University Park, Pa. -- Earning a degree is a challenging and exciting goal, but figuring out what to do with that degree or how to parlay it into a career presents students with a whole other challenge. Regardless of how focused each student is when embarking upon or finishing up an academic program, Penn Staters have access to a valuable resource when taking their first step into "the real world." Career Services is dedicated to helping students identify their strengths and interests in an effort to connect them with appropriate career options, as well as help them implement effective strategies for their post-college plans.
"We define ourselves and our roles within society when we make career choices," says Jack Rayman, director of Career Services and affiliate professor of counseling psychology and education. "Therefore, career development is an integral part of that process, as it helps to teach students the skills they need not only to successfully transition from college to the world of work, but also to make informed decisions throughout the rest of their career in an increasingly complex and rapidly changing economy and society."
On the University Park campus, Career Services is located in the MBNA Career Center, a state-of-the-art, 44,000-square-foot facility opened in 2002. This is a case where the housing of certain services truly impacts the effectiveness of how those services are offered, explains Rayman. The MBNA Career Center was specifically designed to be conducive to Career Services offerings, providing easy access on the first floor to students needing immediate help with career counseling or assessment, and offering an atmosphere of professionalism and privacy on the second floor for on-campus recruiting and interviewing.
The first floor: Easing into the process
Although the idea of entering a career center may seem daunting to some, the design of the MBNA Career Center and the friendliness of its staff are immediately welcoming and engaging. Students are greeted as soon as they walk in the door at the reception center. This is the first stop for students (called "clients" here) in their quest for counseling, career programming or recruiting services. Students who wish to set up counseling appointments can visit an intake counselor, who is available on a drop-in basis to answer any questions, provide initial assistance, and recommend next steps.
Each year, career counselors assist more than 10,000 individual students and alumni with services ranging from these brief intake sessions to computerized assessment and guidance to intense individual counseling sessions.
Also located on the first floor are:
* The Mock Interview Studio: An in-house studio where students can participate in videotaped mock interview training to practice interview skills and receive feedback on their performances;
* The Counseling Suite: The hub of counseling services, where more than 10,000 career-counseling appointments are conducted each year;
* Peace Corp Recruiting: A special advising service offered to students interested in becoming Peace Corps volunteers;
* The Assessment Center: A valuable resource for students interested in self-exploration and decision-making exercises, as well as learning a range of information about occupations and educational choices that suit their interests and strengths. Assessment and career-planning measures can be used independently or with the help of a career counselor;
* The Accenture Career Library: A collection of books and pamphlets on occupations, academic majors, job search strategies and career planning, the library also offers employer directories, graduate and professional school guides, notices of available jobs and internships; and
* The Unisys Employment Resources Room: This resource room houses literature on companies recruiting through Career Services, as well as handout literature to assist students in various aspects of the job search and graduate school application process. An eight-station computer lab is also housed here.
Rounding out the first-floor resources are also seminar rooms, the Outreach Programming and Education Credential Services suite, the liaison office for the other Penn State campuses, the Alumni Career Services suite, and the KC Cafe.
A focal point connecting the first and second floors is the Grand Staircase. As it ascends from career planning services to career implementation services such as on-campus interviewing, Rayman explains, this staircase serves as a metaphor for students transitioning between just exploring career choices and actively seeking employment in their chosen area.
The second floor: Taking the future by the reigns
The second floor of the MBNA Career Center, as mentioned above, is a space largely dedicated to on-campus recruiting by employers from business and industry, government and other fields. "Penn State has one of the largest on-campus recruiting programs in the country offered in a premier interview center," explains Rayman.
Here, students and employers can meet in one of 44 sound-insulated rooms, specifically designed for interviewing and hardwired with every type of communications port that might be needed. From incorporating natural light to calm interviewees to making sure the furniture is moveable so employers can reconfigure each room as needed, the Interview Center was designed to help the interview process be as smooth and successful as possible.
What keeps corporate clients saying 'this is as good as it gets'
While Career Services' primary concern has always been supporting students' needs, recognizing the needs of employers is also vital to the success of the MBNA Career Center. After all, employers may be compelled to return more often if they are happy with the services provided to them. With this in mind, the MBNA Career Center was designed to offer employers the conveniences they need to do their job effectively.
Employers have available to them the use of interview waiting rooms, where they can hold meetings or have students meet with a greeter; an employer lounge, which offers a place to relax; and for corporate donors who have sponsored many of the interview rooms, display space along the hallways of the first and second floors. Amenities like these, along with access to state-of-the-art technology and a responsive and friendly staff, has prompted very favorable responses from corporate clients, says Rayman. "The feedback we've received has been very positive. We are consistently praised for our service and support. A common remark is, 'This is as good as it gets.'"
Overall, more than 1,000 different corporate representatives and governmental agencies come to Penn State each year to conduct in excess of 20,000 job interviews with students, giving the University one of the strongest and largest on-campus interviewing operations in the nation.
"Few choices cause students more concern than to figure out what career they are going to select," says Rayman. "Our purpose is to ease those concerns and arm students with the knowledge they need to do well in the working world. Career Services—through its staff, its programs, and its facilities—works together to accomplish this."
Outreach programs and career fairs
In addition to the services detailed above, Career Services' staff also conducts more than 400 outreach programs, seminars, workshops, courses and career fairs annually that attract more than 40,000 participants.
Spring is a particularly exciting time at Career Services, as the staff is gearing up for the annual Spring Career Day, which will take place on Tuesday, April 13, at the Bryce Jordan Center, from 1 to 6 p.m. Spring Career Day is a networking and recruiting event for all Penn State students and alumni of all standings, in all majors, at all campuses. It offers the final opportunity of the academic year to meet with employers personally to discuss opportunities--full-time, as well as internship, co-op and summer positions.
The following preparation workshops are offered on Monday, April 12, at the MBNA Career Services Center, to aid students in getting ready for the fair:
* Resumania, 2-6 p.m.
Students can drop by to have their resumes reviewed by recruiters and get some final tips before the fair.
* So Many Applications and So Few Positions: How Can I Stand Out?, 6-7 p.m.
Panel discussion topics will include standing out at the fair, on a resume and in an interview.
* Multicultural Networking Reception, 7-9 p.m.
Connect with companies originally scheduled to attend the canceled Steppin' Up Multicultural Career Day. Students are encouraged to bring resumes to hand to employers.
For a complete list of these programs, visit http://www.sa.psu.edu/career/