Career Services Tips for Incoming Freshmen

By Erica Hauer, Career Services Marketing Intern

Everyone on this campus has been a freshman at one point of their college education and knows what you are going through. Upperclassmen have stories of great success and bad mistakes. I bet most are willing to share their knowledge and experience with you. Everyone is here for a reason: to get a job!

When building up your resume, it’s never too late to start early. This a huge part of why you are here going to college and on your way to getting your degree. The PACE Center and Career Services are here to help you through your fears.

Here are some things to keep in mind:

1. Make sure you have your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) information from the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office before you apply for on-campus jobs. It’s good to know what you qualify for (for example: work study or regular wage jobs) because Career Services can’t provide that information. We can, however, assist you with finding a job.
2. Make use of the PACE Center. This office is strictly for freshman. Don’t just go to fulfill an assignment that your University Seminar class assigned. PACE (which stands for Personalized Academic and Career Exploration) is there for a reason: to help you! Check out our blog post for a detailed description of the PACE Center.
3. Create a resume. Whether you had a lot of jobs in high school or none at all, it’s okay! Making a resume will give you the drive to go out there and apply for jobs early!
4. Make a list of goals. How many jobs/internships do you want to have before you graduate? Where do you want your career to be in the next four years?
5. Explore your interests. The Pace Center and Career Services have an online resource called Focus2 - Interactive Career Exploration. This assessment will take you through your interests, skills and values and give a list of career possibilities based on your results. It’s free, too!
6. Create your Jobs4Cats account through Career Services before fall classes start. Get ahead of the game! Don’t wait until November when the semester is almost over.

Don’t be afraid to branch out. It’s your education and college life. Be productive and make the most of the services you have on campus. Everyone here wants you to succeed so in four years you can walk across that stage with a degree and a job.

Career Services Summer hours: 8:00am – 5:00pm | Phone: 512.245.2645
PACE Center: UAC – Undergraduate Academic Center Room 120 | Phone: 512.245.2218