Career Services at Penn State Wilkes-Barre offers a variety of services, events, and programs to students on our campus. The Struthers Family Career Services Center is equipped with four interviewing rooms; technology for videoconferencing; a career information center housing our library materials and computer lab; and a conference room for our student leaders, faculty and staff, and community partners to hold meetings by reservation. Career Services enhances the awareness of the importance of intertwining one’s career decision-making with choosing a major of study.
Our general business hours are 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. We are open year-round and encourage students to make an appointment to ensure that someone will be in the office to assist them when needed. Upon graduation, students are able to continue seeking advice and assistance through Career Services at all Penn State campuses as alumni.
Here are some of the topics we can help your student with:
- Career Decision-Making-Strategies
- Career Transitions
- Choosing a Major
- Graduate School Exploration
- Informational Interviews
- Internship and Job Search Strategies
- Mock Interviews/Interview Preparation
- Navigating a Career Fair
- Networking Strategies
- Resume and Cover Letter Writing Critiques
Here are some of the programs and events we have initiated:
- Alumni Career Speaker Series
- Career Ambassador Program
- Employer Information Sessions
- Mentor Program
- Mock Interviews
- Networking Dinner
- On-Campus Interviewing
- PSU Eastern Region Career Conference & Expo
- Student Outreach
Career Services at Penn State Wilkes-Barre aims to connect with first-year students and transfer students upon arrival to campus. Often students associate Career Services with a place on campus to visit only once they are nearing graduation. However, this is not the case. One of the main facets of career services is career advising to students who are not sure what major to choose to study and/or what job options one might have by studying a particular major. Career Services provides access to an online assessment tool called for “MyPlan,” which all Penn State students can use to help them narrow down their career options.
We also work to develop students’ soft skills (communication, etiquette, conflict-resolution, problem-solving, etc.), by providing workshops, events, and programs geared towards enhancing these necessary world-of-work skills.
In addition to career advising, we teach students how to be confident, life-long job seekers. This includes providing assistance in developing a résumé/cover letter, researching employers, preparing for interviews, and narrowing down options that best meet students’ interests, values, and skills.
Career Services staff members work closely with academic departments to ensure our students are benefiting from our services from year one and on. We organize speakers on field-related topics to come into the classroom as well as visit classrooms to provide information on the importance of enhancing one’s resume through getting involved on-campus and in the community, and by networking.
Internship and Job Searching
When students are ready to start looking for internships or full-time employment, we partner with University Park and other Penn State campuses to provide career fairs and events such as networking dinners, information sessions, and on-campus interviewing that allow our students face-to-face interaction with employers. In October 2013, 5 campuses, including Wilkes-Barre, in the Eastern Region launched a yearly career conference and exploration exposition. This allows students of any semester classification to experience a professional development conference and mingle with employers to explore future career options. Additionally, students can utilize our online career services manager system called the “Nittany Lion Career Network.” This system allows employers from all over the world to post opportunities specifically geared towards Penn State students and alumni. Students can search for jobs and upload their resumes into an online resume book for registered employers to browse. The Wilkes-Barre campus also provides access to internships and part-time job opportunities via Career Services webpage.
How to Support Your Student
As a parent or guardian, it is important to realize the majority of students entering college do not know what they want to study. Many students change their major at least once throughout the course of their undergraduate education. Parents and family members can act as a sounding board for their students and recognize that the transition from high school to college can be daunting. Gentle reminders about resources offered to students on our campus may be all they need to get them moving in the right direction. It can be extremely stressful to a student who is unsure about what they want to “be when they grow up.” And, it is important to encourage them to understand their options and speak with a career services staff person to help them narrow down their choices. Our resources are vast and connections to the community strengthen opportunities for students to pursue job shadow opportunities or informational interviews.
Questions
If your student has any questions or would like to make an appointment, please have them contact Heather Paris. We are located across from the Student Commons and next to the Athletic and Recreation Building in the Struthers Family Career Services Center. We look forward to assisting your student in their career development.