From self-assessment to job search, the Notre Dame Career Center facilitates various career planning programs for all undergraduate students.
Comparatively, the Career Center surpasses the national average in providing services to its students. According to the National Association of College and Employers, the average college career center administers appointments to approximately 1,000 students annually. Last year, the Notre Dame Career Center arranged appointments for 3,444 students.
"The numbers are here because of the drive of the students," Lee Svete, Director of the Career Center, said.
Currently, the Career Center works mostly with upperclassmen, but administrators are working on providing more services to freshmen and sophomores.
Rose Kopec, Assistant Director and Early Career Advisor, has been interviewing underclassmen and observing their classes in order to provide services tailored to their needs.
"We are trying to take students through a timeline, we focus in on early career development and then internship search," Svete said.
Most students seek the aid of the Career Center during their junior year when they are ready to perfect their cover letters and resumes.
"They helped me this fall to prepare a resume, figure out what to do at the business fair and how to go about finding an internship this next summer," junior Brett Colton said.
The career fairs offered through the Career Center are well-attended by Notre Dame students. The types of fairs offered include the Business Career Fair, Graduate School Fair, Winter Career and Internship Fair, School of Architecture, Non-Profit and numerous Off- Campus Career Fairs in New York , Boston, Chicago and Washington.
"Career fairs draw between 1,500 and 2,400 students," Svete said.
As a result of the Business Career Fair this fall, 9,000 interviews were set up with prospective employers.
Student attendance at individual seminars has increased 65 percent since last year. One hundred students attended the Johnson and Johnson information seminar.
GO IRISH, a National Association of Colleges and Employers recruiting software, has become increasingly popular with students. The number of employers utilizing the software increased from 3,316 to 3,888 in 2004. Over 8,000 on-campus interviews were scheduled and confirmed online, and a total of 4,000 Notre Dame undergraduate and graduate students activated the system in 2003-2004.
The Career Center can provide almost any career service including self-assessment inventories, internships searches, alumni networking, interviewing skills and career research. To utilize the services offered, a student can make an appointment, walk-in or email.
Courtney Wilson, a sophomore who set up her first appointment, said "I wanted to get a head start for internships this summer I am not sure where I should apply."
