Career Services Offers Student Support


We are here to make your transition from student to professional a smooth and exciting experience. 

Scheduling a phone or video call with Career Services is easy!
Activate or log into your Handshake account to schedule an appointment today. 
 

 

Career Services is a great resource for students seeking career, internship and graduate school assistance. Our services include the following:

  • Career and internship counseling
  • Career assessments
  • Job search/graduate or professional school advising
  • Handshake, an online career services platform
  • Resume and cover letter development
  • Mock interviews
  • GRE and graduate school preparation
  • Appropriate and professional social media usage
     
 
Career Development at Cazenovia College

Your career development is a lifelong process that starts your very first semester, and continues through your senior year, and beyond. This process is enhanced by making purposeful connections to people, resources and opportunities while also reflecting on your growth as a professional. We want to be sure that by the time you graduate, you have the tools and mindset to take charge in your career development. Check out the Career Development Timeline (PDF) for steps you can take each year to help you on your professional development journey.


Click here to view the Career Development Timeline (PDF)

The key to discovering a major or a career starts with exploring.  Not sure where to start? Begin now at your own pace using the tools below or schedule a time to meet with Career Services to explore career options and discuss the best next steps consider. 

  • FOCUS 2 CAREER: This platform provides 5 unique self-assessments that combine things like your interests, personality, values, and skills to identify careers you might be interested in. To activate your account, use your email address and the access code "wildcats"
  • Candid Career: Watch these videos to gain insight on thousands of occupations and career tips.
  • What Can I Do With This Major? Use this website to identify job titles associated with academic majors,  specific fields, typical career areas, and strategic steps you can take to become a more marketable candidate 
In addition to the above resources, Career Services is also trained to administer and provide interpretive results for  Myers/Briggs Type Indicator® and Strong Interest Inventory® career assessments (PDF)
 
It’s not just a matter of telling an employer about your knowledge, skills, and experiences; it’s about connecting the dots on how these qualities meet their needs and would allow you to excel in the position or company. Combined, your resume and cover letter will show a potential employer that you are an ideal candidate. 
 
Creating your resume and cover letter


Resume
Your resume is your personal marketing tool that outlines your skills, education, and experiences for a specific position and a specific employer. When writing your resume:
  • Clearly tie the employer’s needs and requirements with your education, skills, work and other related experiences
  • Pull key words from the job description, this will help to increase the chances of your application moving onto the next phase and obtaining an interview

Cover Letter
The goal of a cover letter is to identify specific ways your skills, knowledge, experience, or interests will contribute to your success in the position or company.  Consider these tips when writing your cover letter:
  • Cover letters need to be unique and tailored to the specific position and company
  • Know as much as possible about the duties and skills required for the position as well as the mission, initiatives, and goals of the company
  • Conduct your research by thoroughly reviewing the job description, the company’s website and LinkedIn page, and any other sources that may be available
  • Always include a cover letter in your job applications, even if it is not specifically asked for
 
 
Interviewing is usually the second stage of the job search process.  Interviews are a great opportunity to determine if you are a good fit for the organization and if the organization is a good fit for you.
Preparing for an interview is important. Practicing responses to common interview questions, reflecting on skills and previous experience, and mock interviews are just a few of the many things you can do to be confident and ready to interview. Gain interviewing skills and confidence by contacting Career Services to schedule a mock interview and reviewing the resources below.
 
 
An Experiential Learning Opportunity
Many programs at Cazenovia College incorporate internships into their curriculum for the professional value it offers students. There are numerous benefits available to students for completing an internship. These benefits include:
  • Gaining valuable work experience
  • Networking with industry professionals
  • Identifying skills and areas of improvement
  • Clarifying career goals

    Discover Internship Opportunities

    • Handshake: Handshake is an online Career Services platform that connects you to thousands of employers that have internship and job opportunities, both locally and nationally. Your account is already set up and waiting for you, all you need to do is activate your student account (hyper link joinhandshake.com) to start getting customized recommendations sent directly to you.
    • Parker Dewey: These “micro-internships” are paid, short-term
    • If taking an internship for academic credit, students must coordinate with their program director or advisor and Career Services to discuss internship requirements and ensure all necessary paperwork is complete.
    Internships for Academic Credit
    If taking an internship for academic credit, students must coordinate with their program director or advisor and Career Services to discuss internship requirements and ensure all necessary paperwork is complete.

    The Intern, Summer Stipend Program
    Also available to students is “The Intern” Summer Stipend Program. Through the generous support of the Cazenovia College Alumni Association Board of Directors and private donors, a fund has been established to financially support student interns during summer internship experiences.  This funding will be awarded through an application process administered by the Office of Career Services.  If you are interested in applying to this program, please contact Career Services.

