Just as only reading the classified ads in the Sunday paper is not the best way to get a job, passively browsing through a book of job listings in your campus career center is pretty ineffectual as well. Make use of the full range of resources available to you.
While college career centers are not in the habit of practicing favoritism, the students who are most visible to the career office staff are often the first to hear about jobs. It's all about being in the right place at the right time and doing so with courtesy, tact, and patience.
By "give," we don't necessarily mean money. What we mean is for you to help out and get involved. Some offices have peer advisors who receive training from the professional career counselors to help other students with resumes or interview skills. Often, students are needed to operate video equipment for mock interviews, help students format their resumes, lead discussion groups or arrange workshops, or stuff envelopes. Whether you're an official part-time employee through a work-study program or just offer to help out with special projects on a volunteer basis, you'll be on the inside track for jobs and will be doing something worthwhile for the office and your fellow students.
As an alum, ask how you can get involved in career panels, peer advising, or just being on a resource list. Not only is it a nice thing to do, it makes you visible to the counselors who can keep you in mind when they hear of interesting opportunities.
Your college or university career office can be a veritable Land of Oz for your job search. Unfortunately, too few students and alumni make that trip down the Yellow Brick Road to take advantage of this service. Some have been swayed by grapevine gospel that proclaims, "They only have jobs for business majors and engineers" or "They can't help me find a job five thousand miles from my hometown."
This valuable resource is so often underutilized. Where else under one roof can you get counseling to choose a career direction, attend workshops on every technique related to job search, peruse listings of job openings (some listed exclusively with your school!), find names of people in many industries willing to help with your search, and interview with prospective employers without ever having to leave campus -- all for free or at a very low cost?
It's true that some college career offices deserve their bad rap. Many are understaffed and stretched too thin with limited resources and services. When the career guidebooks on the shelf are from 1967 and all the job listings were filled two years ago, it's hard to have confidence in the office. These problems are usually through no fault of their own but may be due to budget cutbacks or lack of recognition from the university administration. Luckily this scenario is becoming increasingly rare, as career centers diversify, improve, and expand their services. Many are also embarking on "marketing campaigns" to make their offerings better known across campus and to convey a more accessible image.
As an undergraduate, you'll probably find that there is one central career office that serves students of all majors. Graduate and professional school students usually use satellite offices on campus that specialize in careers and jobs in that one field, or might use the same office as the undergrads. If you're an alum, check into services available to you, if any, either on-campus or long distance. Many offices work with alumni at no cost or for low fees.
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