Senior year is full of anticipation, excitement and joy, yet with that comes the inevitable uncertainty of what’s next. The good news is no one is ever alone in this process. Colorado Mesa University’s commitment to student success includes preparing them for life after college, which is where CMU Career Services comes in.
Career Services provides resources and guidance for students and alumni in their journey toward reaching their career goals through career exploration, workshops, fairs and on-campus employer visits — and their spring 2020 events are going to be bigger and better than ever.
“I know when I was a senior I felt really overwhelmed with my classes and presentations. Then finding a job can be a full-time job in itself, so this year I want our events to really focus on tips and tricks for seniors so that they can be better prepared for whatever path they choose to take after college,” said Assistant Coordinator of Career Services/Workforce Development Liaison Kayley Vogel.
When applying for the position with Career Services, recent CMU graduate Vogel was asked to bring new ideas to the table that could help seniors take charge of their future — thus, The Road Map to Success Month was born. Road Map to Success Month is a series of events devoted to transitioning seniors from college life to the "real world."
“When I was a student I felt like I could’ve used help at the end of my senior year with resumes and cover letters and unfortunately I didn’t walk into Career Services, so I thought a series of events could really help students, specifically seniors, move from college life to the workforce,” said Vogel.
Road Map to Success consists of four different events. The first kicks off Wednesday, February 12 at 3:30pm in the University Center room 213. It’s a collaboration between Career Services, the Alumni Association, the Young Alumni Chapter and the Mesa County Workforce Center.
“We are going to have an informational presentation about all the different resources available to students. We’ll also have food and prizes,” said Vogel.
The second of four events in the monthlong series is a senior boot camp and workshop for graduating seniors to review resumes, cover letters and practice interviewing skills.
“I’m extremely interested in what we’ll learn about the interviewing process during the senior boot camp event,” said CMU senior Amara Hobbs who plans to go to graduate school after she graduates in May. “But I think it’s incredibly important to be able to go to as many events as we can. These events build off each other. We’ll receive information about the workforce, volunteering, traveling, graduate school and other opportunities we may not know about.”
In addition to the first informational event and the boot camp, Career Services and the Workforce Center are bringing in hiring experts for a panel discussion. The last event in the series is the Career Connections Fair, which includes around 100 employers from all different states and industries.
“The majority of students have the skills and experiences necessary to be prepared for entry-level positions but articulating that and writing it out in a resume can sometimes be the most challenging part. By attending these events students can get the message across as to what they bring to the table for employers,” said Vogel.
For more information about Career Services or Road Map to Success Month email them at [email protected].
SENIOR LEAP INTO LIFE
SENIOR BOOT CAMP: PREPARING FOR THE REAL WORLD
This will be a BYOR/CL (Bring your Own Resume/Cover Letter)! Please register through Handshake ‘Events’, by calling Career Services at 970.248.1404 or emailing us at [email protected]. Please provide your name and 700#.