Your career is a journey not a destination...

the Career Center is your compass.

Students Employers Faculty & Staff Parents About Us eRecruiting Career Expo

Career Center
McKinney Center
Truman State University
Kirksville, MO 63501-4221
(660) 785-4353
(660) 785-4366 (fax)
careers@truman.edu

Programs

Let the Career Center customize one of their many programs to your class or organization's unique needs. Whether your goals are to make a major or career decision, prepare for an internship or job search, or go to graduate school - the Career Center's array of programming can assist you. Please call the Career Center to schedule at least two weeks in advance or download the Workshop Request Form and fax the completed form to the Career Center
(660) 785-4353
(660) 785- 4366 FAX

Success in Career Exploration Series
These sessions provide students with tools that will help them in understanding themselves, the World of Work, and how to find a major and/or career that will mesh with their interests and personality.

Career Center Tour

How much does a zookeeper make?
What can I do with a Foreign Language major?
How can I post my résumé or research employers

Answers to these questions can be found in the Career Center. This interactive session provides students with a basic understanding of the services and resources of the Career Center.

(50 minutes)

Who Am I?

While it is important for students to find a major and/or career path that utilizes their skills, it is even more important to find a path that interests them and brings them satisfaction. The Career Center offers the Self-Directed Search (SDS), an interest inventory, and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), a personality assessment, both of which can be extremely helpful in finding career fulfillment. Cost: $6 per person, per instrument.

(Minimum of 90 minutes per instrument)

Holland Party

This session utilizes a party setting to help students learn where their interests lie in the World of Work, and what occupations are pursued by people with similar interests. This program serves as an introduction to the Self-Directed Search (SDS), which participants may wish to take subsequent to this session.

(20 minutes)

Values Auction

This fun activity utilizes an auction framework to help students determine what values are most important to them, and how to make sure those values are in harmony with their career choice.

(50 minutes)

Motivate Skills Card Sort

This guided activity helps students determine what skills they both like and are good at - their "motivated skills" - as well as their "burnout skills" by utilizing a card sorting game.

(50 minutes)

Personality Craze

This session utilizes a fun activity that helps students learn what personality typing is, and serves as an introduction to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), which participants may wish to take subsequent to this session.

(30 minutes)

Success in the Job and Internship Search Series
These sessions provide student with tools to help them in their search for part-time, internship, and full-time employment.

Résumé and Cover Letter Clinic

Do I have to include every job I've ever had?
How long should my résumé be?
What should I include in my cover letter?

People don't get a great job just because they have a great résumé, but many individuals have missed out on great opportunities because they presented a weak résumé. Students will learn basic résumé and cover letter "do's" and "don'ts," as well as how to highlight their education, work experience, and accomplishments.

(50 minutes)

Ace the Interview

So, tell me about a time when you managed multiple projects successfully.
Share with me a time you failed. How did you react?
So, your significant other wouldn't have a problem with all this travel?

Participants will learn how to deal with behavioral-based, difficult, and illegal questions during this interactive session. Students will be given the opportunity to actually practice answering interview questions, as well as how to develop questions to ask the employer and effective follow-up strategies.

(minimum 90 minutes)

Social Networking Sites: How to Avoid Sabotaging Your Career

"Being online" used to mean that you had a computer with an internet connection. Now, it also can mean that positive or negative information about you is visible to anyone who has access to a computer with an internet connection. Students and other job seekers who set up profiles on social networking sites should be aware of the possible consequences.

(minimum 20 minutes)

Dress for Success

Statistic: 92% of employers surveyed by the National Association of Colleges and Employers report that they are influenced by the appearance of a job candidate. In this session, students will see examples of professional attire appropriate for interviewing; as time permits, the three levels of business casual dress are also covered.

(minimum 50 minutes)

Etiquette Dinner

They're taking me to dinner as part of my job interview. Does it matter what I order?
Help! Which glass in mine, and what is this fork for?

Many highly qualified candidates have lost the opportunity for their dream job because of a "dining debacle." Participants will receive instruction throughout a four-course meal as they learn how to navigate the myriad silverware, glasses, and courses that may be a part of the interview process. The Career Center offers etiquette dinners each semester; for dates and times, stop by the Career Center.

(Cost of meal; 90 minutes; minimum of 15, maximum of 40 participants)

The Art & Science of Self-Presentation

This hands-on program will help participants develop:

Presentation skills, including rules of introduction and self-introduction, and exchanging business cards
How to hold food and drink and still manage to shake hands
Networking in social/business settings
Professionalism with cell phones, e-mail and other issues that can derail a career

The Career Center offers Networking Skills sessions each semester; for dates and times, stop by the Career Center.

(Cost $4 per person to cover reception; 90 minutes; minimum of 15, maximum of 40 participants)

Internships...Why, Where and How

Why should I consider interning?
How do I find out about internship opportunities?
How do I apply for internships?
What can I do to make myself competitive for an internship?
What should I expect from an internship experience?

Participants will learn the answers to these questions and become better equipped to find a truly valuable internship.

(30 minutes)

Networking Bingo

Networking is an important part of the job search, and this activity helps students begin the process of networking by engaging in a fun game. The importance of informational interviewing, and BulldogNet - Truman's alumni mentoring database - are discussed.

(20 minutes)

Career Expo Primer

Students learn what to do before, during, and after Career Expo to maximize their chances for success. Participants will also learn how to approach an employer, introduce themselves and shake hands.

(30 minutes)

eRecruiting 101

eRecruiting is the Career Center's web-based system for searching for on-campus, internship, and full-time jobs. Participants will learn how to maximize their use of this valuable resource through an interactive workshop.

(45 minutes)

Success in Graduate School Series
These sessions provide students with the knowledge necessary to navigate the graduate/professional school application process.

Graduate School Success

What universities offer graduate programs in my discipline?
How do I start writing my graduate admission essay?
What steps do I need to take to apply to graduate programs, and what is the timeline for those steps?

Participants will learn about the most useful tools to research and apply to graduate/professional school. Presented in the Career Center, the workshop includes hands-on time.

(50 minutes)

Personal Statement Workshop

The statement of purpose is a key component of most graduate school application packets. Develop a strategy for writing this important document, and what services the Career Center offers to assist you.

(50 minutes)

Other Programs
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Career Expo

More than 100 employers visit Truman each semester for Career Expo. This event provides students with an excellent venue to learn about internship and full-time job opportunities and practice their networking skills. Students can find out which employers will be attending an upcoming Career Expo by visiting the Career Center's website at http://career.truman.edu/careerexpo.

Fall Career Expo: Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008
Spring Career Expo: Wednesday, February 25th, 2009

Grad School Week

Programming offered throughout this week provides students with sessions on how to get into highly competitive graduate programs, how to write the personal statement, and how to finance graduate school. Watch for posters with specific dates and times.

Grad School Week: September 22-26

Mock Interviews

Students wishing to further develop their interviewing skills may take advantage of one of the following mock interview programs:

Career Center student-led mock interviews
SCORE mock interviews with retired executives
Mock interviews with actual employers, the day prior to each Career Expo
Perfect Interview - a computer-based, interactive program
Phone mock interviews

Stop by the Career Center to learn more about any of these programs.