Written by Allison Ericson

Correction: The original version of this story, which ran in print in the Feb. 21 issue of the Spectator, included the following statement:  “VSU alumni who need guidance can also take advantage of Career Services’ support and resources for free up until a month after graduation.”

Actually, all services provided by the Office of Career Services are free of charge for students and alumni with the exception of career tests. These tests are free to current VSU students and cost $50 for alumni, who have a grace period of one semester before charges are implemented.

Also, the Office opens at 8 a.m., as opposed to 9 a.m. as the original article stated.

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Picking a major can be intimidating and unfortunately there is no degree in undecided.

 

This is why VSU offers Career Services for the undecided and decided. Career Services helps students with everything from preparing resumes to searching for a job.

 

“The purpose of career services is to assist students with finding a major, gaining work experience, such as part time and to assist them in finding a full time job when they graduate,” J. Kevin Taylor, associate director of Career Services, said.

 

For many students, graduating on time is not an option. Career services will, and has made that possible by providing online inventories, which figure out student’s interests, skills, personality preferences and work values.

 

“It doesn’t matter if you’re a freshman or a senior, inventories are the way to go,” Taylor said. “We can help them look at the options from the inventories, its no charge as long as you’re enrolled.”

 

For students who already have the major of their dreams, career services offers mock interviews as well as online interview practice through InterviewStream. InterviewStream uses webcam recording to practice interviewing while receiving positive feedback from a career counselor.

 

Another option is Career Services’ hour-long seminars and workshops to assist in a number of problems like resumes, job searching and interviewing. To attend these seminars students must call 24 hours in advance to register.

 

But Career Services isn’t just for students.

 

VSU alumni who need guidance can also take advantage of Career Services’ support and resources. Career Services can help alumni to improve their social media image, interview performance and resume. All services provided are free except for career tests, which are $50 for alumni effective one month after graduation.

 

To avoid being job-less after graduation, Taylor recommended that students start applying for jobs two semesters before graduation.

 

“I had no idea I should have started applying before graduation,” Ashley Thornton, VSU alumna, said. “I thought I would have a ton of leisure time to apply and I would immediately find a job. So not true.”

 

VSU will present Spring Education Career Day on Feb. 28. This event is geared towards education majors but is also a great event for interested students to attend.

 

On March 26, students of all majors can attend the Spring Career Expo. These events give students the chance to hand out their resumes to recruiters and view different job opportunities.

 

“Currently I am interning and testing out my dream job but if I had known Career Services offered so much I would have hit them up before graduation,” Thornton said.

 

Career Services also hosts on-campus interviews with companies to give students a convenient and equal opportunity. Over the next few months, Waffle House and Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes Corp. will be conducting interviews for management positions.

 

For more job opportunities, visit Career Services, open from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday and Friday 8 a.m.to 3 p.m. in Powell Hall-West on the 2^nd floor.

 

They take appointments as well as walk-ins, and students can now follow them on Twitter and Facebook, where you can view more job opportunities and upcoming events.