| Days | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| For Appointments | Monday – Thursday | 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. |
| For Walk-Ins | Friday only | 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. |
| <!– *Office closes at 5 PM when classes are not in session.–> | ||
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The Office of Professional Development (OPD) provides both academic advising and career coaching services to students. Staffed by experienced Human Resource professionals, our Career Coaches help students develop their career plans from the day they start classes in the college.
Focusing on supporting our students’ academic and professional careers, our Advising Team (A-Team), Career Coaches and Faculty are all experts in their roles, setting our students up for success after graduation.
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Career Professionalism Course Descriptions
(Prerequisite: Junior standing, College of Business Major or Minor)
Students will take two assessments to identify career-related skills and interests. Based on their results, they will perform research to identify and learn about a target career, target company(ies), and target entry-level jobs. The class will end with an introduction to recruiting and the preparation of their resume.
(Prerequisite: GEB 3003)
Students will learn about the mechanics of finding a job including sources of hire (job boards, campus resources and activities, cultivating referrals, networking, internships, etc.) and job seeker activities (sourcing job leads, application process, interviewing, follow-up).
(Prerequisite: GEB 3005)
Students will practice the verbal skills needed to find a job by learning how to “tell their story.” This includes activities such as mock interviewing, networking, elevator pitch, social media messaging, personal branding, etc.
(Prerequisite: GEB 4223)
Students will finalize the implementation of their career plan and learn what to do after they get their entry-level job to manage their career. The class will end with a reflection on the essay written in GEB 3003.
After taking these four classes, students should be able to:
- Plan and execute career-related actions based on facts about skills and interests, target career, and relevant job market;
- Source and secure professional career opportunities based on an understanding of how contemporary recruiting works;
- “Tell your story” – relating past coursework, internships, part-time jobs, and life experiences to the requirements of the specific job wanted;
- Look, sound, and act professional in interactions with others.
The overall goal of this series of classes is to prepare students with the knowledge, skills and abilities needed to either secure a professional position after graduation in their career field of choice, or grow within an existing career. For additional information regarding the Career Professionalism classes, please contact Lonny Butcher, Director of Professional Development & Placement.
Our Mission
To provide quality academic advisement & career coaching in support of post-graduation goals. This includes:
- Resources to choose the correct academic path.
- Career Coaches who know the recruiting process to guide students’ academic direction and career pursuits.
- Connections to professionals who will provide insider insight and feedback while becoming the foundation of a business network.
To aid in the academic development for career success, we have added four Career Professionalism Courses to the core curriculum. These courses help:
- identify the best career path,
- learn career search strategies,
- become skilled in interview techniques, and
- execute a career plan upon graduation.
“Day One” of the Professional Development class is a college-wide event “Welcome to the Majors,” which provides new students with a personalized opportunity to network with other students, meet faculty members and learn more about the experiences that lie ahead for them.
How We are Organized
To best meet student needs, responsibilities within the College of Business Administration that are associated with providing student advising and coaching are divided among three groups. Based upon the specific type of questions or concerns, students will be assisted by one of the following three groups:
- A-Team Member (Advising Team)
Work with students to understand the catalog, develop class schedules and manage the plan for getting the right classes at the right time. - Career Coach
Work with students to develop the right plan for building a successful career, beginning with searching for and finding the first job upon graduation. - Faculty Member (from corresponding academic department)
Provide general direction for students within the major/department to help students manage and resolve issues that may arise.
No other college of business is offering this very personalized coaching and professional development educational track. This is a program built on the input and collaboration with nationally renowned HR leaders and employers to provide the best possible services to our students.
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Blog Posts
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Professional Development Insight and Advice
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