By E. W., 10-2-12
To help kick-off the new school year, the Center for Servant Leadership unveiled a new program meant to help students as they prepare for a life after college. The Peer Career Advisors, a group of students trained to aid in career development, not only provide more convenient evening hours for Gusties, but also offer a more relaxed and comfortable atmosphere as students sort through their interests, activities, and goals in hopes of finding the perfect career. Corrie Odland, current supervisor of the program, stated the goal of the Peer Career Advisors is to allow Gusties an opportunity in which they can help their classmates master the basics of career development. This includes writing a résumé or cover letter as well as creating an online presence to connect with potential employers. In essence, the Peer Career Advisors are meant to help students reach a certain level of preparedness so that when he or she meets with an actual career development staff member, the meetings are as productive as possible.
Sophomore Kelli Remboldt was recently trained as a Peer Career Advisor and showed me the advantages of this innovative program. I was first given a walk-through of the Career Development website. Because the site has a lot to offer, it is easy to get overwhelmed. I would highly recommend seeing a Peer Career Advisor for a quick tour so that you can make the most out of the site. Several of the most useful features include helpful pointers on writing résumés and cover letters, links to websites that allow you to practice interviewing, and suggestions on how to figure out your career path. Remboldt also showed me the shelves of books available for check-out. The books cover topics from the GRE to the jobs that might best fit your personality. Overall, Remboldt stresses that one of the points of the program is to give students confidence as they take their next step in preparing for life after Gustavus.
If you are interested in meeting with a Peer Career Advisor, they are available Monday through Thursday, 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm, in the Center for Servant Leadership office. Feel free to walk-in anytime with questions or concerns; the students on duty will do everything they can to help you get to the next step on your career path.