by MEGAN UY, Contributor
The Center for Career Development hosted an internship and job resource workshop on Feb. 21 that provided Manhattan College students with different resources to help them in their search for future internships or jobs.
Through the college, students have access to career counseling, an online internship and job connecting program “Handshake”, a suit-up closet for those who may or may not own business wear and interview rooms where students can reserve a quiet space to have a phone or video chat interview.
Sharon D’Amelia, associate director of career development, led the workshop and provided Manhattan College students with tips on how to go about the internship and job process.
In a slideshow presentation, D’Amelia showed students what they need to be doing to prepare for an internship or job interview and also what to do once hired.
D’Amelia stressed the importance of internships for MC students.
“You will see when you’re ready to graduate and you’re applying to entry-level jobs that companies will still require that you have at least a year experience. Students will come to me all the time and ask, ‘How do I get that experience?’, and it’s through your internships, clubs, research, leadership roles and part time jobs,” said D’Amelia.
D’Amelia advised that students should ask themselves what they want when choosing an internship, and how to make themselves stand out from other applicants. She also emphasized that students figure out what experiences they would want to gain before jumping into the reality of post-grad life.
“You gain experience, you’re building your resume, you’re building your confidence and it’s giving you a competitive edge in the job market,” said D’Amelia about the benefits of internships.
A Handshake tutorial was also given.
Handshake is a career network that the college works with to help students connect with employers in their specific field in order to find internship and or job opportunities. Handshake allows students one outlet to find their desired internship or job.
Sprucing up your resume, creating memorable cover letters and updating social media accounts were other suggestions mentioned at the workshop.
The Center for Career Development has Peer Career Advisors (PCAs), that are MC students who offer assistance to those who would like help preparing their resumes, cover letters and applications.
Stephanie Roberts, a sophomore biology major, found the workshop to be very informative.
“A lot of people you go to talk to just hand you a flyer and say, ‘Go and do this’ and I’d rather have more instruction that would show me what to do, where to go, where do I sign up. I liked that a lot. If you give me a piece of paper I’ll probably say, ‘Yeah I’m going to do this’ but then I won’t. But here, I was actually shown how to do it and now I have no excuse not to,” said Roberts.
Kevin Aguirre, a sophomore mechanical engineering major also gained a lot of knowledge from the workshop.
“I found the workshop very helpful. I sort of knew that internships were going to be hard to find for an engineer but I never knew about all the different resources I had. Maybe I’ll stop by again for a suit. I think for the student looking for help and seeking for that extra push in the right direction, Manhattan College does offer as much help as you need,” said Aguirre. “I would have never known about any of this type of help if I didn’t go to the Career Center myself. If students got a reminder or an invitational email of these workshops or something to attract them and make them feel like they can be comfortable with the career counselor,” said Aguirre.
If struck with any problems or issues regarding internships or jobs, the college offers wide varieties of support and service for the success of students, the Center for Career Development is just one of many options.