Finding a Job While in College: Three Reasons Career Services Can Help

As many college students know, the ability to make money and build wealth while attending a university is often contingent upon finding a good job. Because this is the case, an on-campus Career Services Center may be the best place for college students to go. Here are three reasons why.

1. Career Services Representatives May Know Who’s Hiring.

I learned this when I went to Georgia State University’s Career Services Center. Upon speaking with a representative regarding my interest in work, she informed me of several employers who were currently hiring. This really should not have surprised me since people who work in the career counseling sector are often arranging job fairs. This means that they are often in direct communication with employers and are thus notified when a business or company is hiring.

2. Career Services Centers May Review Your Resume For Free.

This is important because writing and editing resumes are generally an integral aspect of the job hunting process. Some employers are sifting through hundreds of resumes in an attempt to find the right candidate for the job. If you have yours reviewed and modified by a trained professional at your university, it is likely to stand out from the pile of generic-looking or hastily thrown together documents presented by other people. Moreover, you may save money by avoiding the high fees some businesses charge to review the resume. For example, many resume-writing services charge people anywhere from $89-$195 for their services. These costs may be avoided by taking one’s resume to a Career Services Center at a university where such services are often free.

3. Career Counselors At Career Services Centers Aid The Job-Hunting Process.

Oftentimes Career Services Centers on college campuses offer students an opportunity to obtain career counseling from a trained representative. These individuals are often full of relevant knowledge and advice. For example, when I met with a Career Counselor several years ago, he informed me that while networking was responsible for securing 75% of jobs before the recession, the downward swing of the economy now meant that 80% of jobs were obtained this way. With this information in mind, I became more aware of the important role networking would play in helping me secure a job. Additionally, the Career Counselor I spoke with informed me that a lot of the marketing and sales jobs would not be advantageous to pursue because they required unpaid training and were by commission only. This is the type of advice that students in search of immediate income need to be exposed to during the job-hunting process.

As many college students know, financial stability and growth is often contingent upon one’s ability to attain a good job. This is where an on-campus Career Services Center comes in handy. Personally, I attained two jobs through the Center on my undergraduate university’s campus. And this is why I encourage students to consider visiting the Career Services Center on their own campus when in search of a good job.