The many college students who are concerned with securing jobs after graduation may want to look into the assistance provided by Sonoma State University.
Career Services hosted a LinkedIn workshop Sept. 12 from 1 – 2 p.m. The department, once part of Academic Affairs, is now connected to Student Affairs and is located in Salazar 1070.
The workshop highlighted the advantages of having a LinkedIn account to facilitate job searches and networking, while also providing an overview of the several features provided by this professional network. It focused on guiding students in creating a LinkedIn profile and the importance of having this social network.
“I think that it’s a good place to be in Student Affairs,” Career Services Coordinator Ann Mansfield said. “We are very student-centered in terms of our product offerings.”
Mansfield said that Career Services is looking to hire a professional career counselor to come in and further provide professional advising for students.
“The main goal of Career Services is to help students prepare and navigate their own career development,” Mansfield said. “My main goal is that students have a career plan, whether it be getting an internship or graduate school.”
Mock interviews, which can be set up with Mansfield by appointment, are among the services provided. For these interviews, students come in dressed up and prepared as if they were in a real job interview, answer common interview questions and are later given tips and suggestions on how they can improve.
Other services provided include a career closet, career fairs, workshops on specific career-related tools, and info sessions for different types of employers and careers.
Aubrie Russo, a junior communications major, holds a public relations and marketing position at Career Services. Her main job is to boost the face of the department through its social media accounts.
Russo said she helps market the department through several of its social platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter and LinkedIn, where she not only advertises the services provided, but also future events and workshops.
“We manage the Seawolf Job Link, which is a service available to Sonoma State students,” Russo said. “On there we provide on-campus and off-campus job opportunities where students can also do an advance search for a major-specific job.”
According to a presentation at the workshop, LinkedIn has over 450 million members in over 200 countries, and about 85 percent of recruiters go to LinkedIn before going to any other recruiting tools.
Lexi Phan, a junior kinesiology major and student team lead at Career Services, said she didn’t have a LinkedIn profile until she started working for the department.
“I didn’t know how important it was when you are a professional and going into the workforce,” Phan said. “I think it’s important for students who are still in undergrad to start connecting with individuals, especially if they’re students at Sonoma State, because we have something in common.”
Career Services provides a calendar of events on its website and Facebook profile, making it easy for students to keep up with the many workshops offered and notice when potential employers will be on campus.
The department’s next workshop will focus on resumes and cover letters, and will take place Sept. 26 from 2:30 – 3:30 p.m.
“We want to point our students in the right direction and encourage them to come to us at Career Services,” Russo said. It’s never too early or too late to come in and take a step in the right direction by coming here.”
