Cedarville Magazine, Spring/Summer 2015

As you’re traveling unknown byways of the future, pockmarked with a competitive job market and still-recovering economy, it doesn’t hurt to have the right guide in the driver’s seat. And, if you’re going to get very far, you better make sure you have a roadmap and a full tank of gas. That’s where Cedarville’s Career Services comes in. Exploring the Possibilities Like with any journey, the first essential step is knowing where you’re headed. This isn’t a leisurely Sunday drive — you need to know your final destination. Career Services calls this “career exploration”—determining what major you want to study — and the earlier a student does this the better. For recent finance graduate Travis St. Ores ’15, that step started really early: his junior year of high school. “I visited Career Services on a campus visit and took a career assessment test,” he explained. “It pushedme towheremy strengths were.” Although he knewhe wanted to study finance, this assessment helped him realize the different possibilities within the field and determine which area most closely aligned with his interests. Career Services offers the MyPlan assessment, which helps students identify majors that fit their interests, and then eventually what career fields fit those majors. According to Jeff Reep ’79, Director of Career Services, students are often surprised by what they can do with their interests and strengths. “Just because you like math and are good at it,” explained Reep, “it doesn’t mean you have to be amath teacher.”MyPlan helps students see the possibilities beyond the expected. How crucial is this step? Imagine taking a long road trip to an unfamiliar location without ever plugging your destination into a GPS or (old school, but still effective) consulting a map. At every CU Friday — Cedarville’s campus visit event for high school students and their families — Reep presents “Where a Degree From Cedarville Can Take You” as well as his “Big 5” ideas to help students prepare for a career, before they step foot on campus as a student. One of the best ways colleges can save students money is tomake sure they graduate in four years. And one of the best ways to make sure you graduate on time? Discovering your passion early and sticking with it. For St. Ores, by choosing his major early and taking summer courses, he was able to graduate in three-and-a-half years. Navigating the Process Once you know where you’re headed, you’ll need to determine the best route to take — how do I actually get there? On a road trip, you need a GPS or a map, a full tank of gas, and some snacks for the ride. But for students navigating their journey to their dream career, they’ll need to develop the necessary skills that will help them make it to the next step. How to write an effective résumé, how to prepare for an interview, and how to discover job opportunities are all tools students need to navigate a competitive job market. This step — developing lifelong navigational skills — can, and should, start as early as a student’s freshman year. Career Services partners with seven academic departments across campus, along with 15 majors, to come into classrooms and begin educating students on the importance of a good résumé, interviewing skills, and teaching how to research job opportunities. Career Services has helped applied communication major Chelsea Castillo ’15 see the importance of a good résumé. “I looked up résumé examples online, but they just didn’t sound like me,” she said. “Career Services helped me put together a professional résumé that focused on the things employers are looking for. And it sounded like me.” Having a place to go and talk to someone one-on-one has been a big confidence booster for Castillo. “Laura [(Jolly) Lintz ’03, Assistant Director of Career Services] helped me see how my past experiences could translate to relevant job skills on a résumé. It made me more confident in myself and what I have to offer.” For St. Ores, The Business Experience course, which included extensive interaction with Career Services staff members, made him “wake up and grow up” very quickly. “I realized that I couldn’t wait to get a résumé together,” he explained. “Four years goes very fast.” As part of that course, St. Ores learned how to effectively prepare for a job interview. “I learned what questions to expect and how to think quickly without stumbling over answers,” he said. CAREER SERVICES: PL TTING YOUR COURSE by Michele (Cummings) Solomon ’91 4 | Cedarville Magazine