HOME > FEATURED STORIES ARCHIVE > CAREER SERVICES

Send to Friend

Not Just for Seniors Anymore


By Keri Carter Pipkins, Assistant Director, The Career Center

CareerCenterUsage

Think back to when you were in college. Did you use your college's career services office, possibly called the "placement" office? If so, when did you first set foot in the career services center? If you were like me and many of our students today, 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 preparation strategies for a successful future was not part of the student mindset. That was then. Today's students are realizing that career preparation can begin as early as first semester, and that there are people to help them along the way.

During the 2005-2006 academic year, 32% of students who visited The Career Center were first and second year students, 18% were juniors and 36% were seniors. This closing gap likely is 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, www.epics.uiuc.edu) a nationally recognized, interactive program designed to assist first-year students to successfully manage the career development process.

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 from workshops to virtual advising, without setting foot in The Career Center. At our center, students will find knowledgeable and friendly student and professional staff members willing to assist in all aspects of career development from major exploration to internship and job search strategies.

The Career Center staff members truly believe that we serve students' needs related to Majors, Careers, and Everything In-Between! To learn more, visit www.careercenter.uiuc.edu, encourage your student to stop by The Career Center at 715 S. Wright Street, Champaign, IL anytime Monday through Friday between 8:30 am and 5 pm., or call us at 217-333-8020.

The Career Center is a proud member of the Illinois Career Services Network (www.careerservices.uiuc.edu), a coordinated association of over 25 Career Offices or 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 website at www.HireIllini.com.