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Career Services
Your Dartmouth student may not have a clue about what to major in or how to leverage his or her Dartmouth experience into a career. You are not alone. Many Dartmouth students—and their parents—have anxieties around choosing a major and a career.
Career Services helps Dartmouth students make informed decisions about undergraduate and post-graduate plans by providing resources and opportunities to encourage career exploration and self assessment. Career Services can help every student at every stage in their academic career.
First Year
An important first step in transitioning from college to a career is for students to visit the Career Services Center in downtown Hanover. Yet first-year students often feel uncomfortable walking through the doors. "Students don't know why they need our office when they don't know what they wish to do," says Skip Sturmen, director of Career Services. "But freshman year is actually a great time to take advantage of our self-assessment resources." These resources range from career coaching and computerized guidance to vocational inventories and "Finding the Career Formula" workshops. Says Sturmen, "The more students know about themselves and their interests, the better they will be able to shape their Dartmouth experience toward the future they want."
Sophomore Year
Sophomore year is an excellent time for students to get better acquainted with the extensive Career Resource Center and website and to plunge into voluminous Alumni Advisory Network that links with thousands of Dartmouth alumni who have volunteered as career advisors. A twenty-five minute First-Time User Tour will provide an excellent introduction on how best to use these resources.
Junior Year
Sophomore Summer (the summer after sophomore year, when the entire class is on campus) and junior year are great times to learn the art of writing the cover letter and resume, interviewing, identifying prospective internship employers. Internships are a popular means for students to test out interests and gain a leg up for entry-level opportunities. Many employers post internship opportunities for Dartmouth students on MonsterTrak (an internship database representing a consortia of liberal arts students) or on InterviewTrak, Dartmouth's online recruiting system.
Senior Year
Senior year can be especially stressful for Dartmouth students and their families. Says one recent senior, "When people get overwhelmed by so much going on, they 'default to structure' meaning that they hear and do things with known steps and expected outcomes"—just at the time when they might benefit from expanding their sights. Career Service is especially helpful to seniors and their parents, hosting an extensive on-campus recruiting program, employer fairs, and graduate and professional school workshops. Career Services also provides a wide range of informational sessions ranging from the environment and public policy to education and the arts to address the interests and needs of all majors.
If there were one piece of advice Sturman could give parents? "Encourage your student to use Career Services—leisurely, over an extended period of time."
For More Information
Visit the Parents section of the Career Services website. Career Services always welcomes walk-ins.