The thought of choosing a career can be daunting, however with a little guidance and a visit to a career fair, the path can become clear. Throughout the Spring and Fall semesters, FAU holds several career fairs. These fairs can be generalized or are split up into different fields, for example, there are fairs for nursing, education, and other various degree programs. FAU also holds fairs for students looking for part-time work and internships.

At the urging of my advisor, I went to my first fair during the fall semester of my sophomore year. Some of my sorority sisters joined me as we all wanted to check it out. We made the trek over to the rec center in our best business casual completely unaware of what to expect. We split up as we began to walk around because there were just so many different employers and companies to meet with and learn more about. We decided to first attend the general career fair, which showcases companies that suit various degree programs, so the lines were longer than we expected. Even though the lines were long, it was really beneficial to see what types of jobs I could qualify for after graduation. It was also helpful to learn what each company offered to its employees and see which ones had internship opportunities available to me.

The Career Fairs are held at the end of August, the end of September and through October in the Fall and again in February. For more information on the dates of the fair and the degree-specific fairs, click here.

Before you attend, it’s a great idea to head over to the Career Center. Here students are able to discuss various career options for their majors. The career center will also help you write and perfect your resume. My advisor recommended this to me and it truly helped to calm my nerves knowing I had a properly written and formatted resume. I was also able to schedule a mock interview at the career center, which also prepared me for when I spoke to recruiters at the career fairs. The Career Center will also help you with pointers on creating a professional LinkedIn profile using a professional headshot. A LinkedIn Jobseeker account allows you to view profiles and send InMail messages starting from $29.95 per month. HaveUHeard that LinkedIn has a version specifically designed for students looking for their first jobs? The LinkedIn Students app is free and lets you research jobs, view companies where alumni from your schoolwork, and connect with more people. You can create an account and get started right away without spending a dime.

The Career Center is also home to the Owls Professional Clothes Closet. The Owls Professional Closet provides students who qualify with business attire clothing. Students who are in immediate need of business attire clothing can rent from here as well. There are some requirements to fulfill to qualify for use of the career closet, you can find more information about that here. If you are looking to start building your wardrobe for after college, check out Dress for Success for some tips and student discounts.

The best way to prepare for the event is to do some research ahead of time. Check out the companies that will be showcased at the career fair and make a list of who you want to speak with. For more information about what companies will be attending the Fairs and to register, visit the Owl Career Link.

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What better way to learn about a prospective field or career than to do an internship? Obviously, I am a big believer in internships. I did my first internship while at FAU at a law office in West Palm Beach.  It was an amazing experience and I truly believed it helped me to get my first job out of college. Internships allow students to learn, but it also helps them decide if that is actually the career for them. They help them figure out, while still in school, whether the career they envisioned for themselves all along may (or may not) be just what they wanted? The question is how to find one.

I’m not going to lie….if you know someone, now might be the time to put the word out there that your student is looking. My oldest daughter got her first internship at Walgreens because a friend of a friend worked there. The two of them spoke on the phone and my daughter’s resume made its way to the right person.  While she did make some money while earning the job experience, it looked great on her resume and showed her that this was the career for her. Don’t worry; many internships do pay.

FAU’s Career Center offers students assistance in searching for internships and jobs, signing up for events and interviews, and career counseling. In addition, they run various career fairs and internship workshops throughout the school year. These are a great resource and often these companies at the fairs offer internship programs. FAU students have access to a database of internships. Students can create an account using their canvas usernames and passwords. Here, students can upload their resume and search for jobs and internships all over the country. And, HaveUHeard which companies were selected as the 100 best internship programs in the U.S.? WayUp presents its Top 100. Vault also has its list of the Top 20 Most Prestigious Internship Programs for 2020.

FAU’s Career Center has partnered with Handshake, a one-stop-shop for all things regarding your future career. Students can create a free account, where they can upload their resume. The resume will be looked over by the Career Center and students will receive feedback. Students can also create a personal professional profile to showcase their talents to employers. Students can also search for jobs and internships.

Check out the Career Event Calendar for updates on the next career fair and workshop.  Professional attire for these fairs is recommended as well as bringing a copy of your resume and researching the employers that will be there. They provide a list of which employers will be attending by logging in to their student Owl Career Link.

