Career Services Is Here to Help You Succeed
Whether you’re looking to advance in your current job or want to move into a new career field, the Center for Career Advancement at Purdue Global is ready to help. We discussed the career services offered by the Center with Career Specialists Nancy Santiago, Dori Dunkle, and Christine Robertson.
What Is the Center for Career Advancement?
The Center for Career Advancement offers Purdue Global students and recent graduates personalized support in their career exploration, preparation, advancement, and search for degree-related employment. The aim is to ensure each student's academic journey culminates with their future career goals and aspirations.
The department includes several teams of Career Specialists who are focused on supporting specific Purdue Global programs, areas of study, and geographic regions. This allows the Career Specialists to gain in-depth knowledge about industry employers and hiring trends that align with a student’s course of study.
Incorporating Career Planning into Curriculum
The Center for Career Advancement partners with Purdue Global’s deans and faculty to incorporate career planning into the classroom. They keep each other informed on trends and relevant academic updates and also work together to complete reviews of resumes, cover letters, and LinkedIn profiles as classroom assignments.
Services Offered by the Center for Career Advancement
A common misconception is that the Center for Career Advancement focuses primarily on placing graduates in jobs or reviewing professional documents such as resumes. In actuality, the Center for Career Advancement provides tools that students and graduates can use throughout their career journey. This includes everything from exploring career options that fit with a student's goals to conducting a job search to making future career decisions — all with the support and collaboration of a Career Specialist.
Here are some of the career services provided to students and graduates by the Center for Career Advancement.
Career Exploration
Students first encounter the Center for Career Advancement's services through touchpoints embedded in their courses. These are designed to encourage students to begin exploring career options early and seek further assistance from the center. Additionally, the Center for Career Advancement works with student organizations to connect with students throughout their time at Purdue Global.
A few months before graduation, Career Specialists initiate discussions and assessments to help soon-to-be graduates determine their interests, skills, and career goals. These discussions could include work-interest assessments, which can help students connect their innate interests to career options. Once these results are identified, Career Specialists use job market data to help the student or graduate investigate potential career paths.
Career Search Documents and Social Media Profiles
Optimized, well-written, and industry-specific career search documents, including resumes and cover letters, are vital to a successful job search and career advancement. The Center for Career Advancement helps students and graduates develop these branding materials, which can include e-portfolios as well as LinkedIn and other social media profiles that are used professionally.
Employment Search
Career Specialists can be beneficial partners in the job search process, regardless of whether a student is looking for a career change, advancement, or new opportunity in their existing field. Specialists can help students define job search strategies, provide tips on building and using professional networks (such as LinkedIn to connect with an employer and recruiters within a prospective company), and send personalized job leads.
In addition, the Center for Career Advancement has access to a variety of job search tools that can help connect students with potential employers, including:
Employer Partnerships
The Center for Career Advancement develops partnerships with potential employers of Purdue Global students and alumni. These partnerships help connect students and alumni with employers who have open positions that align with Purdue Global programs.
Since Career Specialists have a working relationship with the partnered employer's recruiter(s), they can ask the recruiter to assist with career activities, such as introductions, mock interviews, resume reviews, job shadowing, informational interviews, and more.
Employer Spotlights
Throughout the year, the Center for Career Advancement hosts Employer Spotlights — virtual information sessions — that allow students and alumni to learn about a potential employer's mission, culture, and hiring practices. These events are not only to inform but also to guide students and alumni on topics such as resume best practices, interview tips, and job search advice. Featuring an open Q&A portion, these sessions provide students direct access to employers, enabling attendees to ask questions and gain valuable insights in real time.
Many employer spotlights are recorded and shared in the CareerNetwork platform for students to watch should they not be able to attend the live session.
Interview Preparation
The Center for Career Advancement supports students who are preparing for job interviews through various tools and services. Within CareerNetwork, students and graduates have access to a virtual interviewing tool, Big Interview, which uses AI to provide real-time feedback. Career Specialists can also view these recorded interviews and provide additional advice if requested.
Students and graduates can also request mock interviews coordinated by their assigned Career Specialist. Depending on the request and availability of team members, these simulated interviews can be conducted in a panel or one-on-one format.
>> Read More: LinkedIn for Job Seekers: How to Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile
CareerNetwork
CareerNetwork is an online platform that can be accessed through Purdue Global Campus. It includes job prospects, program-specific groups, and other resources. Students can ask questions, post resumes and cover letters for review, and research employer partners.
Students have the ability to search for positions on CareerNetwork, which displays postings from employer partners and hundreds of job sites.
Students can select “Meet With Your Career Specialist” from the CareerNetwork page, and their assigned Career Specialist will contact them. They can also contact the department by emailing careerservices@purdueglobal.edu.
The Center for Career Advancement in Action
Many Purdue Global students and new graduates are in a career transition. This includes:
- Individuals separating from the military
- Stay-at-home parents reentering the workforce
- Those looking to advance in their current field
- Individuals seeking new career opportunities
Career Specialists help those in transition showcase their transferable skills and education to bridge into a new field of employment.
Case in point: An emergency medical technician who was enrolled in Purdue Global’s online associate degree in fire science program told their Career Specialist they were interested in getting into the fire protection industry. However, they wanted to look at job titles other than firefighter. The Career Specialist contacted the fire chief in the town where the student resides and connected the two to discuss career growth and a potential career path for the student.
In another example, a graduate from the online master’s degree in psychology program had hospitality and customer service experience but wanted to shift careers into the addiction/substance use disorder field. Their Career Specialist worked with them to tailor their resume, highlighting key transferable skills and knowledge. When an opportunity became available with an employer partner, the Career Specialist sent a prepared resume to the recruitment team for consideration, which led to a successful interview and employment offer. The graduate now has their foot in the door of their desired career field.
Get More Career Insights
Making changes to your career can be stressful, but Purdue Global’s Center for Career Advancement can give you the tools you need to find your next opportunity. You can also visit our blog to find career and job search tips.
If a certificate or college degree could help you reach your career objectives, learn more about Purdue Global. With over 175 online programs, you can earn a certificate or degree while still working and taking care of your family. Reach out for more information.
See Notes and Conditions below for important information.