Career Development Center
Julia Barlow Sherlock, Director
Ronan Hall 240
989-774-3068
The primary goals of the Career Development Center are to assist individuals in recognizing career development as a lifelong process and to develop decision-making and job search skills that are useful throughout life. Career development is an important element of an individual’s sense of identity and personal happiness. Successful career development is dependent on two factors: self-knowledge and knowledge of the world of work. The likelihood of career success is increased dramatically when individuals invest incremental effort over a significant period of time. We believe you should continue the process of career exploration and selection during your first semester and throughout your CMU experience. By utilizing the Career Development Center, you will enhance your ability to make an informed career decision. All of us at CMU are committed to providing you with quality experiences and helping you prepare for your career.
Support Services
Advising. A professional staff member in the Career Development Center is available to advise students in all fields of study. You may call to make an appointment with an advisor to discuss industry trends, salary trends, available resources, time frames for conducting a job search, preparations for your job search, and information about internships. You are encouraged to communicate with a career advisor throughout your CMU career beginning with your first semester. Frequent contacts with an advisor will enhance the quality of your career development and increase your knowledge of resources and job market trends. Visit www.careers.cmich.edu for information on planning for career success.
Resume Critiques. The Career Development Center offers individual assistance in the development of this most critical tool.
Mock Interview Program. This program is designed to provide an opportunity to practice your interviewing skills prior to actual scheduled interviews with employers. This practice interview is a session with an intern who is trained to provide feedback about verbal and nonverbal techniques.
Register. Searching for Internships, Employer Referrals, and On- Campus Interviewing. Individuals who are actively pursuing professional employment or internship opportunities register with the Career Development Center by using Handshake. This system is available to undergraduates, graduating seniors, graduate students, and alumni. Registering allows you access to the on-campus interviewing program, internships, the employer referral program, and our job database.
Assessments (Career “Tests ”). Try the free FOCUS2 assessment tool to help clarify your interests, values, skills, personality, education preferences and leisure time interests. Use this information as a basis for further discussions about your choice of major and future with a career advisor, friends, and family members. Additionally, this tool can be used to research job titles that fit your personal profile. Also available through the Career Development Center, for a nominal charge, are the Myer’s-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and the Strong Interest Inventory (SII). You must make an appointment with a career advisor to receive and discuss your results.
Career Events. There are numerous Career events held throughout the academic year. These events are focused on the following career-related activities:
Career/Job Fairs
Employer Spotlights
Capital City Internship Program
Fire Up Your Career Information Workshop
How a major “fits” into the world of work.
Go to https://cmich.joinhandshake.com for a current list of Career Events (you will need a global id).
On-Campus Interviewing Program
This program is designed to give students access to a well-established base of employers who schedule and conduct interviews on campus for a variety of entry-level positions. A list of employers and their interview dates is available in Handshake (https://cmich.joinhandshake.com), and the Career Development Center.
For more information, contact the Career Development Center, Ronan Hall 240, 989- 774-3068, careers@cmich.edu, or online at www.careers.cmich.edu.