The average graduate spends at least six months as a job seeker — researching, applying to, and interviewing for a fulfilling professional role in their chosen field. In the grand scheme of things, this may not seem like a long wait. But for recent grads, that six-month search can start to feel like an endless, anxiety-inducing hustle. As for those who finish the half-year stretch without finding employment, frustration and discouragement can begin to give way — making the hunt for the right job all the more nerve-racking.

However, there’s good news. When it comes to the job hunt, Goodwin students and graduates have a unique foot up on other applicants — they have access to our Career Services department. At Career Services, senior career specialist Marty Levine and career coordinator Nicole Quigley provide comprehensive, individualized support to job-seeking students and graduates.

Read on to learn how Goodwin’s Career Services team goes above and beyond — supporting students and graduates on their journey to professional success.

Professional guidance at Goodwin

During his eight and a half years with Goodwin’s Career Services department, Marty Levine has maintained a strong sense of mission. “We’re committed to assisting students of all ages,” Levine shares. “I’ve helped students from ages 17 to 70. We have a diverse population of students from different backgrounds, so it’s important that we personalize our support to meet their needs and goals.”

Given Goodwin’s breadth of career-ready certificate and degree programs, our students and graduates possess eclectic qualifications and educational experiences. “Career Services is used by students without degrees, as well as those with various educational backgrounds,” Levine describes. “We see students and alumni looking for a first or second career and, occasionally, a third. They’re often anxious about finding a job and need extra support throughout that process.”

Building your brand

In today’s competitive market, having the right skills on your resumé isn’t always enough to land the job. According to career specialists, selling yourself to a future employer is all about defining your professional brand. Nicole Quigley emphasizes this, noting the importance of self-presentation. “A lot of our support is focused on helping students and alumni market themselves,” Quigley offers.

Although she joined the department only six months ago, Quigley brings experience, expertise, and empathy to her role as Goodwin’s career coordinator. Having worked for eight years in talent acquisition, she knows the ropes of recruitment and recognizes the importance of establishing a strong professional identity. “By working with students or alumni on their resumés, developing their networking techniques, and performing mock interviews, we help them identify their unique brand,” she elaborates. “This will help them stand out to employers and increase their chances of getting hired.”

It starts with outreach

The Career Services team is based out of the Student Affairs Department on the second floor of One Riverside Drive. But whether you’re on campus or learning remotely, Levine and Quigley assure that accessible support is available. “When we work with students one-on-one, they can choose to meet with us in-person, on Zoom, or over the phone,” Quigley details.

Part of accessibility is visibility — that’s why Levine emphasizes the importance of proactively connecting with students. “People seek us out through word of mouth, but we focus on doing as much outreach as we can,” he explains.

By visiting classes and presenting the scope of services available through their department, Levine and Quigley encourage students to pursue individualized support. “When program directors and professors reach out to us, we visit their classes and provide students with a workshop presentation,” Levine explains. “We also try to include a relevant activity or exercise,” Quigley adds. “Many students seek us out afterward to learn more and receive support.”

Individualized, self-adjusting support

When you visit Goodwin’s Career Services department, you’ll receive personalized support that exceeds expectations. Whether you’re building a new resumé or revising an old draft, Levine and Quigley will take whatever time necessary to help you craft, polish, and perfect your resumé. “When we review students’ or alumni’s resumés, we often see what they don’t,” Quigley outlines. “We work with them to modify their language and determine which of their skills are most worth highlighting.”

Levine notes that when it comes to providing individualized support, equity is always a priority. “When we work on resumés, we help students across all age groups and populations, including many first-generation students,” Levine describes. “We strongly believe in adjusting our services to meet the individual wants, needs, worries, and values of Goodwin’s students and alumni.”

Goodwin’s Career Services aims to support and empower students and alumni in developing, evaluating, and effectively implementing their career plans. Learn more about how Career Services can help you find professional fulfillment!

Overcoming your resumé woes

For some students and alumni, the stress of writing the perfect resumé can easily give way to woeful anxiety. But before pushing the panic button, press pause — with the helping hand of Goodwin’s Career Services, resumé-writing can become a confidence-boosting opportunity for self-exploration.

