What the career center can do for you

Your school's career center helps with every stage of a job search, from choosing a field to preparing for an interview. This page lists the services schools commonly offer and how to arrive at an appointment ready to use the time well.

Help with documents

Advisers review resumes, cover letters and personal statements, and many offices take drop-in visits for quick reviews. Bring a draft rather than a blank page, along with a posting you plan to apply to. Feedback tied to a real job is easier to act on.

Many centers also help with graduate school applications, including timelines and statements of purpose. Some keep sample resumes for different fields that you can look through before writing your own.

Practice and preparation

A practice interview with an adviser lets you answer real questions and hear how your answers come across. Some schools record the session so you can watch it afterward. Others offer interview practice software you can use from home.

If you are unsure which field suits you, ask about career assessments and one-on-one advising. These sessions look at your interests, the classes you enjoy and the work you have done so far, and suggest roles worth researching.

Bring to your first visit

• A draft resume, even a rough one
• One or two job postings you like
• Questions about your field
• Your class schedule for booking follow-ups

Employers and alumni

Career fairs, information sessions and on-campus interviews bring employers to you. Many employers that recruit at a school post their openings only on that school's job board. Registering on the board and turning on alerts for your field means you see those postings when they open.

Alumni networks let you contact graduates working in fields that interest you. A short conversation about how they found their first role often teaches more than a job description. The career center can show you how to reach alumni and what to ask them.

Who can use it and when

Services are usually open to every enrolled student, including part-time, online and graduate students. Many schools also let recent graduates keep using the office for a period after they finish. Ask how long that period lasts at your school.

The busiest weeks fall right before career fairs and at the end of each term. Booking early in the term usually means a longer and calmer session.