CAREER COUNSELING

DESCRIPTION

The goal of a post-secondary education is advancing a career or beginning a different one. Providing guidance to students in achieving this goal increases the value of their educational experiences. Career counseling begins during the enrollment process as the students explore potential career options in relationship to their previous academic performance. Service should then extend to the training that typical on-campus students can receive, such as, practice interviews. In today’s world, students should know how to present themselves well using web conferencing tools or telephone. Talking to an online audience teaches the students how to present their strengths and prepares them for online interviews and in their future jobs.

QUALITY INDICATORS

1. Students can explore career assessments during counseling

2. Students have access to job placement services.

3. Students have access to internships resources and/or services.

4. Students have access to resume writing workshops.

5. Students have access to interview preparation workshops.

SUGGESTED PRACTICES

• The online support community connects with alumni to assist in sharing their strategies for successfully connecting to future employment opportunities, including but not limited to virtual job fairs.
• During the admission process, a career advising tool allows students to match their interests to specific degree programs. The results can include mapping the students to various jobs which displays the possibility of obtaining positions in that field and the potential earnings.
• The institution offers internships at locations where off-campus students are located or provide the ability to attend the internship opportunities virtually.
• The institution provides a way for students to create a profile, upload resumes and work samples through career portfolios to share with future employers. The tool also allows the students to search job postings and connect with alumni in their chosen fields.
• Counselors are available to practice interview skills for both live and virtual interview situations.
• Virtual job fairs provide students an opportunity to connect with potential employers.
• Digitalized tutorials are available for writing resumes and cover letters, preparing online profiles, searching job databases, and compiling online portfolios. Information is provided how to evaluate content posted on personal social media.

EXAMPLES

LDS Business College: Implemented a Mock Interview Week in which college staff and administrators conducted interviews to assist students in making a great impression. The sessions taught job readiness skills and could be done virtually (UB Business, 2016).

Florida Atlantic University: The Career Center designed an inventory that maps the students’ career interest into FAU degree programs with descriptions of the various occupations.

State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota: The College designed an area of interests on a webpage that incorporates career interest inventory with associated regional employment information, as well as, program offerings that align with those interests.