Rethinking what you know about resumés

Quigley observes that applicants’ anxieties often stem from common misconceptions. “A lot of people who come and see us aren’t aware that their resumés can be longer than a single page. It’s important to highlight your relevant knowledge, skills, and abilities — even if it takes more than one page.” Still, Quigley recommends keeping your resumé concise. “It should never be longer than two pages,” she adds. “The resumé itself should be simple, but the content should be high-quality.”

Quigley notes another common misconception — that a gap in employment will derail your chance at the job. From Levine and Quigley’s experience, however, this isn’t the case. “You can note the gap on your resumé,” Levine adds. “By working with us and discussing how to address the gap, we can strategically think about how to present it when you’re talking to prospective employers.”

Emphasizing your essential skills

If you’re transitioning to a new career, deciding what to put on your resumé can be especially daunting. Levine and Quigley suggest that job-seekers with less professional experience call attention to their essential skills. Often referred to as soft or transferable skills, essential skills are a broad category of abilities and qualities that lend well to many fields of work. For example, critical thinking and problem-solving are both essential skills in fields ranging from healthcare to Manufacturing.

Furthermore, Levine and Quigley observe that jobseekers often overlook the importance of including volunteerism, awards, and association memberships on their resumés. “Emp loyers care about these experiences because they demonstrate that you’re a serious, well-rounded candidate,” Levine offers.

Considering your cover letter

Regardless of whether an employer needs a cover letter or not, Quigley encourages applicants to include one anyway. Aside from setting yourself apart as a stronger candidate, a cover letter can serve to address any concerns about your resumé. “If you’re transitioning to a new career or have a gap in previous employment, including a cover letter creates an opportunity for you to discuss that,” Quigley explains.

Conquering interview anxiety

When helping students and graduates write their resumés, Levine and Quigley consider the questions employers will likely ask during an interview. Keeping these questions in mind, they recommend that jobseekers include relevant and specific professional and behavioral details on their resumés. Modeling your resumé this way helps you keep track of key talking points throughout your interview.

Levine and Quigley also prepare students and graduates for success by hosting mock interviews. Aside from providing a safe space to hone your interviewing skills, practicing for the big day will help decrease your pre-interview jitters.

For particularly anxious applicants, Quigley offers words of wisdom. “Attitude and confidence are key,” she continues, “and you’re interviewing your employer just as much as they’re interviewing you. You’re also deciding if the employer is a good fit for you and your professional goals.”

Opportunities for job discovery

The support offered by Levine and Quigley is not limited to resumé-writing or mock interviews. Thanks to connections with community-wide employers (some of whom are Goodwin graduates,) students and alumni can take advantage of various networking opportunities. Aside from hosting career fairs twice a year, Career Services hosts Lunch & Learns and other workshops that support and help students during their search for employment.

Career Services is also home to countless digital resources to aid and inform job-seeking students and graduates. This past year, Levine and Quigley introduced a new resource, Handshake, to the Goodwin community. “It’s a platform like LinkedIn or Indeed,” Quigley describes, “and it’s tailored to the needs of college students and recent graduates.”

By adding Handshake to the Career Services toolbelt, Levine and Quigley help provide students with today’s most relevant instruments for finding post-graduate employment.

Waiting for the “yes”

Sometimes, what’s most challenging about looking for work is waiting to hear “yes”. Levine and Quigley encourage students not to let rejection prevent future success. “Some of the best advice we offer students is to not get discouraged if you don’t land the job,” Levine explains.

Quigley emphasizes that whether you get hired or not, every interview is a valuable experience. “Even if students are offered an interview for a position that they’re still exploring, we encourage them to take the opportunity,” Quigley offers. “It’s good practice.”

Advice for alumni success

When you land the job, Levine recommends staying with the same employer for at least three years. “It takes that much time to really learn the ropes and begin building professional relationships in your position. When employees stay for at least three years, it’s likely they’ll end up staying for five.”

Quigley also emphasizes the importance of leaving a positive impression on current, past, and prospective employers. “We tell students and alumni to be careful not to burn bridges,” she shares. “When you decide to leave an employer, it’s a good idea to leave on positive terms.”

Crush your goals the Goodwin way

As a career-focused college, Goodwin University provides you with the resources you need to excel academically and crush your career goals. With the support provided by the Career Services team, you’ll enter the workforce with the confidence and skills necessary to secure professional success.

Learn more about beginning your journey at Goodwin today! Call 800-889-3282 or text 860-467-1511.