    Washington Internship Institute
    Cazenovia College has an Institutional Partner Agreement with the Washington Internship Institute in Washington, D.C. This agreement allows students from all majors to experience a full semester of credit through enriching internships that match students’ academic and career interests, complemented by academic course work. Students earn Cazenovia College credits while interning in Washington, D.C. Students must complete both an internal application process and be accepted by the Washington Internship Institute in order to participate. Ordinarily, a cumulative GPA of 2.75 and junior status are required to be eligible. Further information regarding the Washington Internship Institute can be obtained by contacting Career Services or visiting the Washington Internship Institute’s website.
     
    • Finding opportunities: Download the Handshake app and create a profile to access a personalized list of job and internship opportunities. Also check out a wealth of other job search resources here, including Parker Dewey for paid, short-term, completely remote internships). Not sure what types of jobs to consider? Check out Candid Career to explore career options.
       
    • Making connections: Create a LinkedIn profile and make connections, join groups, follow companies, share articles, and create posts. This will allow you to meet more people and make a great impression. Take it up a notch by reaching out to others for career information and advice (tip: this is called informational interviewing, download this guide to learn more! 
       
    • Communicating your value: Sharing your skills, interests and experiences and explaining how you can make a difference is how you can show your value. Show your value in your resume and cover letter, and during an interview (check out those sections to learn more). Beware- inappropriate posts and images on your social media will negatively impact your value.
     
    The decision to pursue graduate studies is an exciting moment for any student or alumnus! Career services seeks to ensure that you have clear understanding of your career/educational goals, the graduate school application process, and that you feel confident moving forward. 
     
    • Schedule an appointment with Career Services for assistance with graduate school planning and application materials.
    • Check out this Graduate School Guide (PDF) for an in-depth overview of the decisions, facets, and processes involved with pursuing graduate school.
     
     
    • Handshake 
      • Use this customized mobile platform to find jobs and internships that match what you want, get personalized career recommendations, and directly message employers, students, and alumni!
    • Parker Dewey 
      • These “micro-internships” are paid, short-term projects – all are virtual and great resume builders.
    • Candid Career 
      • Watch these videos to gain insight on thousands of occupations and career tips
    • LinkedIn.com
      • Utilize LinkedIn to network with professionals, search and apply to jobs, and stay up to date with industry trends 
    • MyCaz for local jobs
      • To view local, part-time jobs such as babysitters or food servers, go to MyCaz. From the Resources dropdown select Career Services. To the right under the section heading Part-Time Local Job Postings you can view jobs to apply to, many of which are right in the village of Cazenovia!
         
    • O*NET Online
      • The O*NET system serves as the nation's primary source of occupational information, providing comprehensive information on key attributes and characteristics of workers and occupations. The O*NET database houses this data and O*NET Online provides easy access to that information.
         
    • Occupational Outlook Handbook
      • The Department of Labor researches and reports on over 200 careers on an annual basis. Information on educational requirements, salary and wages, career growth potential and related occupations can be accessed online and free.
         
    • What Can I Do With This Major?
      • Use this website to identify job titles associated with academic majors,  specific fields, typical career areas, and strategic steps you can take to become a more marketable candidate.
         
    • Gradschools.com
      • This is a great resource to view graduate school programs according to educational level, location, and method of instruction.

    Internship Forms

    • Internship Confirmation Form (PDF) - This form must be completed prior to starting your internship. It is an internal form that does not require the signature of your site supervisor. You may only begin your internship once you have completed this form and received written confirmation from Career Services.
    • Internship Learning Agreement (PDF) - You will complete this agreement during the beginning of your internship. This form is only to be completed by you, your internship instructor, and your site supervisor; Career Services does not need to receive copies of this form.
    • Student Internship Contract (PDF) - This contract outlines a set of expectations that students are to follow both on and off the internship site and the Cazenovia College campus as well as  during and after the completion of the internship.

    “The Intern” Summer Stipend Program
    Credential Files and Forms

     

     
    Networking can sometimes seem like a very abstract concept. Networking is simply a way of examining who you know, who you would like to know, and making those connections happen. Below are a few of the many ways you can grow your network:
    • Reach out to your friends’ parents who are in a field you are interested in
    • Network through your professors, staff, family members, and peers
    • Meet with the employers and professionals Career Services brings to campus for events
    • Participate in internships and volunteer work to meet new people
    Networking
    Social media platforms such as LinkedIn offer other avenues for networking and are helpful to stay in contact with those you currently know and to establish new connections. Be sure to check out LinkedIn’s Alumni Tool, helping you to locate alumni that live or work in an area you are interested in. LinkedIn also features job search capabilities.

    While we are on the topic of social media, it is incredibly important to know how to harness the benefits that come with social media while also minimizing any negative consequences. That starts with ensuring you clean up any digital dirt and utilize effective social media strategies.