Career Services Mission Statement

The Career Services office develops programs and furnishes services to help students make a successful transition from college to career. Students learn to formulate and pursue career goals and attain meaningful employment or gain access to graduate school. Alumni assess their current employment situation and negotiate career and job transitions through their involvement with the office.

Students/Alumni examine their values, interests and skills through dialogue with career counselors in order to establish a basis for selecting career goals. Students explore the relationship between academic majors and careers and gain an appreciation for the skills/values nurtured through a liberal arts education. Clients identify careers for further investigation, conduct detailed research and evaluate the suitability of career options through career counseling and by reviewing the office’s extensive collection of career related literature and websites.

Additionally, students/alumni gather information and gain perspective on career fields and work environments through communication with alumni/parent career volunteers from the Skidmore Career Advisor Network. Clients observe professionals in the workplace and gather further insight regarding work options through job shadowing experiences and networking events.

Students experiment with career possibilities by completing internships locally during the academic year and nationally/internationally during the summer months. Clients develop knowledge of a variety of work environments by completing multiple internships. Students experiment further with skill areas through campus and community leadership and volunteer opportunities as well as through academic research and project oriented courses.

Students/Alumni learn about a range of graduate educational opportunities and the process for effectively applying to these programs. Clients explore the relationship between graduate study and their career goals.

Students/Alumni develop job search strategies tailored to their target industry through consultation with career counselors. Clients participate in recruitment programs including consortium events, campus interviews, resume referrals and virtual career fairs and learn to retrieve job leads from electronic databases.

Students/Alumni develop written and oral communication skills necessary for conducting an effective job search. Electronic webshops and individual advising are offered to convey concepts regarding effective interviewing and resume/cover letter development. Staff conduct mock interviews and critique job search documents.

Revised 07/01/08