There are also many websites that list potential internships. Internships.com, as most of the sites do, allows students to put in their city and field of choice and even whether or not they are looking for paid and/or unpaid internships. From there a proper cover letter and resume would be the next step. Occasionally a Skype interview may be requested. Using sites like Indeed or SimplyHired may be worth a try, but spending a lot of time on these to simply hit the “apply” button and having their resume sent into a black hole generally doesn’t prove too successful as most of these positions get filled by students with a more personal connection.

Some websites, like Internmatch.com, allow students to sign up to get daily notifications for new postings about jobs that may be of interest to them. Glassdoor.com and YouTern.com are also useful websites to find an internship. FindSpark.com is better known for its more creative internships and entry-level jobs in NYC. LinkedIn can be an excellent resource. Perhaps your student saw a position at a company they are interested in on one of the above sites and then by scouring LinkedIn they can make a connection. My daughter also had a connection within the company through her sorority. To search for internship listings, be sure to have a detailed and updated LinkedIn page ready to go, then go to the jobs tab at the top of the page and put “internship” in the search box. Refine your search by filling in the boxes on the left side of the page.

LinkedIn can be an excellent source for both networking and landing an internship. A LinkedIn Jobseeker account allows you to view profiles and send InMail messages starting from $29.95 per month. HaveUHeard that LinkedIn has a version specifically designed for students looking for their first jobs? The LinkedIn Students app is free and lets you research jobs, view companies where alumni from your schoolwork, and connect with more people. You can create an account and get started right away without spending a dime.

Some students are creating their own videos or websites to show off all they have done and are capable of. It can be better than a long portfolio that may exceed the amount of space for uploaded information. These are generally used for more majors like graphic design or advertising, and not finance. Should your internship take you out of state, learn about housing options.

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As they get closer to graduation, one of the greatest changes our students are about to experience is abandoning their shorts, t-shirts and yoga pants, as they begin to dress for success in their new roles, or as my older daughter stated, for adulting. Dressing for success can be daunting in different ways, but the one that stands out most may very well be its cost.

Starting with the career and internship fairs students are attending, students need to look professional. For the young men, this may mean a suit and tie and for the young women, while they have more options, it may mean a suit, pantsuit, skirt, and blouse, or dress. Not to mention proper shoes. For students who may not have the means to go and purchase a new outfit, FAU has the OWL Professional Clothes Closet, a lending service where students can take up to four items per semester or rent clothing. It is open to all FAU students with a valid FAU Student ID Card. Students must meet all requirements in order to be eligible. It is a donation-driven service so not all sizes and types of items may be available.  Don’t rule out the local thrift stores- check out the Thrift Stores/Secondhand stores. From dresses to skirts, blouses, and even jewelry, this is another affordable way to find suitable outfits for interviewing.

Students need to research the companies they will be interviewing with and eventually working for. Some companies are very conservative in their dress policies and require business attire, while others are more business casual. Trends change, but the basics still require that their look should be polished. Most department stores will have suit(able) options.

As they begin to upgrade their success wardrobe, they will be happy to know that student discounts are everywhere for the asking. Students can sign up online and download the app for Student Beans which will give them discounts for food & drink, fashion, tech and mobile, health & beauty, travel, study, and more. Check out our blog Student Discounts- Money Saving Resources. A similar student discount app is Unidays.

Welcome to adulting.

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Are you working? Need some cash to make ends meet?

Some students have to work to pay for college; some consider their school work their only job and fortunately don’t have to find work outside their studies, and others choose to work while at school to supplement their spending. Whatever the reason, it is rarely a negative when a student gets a job, whether it is to pay tuition or housing, plan for their spring break trip (see our spring break blog for more information on that) or to backpack through Europe after graduation or simply to augment their wardrobe; working, while in school, is not new.

FAU will even help students find jobs both on and off-campus by visiting the Career Center and with the Student Employment Office. There are many job fairs, both on and off-campus, with FAU students. Click here to find out about what job fair may be right for you. Students can also check on CraigsList, Indeed, SimplyHired, Snagajob, Monster, and WayUp for possible opportunities.

Check out what students are doing at FAU to make money.

On-Campus Jobs- Various Jobs are availed on campus for students from working in the bookstore to teaching assistants, however, they are rather competitive. For current listings, click here.

