Students & Alumni

Not sure what you want to major in, what jobs are out there, or what you might be good at? Take advantage of these tools to explore your options!

Focus2

Focus2 uses self-assessment to help you research and select majors and careers.

1. Visit Focus2
2. Follow the on-screen instructions to register
3. Access Code - pioneer
4. Complete the Work, Skills, and Values assessment. Consider completing the other assessments and planners as well.
5. Make an appointment to meet with a career counselor to review your assessment results.

Research Majors and Careers

• BC3 Programs - BC3 offers a variety of career and transfer programs, with everything from a Workplace Certificate in Microsoft Office to an Associate in Science Degree in Engineering.
• PA Work Stats - Learn about trends, salaries, and future job predictions for Pennsylvania.
• O*Net - Learn the tasks, knowledge, skills, and more associated with jobs you are interested in.
• Occupational Outlook Handbook - Discover what the educational requirements, work environment, and job outlook are for careers and majors that interest you.
• GlassDoor - Discover jobs, company reviews, average salaries, and interview tips for specific locations.

 

Without an effective resume, a well-written cover letter, professional interviewing skills, and a well-developed network, you may be left jobless after graduation. Fortunately, the Career Services Office is here to help you develop and strengthen your job search tools.

Each semester Career Services holds workshops on Resume Writing, College Central, LinkedIn, and Job Search Techniques. Through these workshops students will gain valuable information to develop all their job search tools.

Make an appointment with an employment specialist for assistance with resumes, cover letters, College Central and overall job search.

Below are examples and information to get you started in developing your job search documents.

Resumes

The purpose of the resume is to get you an interview; therefore, it needs to clearly and succinctly show that you have the skills and abilities to do the job.

• Guidelines for Resume Writing (pdf)
• Resume Example Format (pdf)
• Nursing Resume Example (pdf)
• Medical Assistant Resume Example (pdf)
• Information Technology Resume Example (pdf)
• Sample Professional Reference Page

Cover Letters

Cover letters help convey additional information to an employer. This information could include your interest in the opportunity and in the organization. It also helps to introduce the resume.

• Cover Letter Example with Explanation (pdf)

Portfolios:

A portfolio's job is to highlight to employers your accomplishments and achievements. Portfolios are especially useful in providing physical evidence of your abilities and notable work. Portfolios are not necessarily required for every job and can come in electronic form or hard copies.

• Portfolio Handout

Interviews:

The job of the interview is to get you a job offer. Interviewing is a skill to perfect, which is why we recommend that you schedule mock interviews with Career Services to ensure you are ready when it comes time for the real thing.

• Sample Interview Questions

Networking:

Sometimes it really is all in who you know. Which means that the job of networking is to connect you with job openings and professionals. Networking often sounds more complicated than it actually is. Simply, networking is forming connections and relationships with professionals in your field. Ideally, these relationships lead to professional growth and job opportunities. Career Fairs, Alumni Events, and LinkedIn are great ways to begin to build your professional network. Career Services is happy to help you to develop a LinkedIn profile or brainstorm other ways, such as job shadowing or informational interviews, to begin building connections.

 

Many students choose to work while attending BC3 for financial reasons, overlooking the opportunities to build their professional skills and settling for any old job. Why not find a job that is related to your major and future career goals AND pays the bills?

Work Study

Many offices at BC3, and some nonprofit organizations close to BC3 campuses, have positions designated specifically for students to gain professional experience while assisting in daily office operations. These positions are called Work Study Positions and are a great way to earn money while in school. If you have any questions about the work study program or your eligibility please contact Financial Aid.

1. What is work study?
   1. The work study program is run by the Federal Government and provides part-time jobs for college students that demonstrate financial need (based on your FAFSA). Work study jobs allow students to earn money to help pay their educational expenses. At BC3, most on-campus jobs require a student to be work study eligible.
2. How do I know if I am work study eligible?
   1. Did you file a FAFSA (free application for federal student aid)?
      1. No – In order to determine your financial need and work study eligibility, you first must file a FAFSA. For assistance, please contact the BC3 Financial Aid Office.
      2. Yes – Once your FAFSA is submitted, you can submit a Work Study Application. You will be notified via email regarding your eligibility. For assistance, please contact the Student Employment Specialist in the Financial Aid office.
3. How do I apply for a work study job?
   1. Visit College Central and click the students box.
   1. If you have already activated or created an account, log in. If you have not, follow the instructions below.
   2. Under the log in box, click the activate link.
   3. Enter your 7 digit BC3 student ID (without the b) and your myBC3 email address. Click activate account. You will be prompted to create a password and add additional information to your profile.
   4. On the home screen, aka dashboard, select Experiential Learning from the left side menu.
   5. Click Submit New Work Study Agreement.
   6. Read all instructions carefully and fill out the work study application. Submit when complete.
   7. Refer to College Central Network account and myBC3 email for further instructions and details.
4. What if I am not work study eligible, but still want to work while attending college?
   1. If you receive notification after submitting your application that you are not work study eligible, there are many part time jobs in the area for you to pursue. You can utilize College Central Network’s Search – My School’s Jobs feature to see all the current job postings and apply for part time jobs that interest you. For assistance, please contact the Career Services Office.

Career Services is here to help you with anything career related, here are some examples of common types of career appointments:

• Career Exploration
  • Research careers you may be able to pursue with your current degree program and/or degree programs that interest you.

• Cover Letter Construction
  • Review cover letter basics.
  • Receive assistance with creating a cover letter from scratch.

• Cover Letter Review
  • Proofread cover letter(s).
  • Receive suggestions for improvement.

• Internship/Co-Op/Practicum Search
  • Review search strategies.
  • Find potential sites for your experience.

• Job Search
  • Put together a job search plan.
  • Review job search strategies.
  • Review application processes.

• LinkedIn/Networking
  • Set up or strengthen LinkedIn account.
  • Discuss networking techniques.

• Major Exploration
  • Discuss possible majors.
  • Review Focus2 results.
  • For these appointments, please take Focus2 before meeting with the counselor.

• Mock Interview
  • Practice interview questions.
  • Discuss interview best practices.

• Portfolio Construction
  • Review what a portfolio is and how to use it.
  • Brainstorm what to put in portfolio.
  • See examples.

• Portfolio Review
  • Review complete (or draft) portfolio to proofread and make suggestions.

• Resume Construction
  • Being creating resume from scratch.
  • Review basic resume rules.
  • Begin process of writing a resume.

• Resume Review
  • Review complete (or draft) resume to proofread and make suggestions.