recommend books and other resources To utilize the program, submit the online request form , or open the print version and return to the Career Development Center. Using your criteria we will match you with a student or alumni in our database and send you their contact information. If you have any questions, please contact Lindsey Fritz at (630)829-6040. Top Resume Referral Benedictine Career Development Center Resume Referral Service The Resume Referral Service is available to students and alumni. By completing the resume referral registration form you grant permission for the Career Development Office to immediately distribute your resume upon employer request. Often an employer is seeking a candidate in a specific area and if your resume is on file with us along with your referral form, we will be able to quickly email your resume to the employer, which may result in an interview with the particular company. To take advantage of this program, email your resume AND complete the Resume Referral Registration Form by choosing ONE of the following versions: [Online Version] [Printable .doc file] ISCPA Resume Referral Service Students and alumni of ISCPA member schools may post their resumes on this online database. Employers search this database when they are recruiting for various vacancies within their company or organization and have a particular interest in hiring students or alumni from small liberal arts colleges. To register with ISCPA in order to upload your resume, please click on the online Student/Alumni ISCPA Registration Form and complete the registration process. Top Career Opportunities Bulletin A weekly listing of staffing company and off-campus/part-time positions is available in the Career Development Center. In addition, the Career Opportunities bulletin is posted through this website. Full-time career and internship positions are listed through the ISCPA (Illinois Small College Placement Association) website: www.iscpa.org Top On-Campus Recruiting Employers interview Benedictine students/alumni on the Benedictine University campus or on the campus of another member school of the Illinois Small College Placement Association (ISCPA). Click here for a current list of employers visiting the campus, or go to www.iscpa.org for recruiters visiting other ISCPA member universities and colleges. Top Job Fairs Benedictine co-sponsors CareerFest & TeacherFest with ISCPA. The Career Development Center holds career and internship fairs annually. Promotion of various job fairs and employer interviews in the area can be found in the Career Development Office and on the Coming Events page. Top Credential Files (for Education Majors) The Credential File Service is a service provided to Education Majors, whether you are a current student or an alumni. The first five credential files mailed are free; additional cost for each file mailed is $3.00. The Career Development office houses credential files for education majors and mails them to private and independent schools as well as school district(s) upon written request, via the Credential Request Form: \|Download form.pdf\| OR \|Online form\| Please note that many school districts are moving away from credential files housed in University/College Career Development Offices and have been progressing to complete online applications that ask for uploaded documents (resumes, transcripts, etc.). Check the school district's website for particular requirements. Note: Credential files will be kept for 5 years in Career Development and then will be purged. A Credential File consists of: Letters of Recommendation Although a Recommendation Form is acceptable, it is usually a better idea to have actual letter of recommendations from former employers or instructors. Recommendations from personal friends & family is discouraged. Recommendations should be kept current so if you have been working for several years, you should have recommendations from current employers and not recommendations from your high school gym teacher from ten years ago. Also, it is best not to waive your right to view any recommendation. If you waive your right to view a recommendation, federal law prohibits the Career Development Office from releasing or even reading the contents to the individual. Download Recommendation Form.pdf Official Transcripts Students should have all official transcripts from any college/university attended submitted to Benedictine's Career Development Office. Many Records and Registrar Departments of colleges and universities charge a minimal fee for this service. Please note that the actual official transcript will not be sent to multitude schools - only copies of these transcripts. Double check to make sure a particular school district, does not require official transcripts. Kane County Regional Office does require official transcripts without a broken seal be sent to them. Call Ben Central to request official transcripts from Benedictine University at 630.829.6500 Teaching Certificate Please visit the Illinois State Board of Education for the most current certification requirements, which may often change quickly. We will send a copy of your teaching certificate, both front and back, as part of your credential file. Alternate Certification Brochure and Letter For alternate certification students, a brochure along with a letter from Dr. Zigmond explaining the program are also included. Cover & End Sheet A Benedictine University cover and back sheet professionalize the credential file, which is then sent first class to the school. Top Graduate School Information Tests Applications for the various Graduate tests are available in the Career Development Office and can also