College Touring: Don’t Forget the Career Services Office

Entry by Pat Patterson

In the current competitive job market, students need to begin thinking about and planning for their potential careers early on in their college experience.  Since students go to college to attain an education that will eventually be used to secure a career, students (and parents) should explore each college’s career services office on their campus visits.  A recent news release from Wake Forest University echoes this sentiment: 

As high school students and their parents begin the annual fall ritual of campus visits, experts are recommending that families make the career office one of the first stops on any college tour. “In this competitive job market, the tools and resources that a career office provide have become nearly as important as academics when choosing a college or university,” said Patrick Sullivan, Associate Director of Experiential Education at Wake Forest University.

In fact, college internships can be one of the quickest routes to full-time employment after graduation. In a recent study by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, 83 percent of companies surveyed said the primary focus of their internship program is to feed their full-time hiring program. The same survey showed that 92 percent of those companies plan to hire interns in the coming year.

As for those college and university administrators, it is important to make sure your campus’s career services office is an integral part of the campus tour.  Students and parents are more cognizant of the importance of career planning, and your career office’s resources and placement successes are a valuable selling point.