Student FAQs
When is the Career Center open?
- Typical business hours are 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday-Friday
- Closed for holidays and winter leave
- One-on-one coaching is by appointment only
How far in advance should I schedule an appointment?
- Appointments should be scheduled 5-10 business days in advance
When is a good time to start working with the Career Center?
- As soon as you get to College! Every semester you can be doing something career-related and the Career Center will help you gain the skills and experience you need to transition from classroom to career.
Why do I need a resume?
- The purpose of creating an effective resume is to grab the attention and interest of a potential employer enough to want to interview you. Resumes provide a brief overview of your skills, experience and demonstrate your aptitude for the job.
What if I don't have any experience?
- Employers value skills developed through academic work, volunteer experiences, extracurricular activities, and other experiences that demonstrate skills useful in work.
- Career coaches can help you identify work you are proud of through SAR questioning:
- What is/was the Situation (S) I am tasked with?
- What are/were the Actions (A) I took to accomplish this task?
- What is/was the Result (R) in completing this task?
When should I schedule a coaching appointment to review my resume?
- If you have attended the Resumes That Get Results workshop and you have a draft of your resume with the information provided from the workshop.
- Or, if you have a great start with your current resume and have reviewed the resume approval tools in the Career Center Library.
Is a Mock Interview that helpful?
- Mock Interviews can be quite helpful to practice the way you answer interview questions. Mock Interviews provide feedback to your responses so you can highlight your accomplishments making you stand out as a top candidate.
What is Experiential Learning?
- Academic experiential learning provides a critical link from the classroom to working to earning. It is learning by doing through Internship Cooperative Education Experience (Co-op), Job Shadowing, Field Experience, Practicum, etc.
- It may be a requirement for the program you are pursuing, if not it may be an option to bring more value to your classroom studies and help build your network.
Why should I intern if it's not required for graduation?
- An internship gives you the opportunity to:
- Gain valuable work experience before you graduate
- Develop a new skill and refine others
- Apply knowledge gained from coursework to on-the-job situations
- Meet and work with professionals, establishing contacts for professional references and networking
- Earn money for tuition and expenses
- An internship could lead to a full-time permanent position once you graduate
When should I start looking for an Internship?
- The sooner the better! It's best to begin your internship search the semester prior to your desired placement. Lead time can give you a competitive edge to tailoring your effective resume and cover letter.
Can I do an Internship/Co-op after I graduate?
- Internships and Co-ops are primarily for students only. Employers are flexible with school schedules and understand that you are learning new skills so they can provide mentoring as you are obtaining your degree or certification.
I have a Field Experience requirement (2830) for my Program – when should I speak with someone in the Career Center about this?
- There is a process for seeking help and approval from the Career Center for your Field Experience requirement. Call or plan a visit your campus Career Center to make an appointment to discuss your plan for completing your Field Experience on time.
- If you are already working in your field of study and can utilize your current employment for your Field Experience you will need to provide the Career Center with a job description from the employer, your current resume, and contact information for your supervisor (name, phone number, and email).
How is the Internship/Co-op Program different from the Summer Internship Program?
- Students may apply online at any point in the year to begin the Internship/Co-op Program process with the Career Center.
- Students work with the Employer Relations Specialists and Coaches on campus to identify internship/co-op opportunities in the community, apply, interview, and have it applied to their academic record.
- The Summer Internship Program (SIP) is a specified internship program for a select group of on-campus and off-campus employers.
- This program has an open application period at the start of every Spring semester.
- Eligible SIP applicants attend interview fairs, are placed into an internship during the Summer term while enrolled in a summer course.
- Keep an eye out during the Fall semester for open application periods, eligibility and participation incentives.
What is Handshake?
- Handshake is a tool used by the Career Center for:
- Employers to post job opportunities when seeking Certificate or Associate degree students for internships, co-ops, part-time, full-time, seasonal jobs
- Registration for workshops, job fairs and other events hosted by the Career Center
- Researching to see which local employers are looking to hire Tri-C students
- Seeing what types of positions employers post for – a great way to see requirements and preferred skills for different industries
- Tips and podcasts on a variety of job-related subject matter
Can I schedule an appointment to talk about classes to take for my major?
- The Career Center provides job-related information once you have decided your major. The Academic Counseling Department would be the best resource to ask what classes to take for your major.
Who can I talk with to interpret my individual MyPlan results?
- The Career Center helps administer the MyPlan assessments to students through helpful resource material. If you are seeking additional interpretation about your results, please schedule an appointment with your Academic Counselor in the Counseling Department.
Can I still get help after graduation?
- Yes! The Career Center is available to Alumni and Community members who need job-related assistance.