CARE.com – students can sign up and post availability to babysit, dog sit, tutor, etc. The average pay is about $12 an hour.

Bartending – apparently, this is a really coveted position, probably because the money is plentiful, but be prepared for very late hours, even on school nights. Of course, one good tip jar during a game day shift may possibly pay half the rent for the month.

Tutoring – If there is a subject that you have already mastered, share that knowledge for $20-25 an hour with a student that needs some guidance on that subject.

Waitress/Hostess – There are so many places to eat near campus and they all need help at some point.

RA – (Resident Assistant) – This is a great way to get reduced housing. Students interested in applying must attend an information session, held from the end of November through early December. Applications close after December.

UBER – Yes, some students with their own cars drive for UBER.

The Mall – Yes, many students find jobs at the Town Center mall that has more than 100 stores.

Become a shopper for Shipt.

Fiverr– Fiverr is an online marketplace for freelance services that started in 2010 and got its name from the original price of jobs being $5 per task. This is a great place for students to list services they offer (or parents) or even find inexpensive tutors.

Get paid to play with dogs by becoming a sitter with Rover to gain access to the nation’s largest network of pet parents. Click here

StudySoup Notetaker – This is a great job because it doesn’t really require any extra time. If you are an excellent notetaker you can make up to $500 a semester by taking notes as an Elite Notetaker.

Wag Walking – This dog walking service has been called the Uber for dog walking. There are students doing this because each job is relatively quick (a walk depending on how far the owner wants) and who doesn’t love puppies? It is a stress-free way to make money.

Rover– Becoming a dog/cat walker or dog/cat sitting, apply to be a pet sitter at Rover. You will need to pass a basic background check

Internships – This is a great way to get real-world experience. You may start a broader search through the Career Center on the internship web page… For a narrower search, we recommend looking at your individual college or looking up specific companies that you may be interested in working for. Chegg has an internship site or check out some of the job sites including Indeed.com. Don’t rule out Linkedin as a resource either. And, if you have contacts with friends, families, acquaintances, ask if they know of any internships. Even HaveUHeard has a paid internship program.

Remember, students that hold part-time jobs may not be able to leave for school breaks, which may mean spending Thanksgiving, spring break or some of the winter break at school. Some dorms are not open during breaks so this can be an issue.

For more great tips, read through our other blogs, follow us on Facebook and Instagram at haveuheard.com and share with other parents you know. New to HUH, here is how to use the site. 

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Considering that Florida Atlantic University offers a multitude of degrees; how is one to choose? Most students begin college with some idea of what they want to study, but it is not uncommon for them to change majors. My own children changed their major or minor a few times before finding their perfect fit.

Changing and choosing a major isn’t always easy. There are several ways you can support your student as they are trying to decide or consider changing a major. One of the main reasons students reconsider or hesitate to declare a major is because they do not understand the career options associated with it. Encourage your students to search the undergraduate catalog to see what courses are required in majors that are interesting to them. They should also meet with an academic advisor and visit the Career Center. The career center is a great resource for students to discover what job options go along with each major and what the demand is for those jobs.

Students at FAU are encouraged to choose a major upon admission, but there is also an option to choose Undeclared or Exploratory as a major, which allows students to take a variety of classes and declare during sophomore year. Make the most of any interests and skills while taking all those required general education courses and use that time to uncover avenues that may lead to a new study and career choices.

Should they decide to change their major during their time at FAU, they will need to speak to their Academic Advisor. Students who have completed less than 30 credit hours of coursework are able to change their major right with their academic advisor with the exception of students in specific programs. If a student has more than 30 credit hours and is changing majors to a different college, they must consult an academic advisor at that college. The bottom line, as a student progresses further into their time at FAU, it becomes more difficult to change majors (and graduate on time).

Encourage your student to get involved on campus or in the community. Student organizations, part-time jobs, or volunteer roles are all good ways for students to investigate career options and network with professionals. There are a great many clubs and organizations at FAU where students can get involved.

There are so many classes out there that may change their lives, but they won’t know until they take them. Spending a little time surveying, investigating and exploring can lead to some eye-opening adventures and life-changing discovery. When my daughter began the job hunt, we learned that some degrees may be interchangeable with the job they apply for. Her having internships and holding positions with many different organizations and events at FAU was what ultimately helped her land a job.

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