The Career Center: Not Just for Seniors Anymore!

Think back to when you were your student’s age. Were you thinking about your future career?  If you were in college, when did you first use your institution’s career services office, possibly called the “placement” office?  If you were like me, the answer is “senior year”. In the past, the general perception on campus was that students went to the career services office to get a job. The concept of visiting career services to learn about career options or to prepare for a meaningful career was not part of the student mindset. That was then. Today’s students are realizing that career preparation can begin as early as their first semester, and that there are people to help them along the way.

During the 2007-2008 academic year, 30% of students who visited The Career Center were first and second year students, 19% were juniors and 35% were seniors. This trend is likely due, in part, to The Career Center’s efforts to target students early in their academic careers through innovative programming such as EPICS (Exploring Pathways In Career Success) a nationally recognized, interactive program designed to assist first-year students in successfully managing their career development process.  EPICS is a tool students can access and utilize  on their own or in consultation with a career counselor or advisor on campus.

The Career Center seeks to engage students through a variety of “high-tech/high-touch” services designed to meet each student’s individual preferences and needs. Students can access a wide array of services including career guides, online databases, and virtual advising at The Career Center’s Web site. We also have a highly utilized “Workshops-by-Request” program, in which our student Outreach Team members deliver workshops all over campus for a variety of student organizations and academic departments.  At our center, students will find knowledgeable and friendly staff members willing to assist in all aspects of career development from major exploration to internship and job search strategies.

The Career Center is also the campus hub for Pre-Health Advising, addressing the needs of students hoping to become physicians, dentists, pharmacists, and more.  Students can stop by during our drop-in hours or schedule a 45 minute appointment with one of our professional Career Counselors or Pre-Health Advisors.

The Career Center strives to serve students’ needs from majors to careers, and everything in-between! To learn more, visit our web site. Encourage your student to stop by The Career Center at 715 S. Wright Street in Champaign or schedule an appointment by calling (217) 333-0395. 

The Career Center is a proud member of the Illinois Career Services Network, a coordinated association of more than 25 career offices and affiliates seeking to meet all career planning needs of University of Illinois students and alumni through collaboration and innovation. If your company or organization is interested in hiring Illinois talent, visit the HireIllini Web site to learn more.