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Career Services welcomes the opportunity in assisting you in realizing your full potential, interests, abilities, and academic experiences. Such a realization is essential in the process of selecting the career opportunity which will best provide personal growth and professional development.
We offer opportunities for you to gain marketable experience to prepare you to manage your career pre- and post-graduation. The Career Services staff encourages all students to come in for career coaching as a part of planning your career choice and marketing your talents. Please contact our office any time to confer with one of our staff members. Your questions and concerns about your career goals are of utmost concern to us.
We look forward to an excellent and close working relationship with you for many years. Your career concerns are ours!
Career Coaching
Spend quality time with Career Services personnel in developing your career plans. Please call (302) 857-6120 or stop by MLK Room 136 to schedule an appointment with Career Services staff to assists with career coaching (not academic advising). Appointments can be scheduled for Monday through Friday, 2:00pm – 4:00pm; walk-in assistance limited during those times. As a courtesy to Career Services staff and fellow students, please call well in advance if you will miss your appointment. Two no-shows will result in suspended Career Services support.
Career Services assists you with:
- Development of career choice through skill inventories
- Matching education to employment opportunity
- Selecting academic programs and experiential opportunities that optimize future educational and employment options
- Finding positions through resume review, mock interview sessions, and job search
- Networking with alumni, employers and professionals
- Preparing to manage your career post graduation through professional development plan
What Is Professional Development?
• Professional development is deciding what type of job you want, determine the skill level and behavior needed to perform the essential tasks and work in a team environment, and discovering and planning ways to get those skills. Professional development also includes lifelong learning and reinvesting in marketable skills to keep you employable. You become an entrepreneur of your own future!
• Your professional development starts now. Your language and mannerism should reflect your professional attributes. Your behavior is your resume and reflects what you have done and where you are going. Those who intend to hire you need to see your passion and how that fits into their vision, mission and goals. Your GPA shows how well you are fully engaged in your studies and translates to how you will work in your career.
• Employers are hiring people who create business solutions. The more you can diagnose your work space and come up with creative, innovative ideas to streamline processes, the more valuable you are to your organization. With this in mind, while you are in school, you need to have focused career goals, relevant and meaningful work experience or internships and a good networking system (personal and professional contacts/leads) that gives you ample exposure to the real working world in order to land a good position.
• Do research on your industry to see how it has evolved and what future trends may keep it functional or obsolete. You don't want to expend a lot of energy on something that won't exist for you in the near future. You need to constantly evaluate/reinvent/reinvest your skills and match them to current and future vocations.
On-Campus Recruiting
The on-campus recruitment program is one of the most significant ways in which organizations are exposed to Delaware State University students. Interviews may be scheduled on-campus for summer, cooperative education, full-time employment, military, or graduate school recruitment needs.
On-campus recruitment begins in October and ends in April. Employers schedule interview sessions via Monstertrak®. Interview dates and times will be posted on the Career Services event calendar. Log on to Monstertrak® at www.monstertrak.com to view employer profiles, job descriptions, job vacancies and to post your resume.
Cancellations and No-shows
It is the policy of the Career Services Center that students and recruiting organizations attend all scheduled interviews sessions. The basis for this policy is to deter a negative impression for the University (which may lessen the employability of Delaware State University graduates) and continue an excellent rapport with hiring organizations.
Students will be allowed two cancellations during the current school year. Students that register two “NO SHOWS” or cancellations immediately forfeit the services of Career Services Center , including interviewing on campus. Students needing to cancel an interview session may do so by contacting the Career Services Center 24 hours in advance at (302) 857-6120 ore e-mail careerplanning@desu.edu
Computerized Career Services Systems
Career Services invites students to use the computerized career information software for career planning activities; job search/ employer listings; skill inventorying and career exploration. A list of the systems can be found at Career Services On-line Resources .
Cooperative Education
Cooperative Education (Co-op) is a program in which students combine formal academic study with periods of practical work experience in business, industry, government, or service organization. Students participating in the Co-op program receive academic credit from the University and are paid by the employer for experience gained on the job. For employers, Cooperative Education produces an opportunity to observe prospective future employees and influences the direction of higher education.
