Frequently Asked Questions

How do students get involved with Career Services?

• Students can schedule an appointment with a career advisor to work on their personal and unique career development plan. This includes help with finding jobs and internships and working on resumes and cover letters. Have your student contact Tom to set up an appointment today!

Is Career Services open during the summer?

• Yes, we are open year-round. Summers are quiet in our office and a good time for unhurried career exploration. Typically, our summer hours are Monday - Thursday, 8:00am - 5:00pm, and Friday, 8:00am - 1:00pm.

What happens during a typical career advising appointment?

• This depends on where students are in their career development process. If exploring careers and interests, students may work with advisors to investigate their interests, skills, and values and to apply this information in formulating career goals. Students may also use an appointment to discuss field experience opportunities, and to learn more about how to best approach their job search (addressing networking, resumes, interviewing, etc.).

When should students begin working with Career Services?

• Career Services works with students from enrollment until six months after graduation. Ideally, a student will start exploring careers as early as their first year so that they can prepare for field experience opportunities and the eventual job hunt.

Why would a student who has decided on a major need to use Career Services?

• In any major, there are a number of career paths that students may take depending on their interests and abilities. Shadowing, networking, gaining hands-on experience through an internship or volunteer work can help students to develop skills that are valued by employers and to gain experience that can clarify or solidify the direction of their career. Our office is a valuable resource for finding such opportunities, and for providing access to alumni and employers.

Is it common for students to start out knowing exactly what they want to do with their lives but then become uncertain or consider a completely different direction?

• The college years are a time of rapid and profound change. College exposes students to new ideas and disciplines that can open their minds to possibilities and opportunities they never considered. Our career advisors are skilled in supporting students who are reconsidering their career focus.

How can my student find an internship?

• Students find internships and co-op opportunities through a variety of sources. Professors and Career Services are the main ways students find out about opportunities, but word of mouth and an individual search are also ways to seek out internships.

How can my student find on-campus and part-time jobs?

• Students looking for part-time jobs on and off campus, as well as work-study jobs, can use Career Services to take advantage of these opportunities.

What is Career Services’ role in finding students a job after graduation?

• Career Services offers extensive services geared toward helping students secure jobs upon graduation. Through one-on-one advising we help students learn to network and search for jobs, create resumes and cover letters, and prepare for interviews. Our office sponsors several job fairs annually and hosts employers who recruit directly on campus. Our website has a portal where we post jobs and our office hosts a Career Services Facebook Group that will also be updated the most frequently and is useful for both current students and alumni of Bay State College.

In general, how can my student become more competitive for the job market or further education?

• To become competitive for the job market or further education, students should focus on three areas:

1. Academics: Grades show intellectual competence, self-discipline, and the ability to learn new material. Students should be able to articulate what they learn in their coursework in terms of specific intellectual skills.
2. Leadership Experience: Employers value well-rounded graduates. Students should be able to show examples of strong leadership, communication, organizational and teamwork skills. Participation in student organizations, as well as athletics, can provide excellent opportunities for development in these areas.
3. Experiential Learning: Internships, co-ops, community service projects, campus involvement, and part-time jobs are all important opportunities to gain hands-on experience in a variety of career fields. Students can identify and confirm their areas of interest as well as develop industry-specific skills needed for a full-time job or graduate school. Additionally, employers often use their internship or volunteer programs as recruiting tools to identify potential entry-level employees.