Events Galore!

This semester the Career Center is offering a multitude of workshops and other events to help you in your career development. No matter if your a freshman or a senior you can find something at the Career Center. As usual we are offering several workshops on writing resumes and preparing for the Career fair. But new this semester are workshops on choosing internships, choosing majors, completing the online job search, and finding that part-time job. Check out the Events Calendar for more information about our workshops. We also list job related events around the Charleston area.

Don’t Just Sit There, Get Out There!

College is more than just classes! You may be thinking that this is odd for someone who works for the college to say but it is true. Through your classes you are getting the necessary educational background needed for the world but everything else you do in college is important too! Through clubs, greek life, sports, part-time jobs, and more you are gaining valuable life experiences needed to be a successful individual.

Many employers love to see extra-curricular experiences on a new college graduate’s resume because it shows that not only did the student not sit in their dorm room for four years but that they have other experiences/skills to be successful in the job. Activities can provide you with valuable communication, leadership, organizational, and team-work skills. Skills that are little harder to gain during traditional lecture classes.

At the College of Charleston there are over a hundred different clubs and organizations that you can become involved in. There are honors/academic, political, religious, social, and professional organizations on campus. And if you say that there is not an organization that meshes with your interests then you are lying to yourself. The College of Charleston offers a diverse mix of groups and if a college organization does not interest you then the Charleston community will have something that fits you.

So get involved, gain some great life experiences and skills that will benefit you in the future when trying to land your dream job.

All About Us

The Career Center is one of the few offices on campus that you can start using from the first day of your college career to well beyond your graduation date. Our office specializes in helping students with their various career needs. Below is a little bit more about what we can do for you, the student, succeed over the next four years and beyond!

• Part-time Jobs (on and off-campus)
• Internships
• Full-Time Jobs
• Help Choosing Major/Career
• Resume Critiquing Services
• Graduate School Advice
• Plus More!

We can provide you with appointments to meet one-on-one with a staff member or you can drop by during drop-in hours. Our office also hosts workshops and career fairs throughout the year to help you with the job search, writing resumes, etc. So drop by our office in the Lightsey Center (2nd floor) or peruse our website at http://www.cofc.edu/~career/.

Welcome Back Everyone!

Hopefully, everyone had a very eventful summer break. Did you have an internship that showed you what professionals in your chosen field really do? Did you take a trip to another country, experiencing another culture to its fullest? Or did you take classes to get ahead of the game in school? Well, whatever you did this past summer with any luck it was fun, relaxing, but meaningful in the grand scheme that is called life!

But now you are back to school and it is time to hit the books. Good luck during the next year. For those of you who are new to the school welcome to the city by the sea and the College of Charleston. A place where you will set down roots for the next few years and gain education and life experiences. For the returning students, welcome back! You know the routine, but remember things will be a little different. Some of you are getting into your major classes, or you’re joining a new club or activity. Or you’re entering your final year at the College of Charleston.

Here on the Career Center Blog we hope to help all of you, no matter your stage in the matriculation cycle. Over the next semester we will be discussing a wide range of topics. And if we do not talk about something you want to know tell us in the comments below. So hang in there for another year of career advice and discussion!

Finding Happiness in the Workplace

Your mission should you choose to accept it is . . . . . . to find a career that you love!

Sometimes this is easier said than done but it should be everyone’s goal. As a child growing up you dreamed of doing something that you loved, anything from being a firefighter, a veterinarian, or a teacher (typical childhood dream jobs). When dreaming about those careers, you focused on the activities and how much fun you will have helping animals or teaching kids.

Now many of you always ask “How much money will I make?” Money is important (fact of life) but when selecting a career it should not be the final decision making factor. For example, say you are a outside sales associate making around $80,000+ a year but while you are making the “big” bucks have you thought about your life style? More than likely you work 60+ hours a week, you have the nice house, car and boat but when do you get to enjoy it. And while at the job you constantly deal with customer complaints and a competitive office space where you really don’t enjoy the people you work with. Does that sound like your dream job? (Note: some people will love that setting but it is not for everyone)

When choosing your career focus on what you can gain from it emotionally. Is it going to give you a sense of satisfaction? Will you look forward to it everyday? Can you see yourself doing that job for the next twenty years without wincing? If you answered yes to those questions then it is a good possibility that you have found the career for you, one you can enjoy.

Check out this article by K. Rawley in the Business Journal, “Enjoying your job can increase odds of success.”

So you might not have ended up a firefighter but hopefully you will find a career you enjoy.