Career Exploration Day
Career Exploration Day is held annually and is designed for employers to share career options within their organizations with Delaware State University collegians so that students may best prepare themselves to be marketable, exceed employer expectations and to efficiently transition from the classroom to the formal occupational setting.
Why go?
- To see what kind of jobs and career options will be available to you pre- and post-graduation
- To invest in your career by networking with professionals from business, industry, government and education
- To meet future employers to discuss your value to their organizations now as a collegian
- To secure internships or permanent job placement
- To find out information on graduate studies and career choices
Before you go:
- BUSINESS ATTIRE REQUIRED. You must be dressed properly in order to gain entrance into Career Services events. REMEMBER: You will only get one chance at a good first impression!
Business Attire Guidelines: Clothes should be classic, traditional business attire that is neat and crisp. No cocktail party, baggy, tight, shiny, club, revealing, provocative, or trendy apparel are permissible. No flip flops, slippers, athletic, flashy, shiny, distracting or trendy shoes or hiking or work boots is permissible.
Men
Basic colored suits and shoes (i.e., black, brown, navy, and gray) are appropriate. Suit jackets can be no longer than mid-thigh. Shirt, socks, and ties should be matching, classy and appropriate texture. Hair (including facial hair) should be well-groomed. Conservative jewelry is appropriate for this event.
Women
Basic colored suits and shoes (i.e., black, brown, navy, and gray) are appropriate; mellow reds, patterns and whites may also be acceptable for certain seasons. Suit jackets can be no longer than mid-thigh. Pants should be tailored and not tight nor flowing. Skirts should be knee length or longer; slits are generally in the center back to facilitate walking or stair climbing.
Tailored shirts, blouses, knit sweater and sweater sets are appropriate. Cotton, silk, and blends are also appropriate; velvets and shimmering fabrics suitable for parties are not. Fit should not be tight; revealing cleavage is unacceptable.
Make-up, nail polish, hose, shoes, bags, jewelry and accessories should be conservative. Hair should be neat and well-groomed; avoid extremes of style and color.
- Preview the list of employers that will be attending and focus on the ones that meet your career aspirations. Research the mission, vision and values of the companies where you have career interests. Be prepared to discuss informatively how you are the best fit for their organization.
- Have plenty of copies of your resume available to distribute. You may make an appointment with Career Services personnel to review your resume prior to the event.
- MARKET YOUR TALENTS! Prepare a 30 second commentary to introduce yourself to employers or graduate school representatives. You do not want to sound as though you are reading a script. Your statement should be brief but include viable information about your credentials (i.e., formal education, experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, and community activities) and how they equate to success on the job or at graduate school.
Avoid overusing catch phrases (i.e. detailed oriented, team player, effective communicator, etc. ). These phrases sound rehearsed and boring to employers looking for prime candidates to fill vacancies. Be genuine in your interest in the organization and articulate how the organization will benefit from your performance.
At the event:
• Greet employers with a smile and ensure eye-to-eye contact. Extend hands for a firm handshake; be sure hands are clean, warm and dry.
• Be organized. Carry a simple padfolio to keep plenty of copies of your resume and to collect business cards and contact information – even if you are only exploring career options.
• Watch your manners and mannerisms. Employers will be assessing you on your ability to function effectively and efficiently in the work environment. Professional and personable interpersonal, business and social skills are keys to landing the internship and/or position of your dreams. Employers evaluate these skills heavily as they reflect your ability to represent an organization to the public. Slang, lazy or inappropriate communication (verbal and non-verbal) is unacceptable.
PLEASE NOTE: Cell phones will be turned off, on mute or on vibrate and tucked away. Cell phone use will not be permissible while interacting with employers, in the auditorium or during event activities. Participants may use cell phones outside of the event perimeters.
Post-Graduation
Congratulations on completing your degree! You have reached a significant milestone in your journey of life!
Please complete the Graduate Follow-up form! It only takes a few minutes of your time!
Even if you have not finalized your after-graduation plans yet, we still want to hear from you. You can complete another form in a few months once your plans have changed.
The survey is easy, fast, and confidential. Privacy note: We do not publish or share names or individual responses. Individual identifying information is not published or disclosed.
Why we ask:
The information is valuable — to academic departments, to employers who hire Delaware State University graduates, to you as an alum to see what you and your peers have achieved, and to current and future students and their parents! |
