Where To Begin

As I experience the “where to begin” phase of entering the workforce, I notice I am not alone in the anxiety I’m feeling. Many of my peers are beginning to search for summer internships, co-op opportunities, or even their first post-graduation job. As we all set out on career-starting endeavors, many of us are failing to utilize the numerous resources available to us.

Solely from the fact that we are Marquette students, we are already attractive to employers. Marquette is known to produce hard-working, well-rounded individuals who are well trained in their field of study. Because of this, the career center is able to connect students with over 11,000 employers across the United States. The opportunities are right at our fingertips; this is where you can start:

Sign up for Handshake. Marquette is among 700 top universities that have transformed their career services through Handshake, an online platform for employers to recruit students. As a Marquette student, each job listed will be pre-approved by the university as having met Marquette’s recruiting standards. Over the last semester, the career center has added over 4,200 jobs to the website. When browsing job listings, students filter location, industry, paid vs. unpaid, time commitment, and more. If a job sparks their interest, students can favorite the job, or see a list of similar job suggestions. The site will tell them the application deadline, qualification requirements, and a detailed description of what the job entails. In addition, students can make their profile public and potentially be contacted by interested employers.

“It’s free, it’s quick, it’s easy” — Naomi Pollek, Assistant Director of Employer Relations

Attend career exploration events. Marquette puts on year-round events to connect students with mentors and/or employers in their field. This includes career fairs, information sessions, shadow days, networking events, and more, all of which can be found on Handshake. These events provide opportunities for students to explore career options, set goals, and connect with people who can help them reach those goals.

Create a LinkedIn Profile. As a top networking platform, LinkedIn can significantly boost a student’s chances of being hired. On LinkedIn, students can create a public resume-esq profile, browse job listings, and connect with professors, alumni, and employers. 9 out of 10 jobs report using LinkedIn to recruit employees.