Gateway to My Dream Job
As a video communications major preparing for graduation in May, I’m always looking for jobs either in front of or behind the camera. Although I have made professional connections as a student, I still need guidance as I search for a suitable job to start my career.
That’s how I found Arcadia’s Office of Career Education.
The Office of Career Education (OCE) is a great way for students to get information about career paths, how to apply for jobs, and how to get one-on-one counseling from real career advisors. Located in Knight Hall, Suite 100, OCE just opened a brand new, spacious office this academic year.
The mission of OCE is to “educate and create connections for the Arcadia University community to facilitate the holistic career development of undergraduate students, graduate students, and alumni.” Their career services include express advising, career mentoring, and assessment of career moves.
Additionally, the Office of Career Education hosts engaging activities such as an annual Internship and Career Fair and practice job interviews (by appointment). Students can manage everything from appointments to interviews on KnightLink, Arcadia’s central employment hub.
My favorite part of career services? They partner with various employers looking for college graduates to hire, which makes it easier for students to access job opportunities.
The Office of Career Education also hosts professional Prep Expos with resumé reviews and etiquette advice.
I had the opportunity to work with Laura Sibson, who is new to Arcadia and very helpful. She has years of experience advising students on their career choices. Before coming to Arcadia, Sibson was a career counselor at Drexel University, Bryn Mawr College, and Swarthmore College. I met with her on several occasions to discuss my resume and found that there were several things I did not need to include, such as my summary at the top of the page. I was told that I should only put a summary if I had prior work experience in my career field. Now, I have an objective at the top of my resume.
With a few tweaks and the removal of unnecessary wording, Laura was able to get my resume down to one page. I asked her why employers are more attracted to people with one-page resumes, and she responded, “It is not necessarily the long resume that is the problem; it is the experience that they are looking for. If you do not have career-related experience, you do not need the long resume.” I now have a resume with work experience that is relevant to a job associated with my degree.
Last year, when I walked onto Arcadia’s campus, I knew of the Office of Career Education, but I did not think anything of it. I wish that I would have gotten the advice for improving my resume earlier—I might have had some jobs lined up by now. Still, I am happy about my decision to seek help from OCE as I prepare to graduate.
The Office of Career Education is open weekdays, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., with express advising from peer mentors Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
