With just a few weeks left in the current fall semester, it’s a spooktacular time to look into what resources the O’Brien Center for Career Development has for you! Trust me — we know there’s nothing scarier than the internship/job search. If we could make it into a costume, we would. But you’re not going through it alone! We’re your apocalypse buddies, and we’re going to show you five tools you need to survive the hunt. No trick — all treat!
- AWATO
Ruh-roh. Where are *you* in your career exploration process?
Is just the thought of a career driving you batty? Have no fear, because we’ve got a fang-tastic way to help you out! AWATO makes it simple.
It asks you a few basic questions: who are you? What matters to you? What do you love? From there, you take five quick and easy personality tests that generate careers personalized just for you! Each test takes about five minutes to complete. If you’re low on time, you can come back whenever to finish them. From there, the “Explore” tab lists all your top results. And if you say “boo” to your top result, no worries — there’s a hundred more to look through, ranked from one star to five stars for how they fit you. You can search by industry, score, or even by keywords! But don’t get your hopes up — “ghosthunter” is not a career!
Think of it like this: if your career confusion is the monster in your closet, AWATO is Scooby Doo. It’s going to unmask that monster! Not so scary now, is it?
That’s an extra hour of applying for internships! Or … maybe just watching a scary movie.
- What Can I Do With This Major?
Howl are you going to use your major after college? If that question is a skeleton in your closet, that’s no skele-fun. What Can I Do With This Major? might be your answer! This website compiles almost any major you can imagine, breaking each one down into the most popular industries related to them. An English major, for example, might see areas in writing, publishing, technical communication, and advertising. Each section goes into depth on what jobs or careers are available in a given area. Even better, they tell you what kinds of companies will hire in that industry, and the strategies you need to float to the top of the hiring pool. Light as a feather, stiff as a board!
And if you’re not looking for industry-specific advice, scroll right to the bottom of your major’s page — they give a brief overview of your major’s importance, leaving you with extra resources like job boards and professional associations.
- Lightcast
One of our career advisors, waiting for you to request a Lightcast report.
Okay, you’ve got a skeleton outline of what you want to do; that’s great! But what skills do you need? How do you get them? Will it pay off? What companies are hiring? These questions might be terrifying — but not anymore! Lightcast brings your career to life, illuminating your projected salary, estimated career field growth and the relevant skills you want to develop. I’ll be frank(enstein): this little tool changes lives. If AWATO and What Can I Do With This Major? show you where you want to be, Lightcast shows you how to get there.
You better call Thing, though, because you’re gonna need a helping hand! The full version of Lightcast is only available through your career advisor. They’re practically dying to send you a report for any job you want, so make your appointment on Handshake today!
Not ready for an appointment? Don’t freak out — we’ve got options. If meeting your advisor sends chills down your spine, we’ve got an alternative called “Career Clusters” on our very own website. You can find it in the top navigation bar, between “What Now?” and “Career Resources.” Look for the career or major you’re pursuing! You’ll get a miniature version of what Lightcast would show you. Perhaps you’re interested in the Accounting, Finance and Banking cluster. Or, what about the Life Sciences and Research cluster? We’ve even got a cluster for the Visual, Written and Performing Arts! Check it out; there’s nothing spooky or scary about that.
Quinncia is, at the very least, less harsh.
- Quinncia
Imagine if the Terminator was your career advisor. Now stop imagining — it’s basically real! Quinncia is an AI-based tool that refines your resume and hones your interviewing skills. You upload your resume, and it gives you a list of suggestions for improvement. From there, you can schedule a mock interview with the AI that evaluates you on filler words, your rate of speech and your nonverbal communication. That’s not hocus pocus — it’s real life magic! If the thought of chatting with an omniscient robot gives you the chills, just check out this video of Quinncia doing its thing! It’s totally scare-free — but if it mentions time travel or a revolution, you should probably contact AskIT.
- Parker Dewey
The hustle is real. Too real?
If you’re haunted by seasons’ pasts, and internships that could’ve been, don’t despair. You could do the Time Warp, or … you could try a micro-internship!
Parker Dewey serves as a free database for short-term, professional, paid work experiences that’ll let you show your stuff. Summon up your courage and apply — you have nothing to lose! The best part? You can do it all from the comfort of your (haunted) house. Parker Dewey has it all, representing industries such as technology, business management, publishing, human resources, and the arts. You’ll likely be working with a small start-up (though not always), and that’s perfectly splendid. You get the opportunity to help grow a new business, build your own network … and if a full-time position opens up, who they gonna call? You!
Now that you’ve got the rundown, what are you doing!? Career development doesn’t have to be a pain in the neck — don’t let it suck the life out of you! Trick or treat yo’ self, and get started with these tools today.
Keep it creepy, and happy Halloween!
