Career Development Office

The Office of Career Development provides a variety of services and offers a wealth of resource materials to both students and alumni. Whether you are just starting your college career and trying to decide what field of study is right for you, or you are gainfully employed but interested in changing careers, Career Development is ready to assist you.


Counseling
The Career Development Office is available for personal career counseling, helping you to make realistic life and career decisions. One-on-one sessions allow the office to tailor information and services to your specific goals and interests making students more marketable when seeking a job.

 

Placement Credentials
In addition to posting information on available positions and contacting eligible students and alumni, Career Development has a number of ways to help students with the job search process. The office establishes and maintains a file consisting of a resume, written recommendations and other information of interest to prospective employers and graduate school admissions officers. The office copies and supplies this information directly to employers or graduate schools whenever you request it. It is, however, your responsibility to provide the office with the appropriate documents and to keep them current.

 

Career Fairs and On-Campus Interviews
VIC is the primary sponsor of the Interstate Career Fair, one of the largest annual career fairs in the region. Each year, students have the opportunity to network with professionals in their chosen field. With resumes in hand, many students receive immediate interviews. In 2006, the fair put over 1,000 students in touch with more than 125 businesses and corporations including hospitals, government agencies and educational systems as well as colleges and universities for graduate school possibilities. The next Interstate Career Fair will be held on April 12th, 2007 at the Holiday Inn in Bristol, Va.

The VIC/ETSU Law School Fair is held at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City on October 12th, 2006,  and helps students learn about and talk to different law schools. This year’s VIC/ETSU Law School Fair will be held in November. Contact the Career Development Office for more information.

The Virginia Intermont/UVA @ Wise Educational Fair on February 22nd, 2007, gives students the opportunity to take their resumes and portfolios and meet with many Virginia school systems. Twenty-eight school systems were present at last year’s fair, and many students participated in on-the-spot interviews. Each year the fair is held at the Higher Education Center at Virginia Highlands Community College in Abingdon, Virginia. For more information, contact the Office of Career Development.

In addition to the fairs, the Career Development Office helps to put you in contact with potential employers, corporate recruiters and graduate school representatives by arranging on-campus informational meetings and job interviews.

 

Career Library
The Office of Career Development offers a wide selection of reference materials including guides to graduate schools, business and government job listings, occupational and vocational directories and employment outlooks and statistics. These materials are available for student use in the office or may be checked out for short periods of time.

 

Workshops, Seminars and Instruction
To help you build the skills needed to become successfully employed, the Career Development Office periodically offers workshops, seminars and other forms of instruction. These cover a number of topics including resume and cover letter writing, job search skills and interview preparation. Instruction on these topics and mock interview sessions are also available. Students definitely benefit from on-campus interviews at the Office of Career Development. These mock interviews are videotaped and then the student has the opportunity to meet with the Career Development Director to watch the video and discuss the positives and negatives of the interview. Students taking advantage of the video practice interview sharpen their interviewing skills and become much more marketable in the professional world.

 

Hours
Monday – Friday: 8am – 12pm, 1pm - 4pm
Located in the Arnold House.

For more information contact,

Bobbie Sturgill, Director of the Career Development at bobbiesturgill@vic.edu, (276) 466-7909 or VI Box #D-400, Virginia Intermont College, Bristol, Virginia 24201.

Copyright © 2002/2003 Virginia Intermont College - all rights reserved

 

 

 

 

Interviewing Tips

1.Do your research: Researching the organization before you interview is critical. Employers are interested in candidates who ask intelligent questions and are able to make intelligent conversation based on what they know about the organization. They are equally unimpressed by candidates who know nothing about the company or position being offered. Learn as much as you can beforehand- know the company’s products and services, profit margin, management, culture, dress code and anything else you can think of. Good sources are your career services center, a college or public library and the Internet.

2. Practice: Do practice interviews with a career counselor, friends and family members- or by yourself, in front of a mirror. Employers prize communication skills in job candidates, and the interview is your opportunity to showcase your verbal skills, so practice time is time well spent. Many career services centers offer workshops, mock interviews or one-on-one coaching. Some even make videotapes of mock interviews.

3. Be prepared: Think about how your experience in work, classes and activities can relate to the job you’re seeking.

4. Show up on time: Allow plenty of time to get to the interview; and, if possible, visit the site in advance and time how long it takes to get there.

5. Act like a professional: Dress professionally—plan your interview attire in advance and make sure your clothing is pressed, your shoes are shined and your hair and nails are well-groomed. Bring extra copies of your resume and a list of references. And, conduct yourself professionally throughout the interview.

6. Be honest: Don’t try to cover up mistakes. Instead, focus on how you learned form them.

7. Be assertive: Remember that the interview is a way for you to learn if the job is right for you. Also, speak slowly and clearly and don’t be afraid to pause for a moment to collect your thoughts.

8. Follow up: Ask the interviewer for a business card and send a thank-you note or e-mail as soon as possible.