Welcome to Western!

1. Welcome to Western! • Career Services Center • a unit of • Academic & Career Development Services • Old Main 280 • (360) 650-3240 • www.careers.wwu.edu

2. ACDS: The Triangle of Success Academic Advising • Registration • Course selection • Choosing a major • Academic planning • Monitoring progress toward degree Career Services Tutoring Center • Free, drop-in tutoring • Tutor-assisted study groups • Time management assistance • Test preparation help • Study skills coaching

3. The Career Services Center What you need to know: 1.) We exist 2.) We can help

4. The Career Services Center www.careers.wwu.edulink What we offer: • Help with choosing a major • Assessment tests link • Career counseling • Internship & Job search guidance • Resume clinics & Optimal Resume link • Viking CareerLink link • Career fairs and events • Grad/Med school advising • Mock interviews • On campus interviewing

5. Putting Your Degree to Work First things first: What’s your major? Don’t know Pretty Sure I’m Declared Check out What can I do with this major? Hyperlink and the WWU Employment Survey hyperlink

6. WWU Employment Survey 2011 75% of WWU Graduates found employment while in school or within three months of graduation 14% went on to graduate school 8% were still actively seeking employment

7. Class of 2011 Hired Accounting………………..………….………. Tax Accountant, Deloitte, $57,000 Management…………....………………….. Team Leader, Target, $50,000 Management Info. Systems (MIS)... Programmer Analyst, Boeing, $58,000 Environ. Studies……..…..………………… Air Monitor, Environmental Solutions, $41,600 Environ. Science.…………………………… Lab Technician, Columbia Pacific BioRefinery, $36,000 Geography…………………………………….. GIS Specialist, Northwest Hydraulic Consultants, $42,000 Design….…………...………………………….. Design Production Artist, BrandQuery, $31,700 Biology……......……………………………….. Research Associate, Emerald BioStructures, $35,000 Chemistry………..…...……………………… Chemist, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, $43,434 Computer Science............................. Programmer, Corbis, $62,400 Engineering Tech……………………………. Manufacturing Engineer, Crane Electronics, $56,000 Archeology…………………………………….. Archeologist/Lab Technician, Lummi Nation, $40,000 Communication………………................ Public Educator, Pierce County Emergency Management, $44,075 Community Health………....………….... Health Coach, Healthways, $38,000 English............................................... Technical Writer, Golden Harvest, $27,000 History…………………………………………… Program Manager, Bureau of Education & Research, $33,000 Journalism…………………………………..... Content Writer, Ascendance Digital Media, $30,000 Political Science…………………………….. Staff Assistant, US House of Representatives, $28,000 Psychology……….……….…………………… Volunteer Coordinator, Americorps, $18,000 Spanish……...………………………………….. Program Assistant, Susan Komen Foundation, $30,000

8. Still Unsure? We’re here for you. Online or in person. • www.careers.wwu.edulink • Choosing a Major workshops & fairs • Online Assessments • Focus & Optimal Resume • Career counselors • Career fairs • Viking CareerLink • Ask!

9. WWU Alumni Mentorship Program

10. When should you start career planning? Hint: Not the week before graduation.

11. Freshman and Transfer Students Find the Career Services Center Meet with a counselor or peer advisor Set up a Viking CareerLink account Old Main 280: You are here 280 (And if you’re not, you should be!)

12. Sophomores and Juniors Work on your resume Attend career fairs and special events Look for volunteer, internship and other career-related experiences Set up Search Alerts in Viking CareerLink

13. Special Events 2012 - 2013 FALL QUARTER Community Internship & Volunteer Fair .................. Oct. 18 Health Professional & Grad School Fair……………. Oct. 24 Business Career Fair ………………………………….. Nov. 8 Law School Info Fair …………………………………... Nov. 13 WINTER QUARTER International Opportunities Fair …………………….. Jan. 31 Teach English Abroad ………………………….…….. Jan. 31 Majors Fair ………………………………………………. Feb. 7 Etiquette Dinner ………………………………………... Feb. 13 Winter Career Fair ……………………………………… Feb. 14 Huxley Internship & Career Fair …………………….. Feb. 14 Communication Sciences Disorders Fair …………. Feb. 28 SPRING QUARTER Spring Career Fair ……………………………………... April 18 Americorps Panel Discussion ……….………………. TBD US State Department…………………………………… TBD

14. A Word About Internships Just say yes! Students who do internships tend to: Get hired more quickly Find work related to their field of study Receive higher starting salaries Internship conversion rates are rising 58.6% of internships turn into job offers

15. Seniors Perfect your resume Get LinkedIn See career counselors for job search strategies Engage with on-campus recruiters Set up camp in Viking CareerLink Try a mock interview …and then some real ones!

16. Your mission—should you choose to accept it • Visit the Career Services Center • Take an assessment (or two!) • Volunteer, participate in internships and obtain career related experiences • Attend career fairs and other special events to research companies and practice networking (preferably before graduation)

17. Mission: Not Impossible Remember these guys? Hired Hired Hired Still in school

18. Words from a Recent WWU Grad “If it hadn't been for Career Services, my employment prospects would be dead in the water.” Hired Jonathan Geller Decision SciencesMIS Concentration