be found through the appropriate website. GMAT - Graduate Management Assessment Test GRE - Graduate Record Examination LSAT - Law School Admission Test MCAT - Medical College Admission Test PCAT - Pharmacy College Admission Test MCAT Self-Study Web site Career Resource Library The Career Resource Library in the Career Development Office houses hard copies of books pertaining to Graduate School selection to catalogs from various colleges and universities. Let us know what you are looking for and we may be able to provide you with the material. Graduate School Information Online Association of Medical Colleges Benedictine University's Graduate Programs www.gradschools.com Graduate School Rankings from U.S. News and World Report Peterson's Guide to Graduate Programs Top Four Year Plan Freshman Year Make the grades (maintain a 3.0 GPA) Experience a variety of courses to help determine areas of interests Determine your interests, values, skills and personality as they relate to occupations (use Focus II) Research occupations to determine their appropriateness to you Enhance involvement to build skills (join a campus organizations, sports or community activities) Start gaining experience through a part time job or volunteer work Sophomore Year Make the grades(study, seek faculty assistance or a tutor at the ARC) Continue with career exploration and research (take various courses and talk with Career Development) Pursue leadership roles in extra-curricular activities (join a committee or run for office) Seek part-time employment in a professional environment (look through Career Development job postings) Begin informational interviewing (talk to Career Development and use Alumnet) Declare a major (talk to Career Development, family professors and friends about options Begin writing your resume and cover letter (attend a workshop) Research possible internships (talk to your faculty internship coordinator) Develop skills and knowledge needed in your field (talk to your advisor) Junior Year Study hard to make the grades (seek assistance from faculty) Participate in internships and gain experience in professional environments Update your resume (attend a workshop and have it critiqued) Begin looking at graduate schools (use career resource library to obtain information) Start building networks (make a list of professionals you know or use Alumnet Build interviewing skills (do a mock interview with Career Development) Senior Year Do your best to make good grades (employers look for a 3.0) Update your resume and cover letter (attend a workshop) Determine parameters of your job search such as location, size of company, industry Register with Career Development for job search assistance Set job search goals Apply to graduate schools (take appropriate exams) Identify target companies (use career resource library, talk to professors and family) Network (contact old and current employers, professors, join a professional assoc.) Actively seek, apply and interview for jobs (participate in OCR, job fairs, search want ads, Internet etc.) Begin building professional wardrobe Research starting salaries in your field Top Interviewing, Resumes and Cover Letters Call the Career Development Center at (630)829-6040 to schedule an appointment to refine your resume and cover letter or schedule a mock interview and receive professional feedback on your interviewing style. We also provide handouts to assist students on their job search. You can get a hard copy by visiting our office at Krasa, Room 010 or you may download the handouts by clicking below on the appropriate handout. Cover Letters.pdf Resume Writing for Undergraduates Resume Writing for Graduate Students Resume and Cover Letter Writing for Education Majors.doc Interviewing Skills & Salary Negotiations.pdf Making the Most of a Job Fair.pdf Top Local Job Clubs For a list of job clubs in the area click Job Club List.doc Top Preparing for a Job Fair Job Fairs provide students the opportunity to network with multiple employers at one time. Go to the Coming Events page for a list of upcoming job fairs in the area. To Make the Most of Any Job Fair, read our Job Fair Advice handout. Or come to the Career Development Center to obtain a hard copy. Top Exploring Career Options Bureau of Labor Statistics -Exploring Career Information Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook -Nationally recognized source of career information; revised every two years. Career Info -Resource to make informed career decisions Career Voyages -Learn info about a job from a person already in position Illinois Dept. of Employment Security -Illinois Occupational Outlook in brief Job Profiles -Search occupations Occupational Information -Network Govt. site offering career exploration Riley's Guide -Comprehensive Career Site Top Surveys: Undergraduate and Graduate Each year the Career Development Department mails or emails a post-graduate survey to recently graduated students on both the undergraduate and graduate level. The individual data is kept confidential, but compiled into a general report. This report is a valuable tool for a number of reasons. Future students and parents thinking about Benedictine University may peruse the information provided to determine if BU meets their standards. Also, the accreditation bodies look at this information for curricular standards. Department Chairs, and Benedictine University administration also view the document to assess the programs and the successes of Benedictine students. The survey for 2007 graduates is coming soon! Top
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Last Updated June 3, 2008
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