Center for Career Development
Students & Alumni -- Services, Resources, and Programs
Academic-Specific Job Search Information
Your Wheelock education will provide you with marketable skills. To ensure that your job search is beneficial, you will want to research your field, including job market trends, salary ranges, and certification/licensure information. The career staff has compiled some information to assist you with this process.
Arts and Sciences
Child Life
Early Childhood Education
Elementary Education
Family Studies
Social Work
Non-Traditional Career Choices
While many Wheelock graduates choose conventional career paths in Child Life, Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Human Services, and Special Education, there are an infinite number of careers which use the skills and knowledge that you have learned at Wheelock in a non-traditional setting. While it is impossible to list all of the various alternative careers here, we have compiled a list to help you get started.
If you would like to find resouces regarding non-traditional career paths, please contact the Center for Career Development Office at ccd@wheelock.edu or 617-879-2299
International Employment
In exploring employment opportunities, you might consider international employment. A successful search starts with research. Employers are extremely varied, as are their hiring requirements, salaries, and benefits. Additional information about international employment is available on the career Web site.
Summer Employment
Looking to make some money and gain experience over the summer? Here are a few Web sites to help you get started looking for summer work.
www.coolworks.com -- 75,000 jobs in Great Places. Cool Works® is about you finding a seasonal job or career in some of the greatest places on Earth. Get a summer job in Yellowstone, Yosemite, or another national park. Find a summer job as a camp counselor. Ski resorts, ranches, theme parks, tour companies and more are waiting for you. Let Cool Works.com® show you the way to live out your own amazing adventure!
http://www.allensguide.com/Student-Travel/Summer-Jobs/ -- Find a Summer Job. Allen's Guide list summer jobs for college students, teachers, and others that allow them to travel, learn new things, and have enriching experiences.
http://www.campjobs.com/ --The online source for summer employment opportunities as camp counselors or administrative staff. Post your resume so summer camp employers can look for you!
Internet Resources
The Internet provides a convenient and cost-effective way to conduct a job search. A variety of career resources are available on the Internet to guide you. The links below provide information regarding web resources.
Internet Resources for People of Color
Networking Strategies
Networking is one of the most effective ways to obtain a job. Networking can help you explore career options, conduct informational interviews, and make valuable connections for employment. Your network may include family, friends, professors, supervisors, and Wheelock alumni.
WHO TO CONTACT: Several resources are readily available to help you network. Your first step is to develop a target list. Below is a list of persons you may include in your target list:
- Parents and relatives
- Friends
- Faculty and administrators
- Wheelock alumni
- Supervisors
- Co-workers
Social gatherings — both personal and professional, may provide additional opportunities to network. In addition, it may be helpful to review job listings to identify organizations that interest you. Obtain the business cards of individuals you've met or record the name of contact persons listed in job announcements. You may contact these individuals to network or to schedule informational interviews.
MAKING CONTACT -- You may contact members of your network via phone, email, or letter. Regardless of which approach you take, you will want to specify the following information:
- Your name
- Referral source (e.g. how you obtained the person's name and contact information)
- Reason for contact (e.g. job search advice)
- Send a "thank you" letter to
each person in your network.
Reminder: Letters should be mailed within 24 hours. - Mention that you will update that person periodically on your job search progress and then follow up.
- Mark your calendar! Follow up with contacts who were particularly helpful on a regular basis (e.g. 4 - 6 weeks). Your follow-up may be via phone, email, or letter.
- Be persistent and polite.
- Be assertive but not aggressive.
On a final note, it is okay to ask a contact if they know of anyone else in the field that may be helpful to you in your job search. Be sure to request their permission to mention their name when contacting the referral.
Long-Distance Job Search Strategies
Job seekers may pursue employment in diverse geographic locations for a variety of reasons, including the desire to relocate to be close to family, the desire to engage in a new adventure, and the availability of employment opportunities in national markets.
Listed below are several strategies that may assist you with your long distance job search:
- Identify the geographic location where you would like to work.
- Research information regarding the economy, job market, and cost of living in this location. Reading the local newspaper may provide you with some of this information.
- Contact the local chapters of relevant professional organizations for a membership roster in order to conduct informational interviews.
- Consider financial implications associated with relocation, including rent/house costs and car expenses.
- Plan a trip to visit the location.
- If you are contemplating a graduate degree, check out opportunities for higher education.
- If you have children, investigate the local schools.
- Be prepared to discuss the reasons for relocating with employers during the interview.
Strategies For Changing Jobs & Careers
At some point in your professional life, you may decide to change jobs or to take your career in a different direction. This change may be prompted by a variety of reasons, including the desire to relocate to a new geographic location, desire for more responsibility, desire for a higher salary, or the desire to "try something new."
Changing jobs or careers can be a challenge. The process requires hard work and commitment and may be quite lengthy. Developing a "game plan" will help you be successful. Your "game plan" may include the following components:
- An assessment of your skills and interests. This will help you determine what type of job you want to pursue or the industry in which you will seek employment. This assessment should include an inventory of your transferable skills — those skills that were learned in one setting and may be applied to another work environment.
- Research resources that may assist you with networking or identifying job leads. A wide variety of resources are available to assist you, including employer profiles. A good starting point are members of your network and the Alumni Career Network.
- Conduct informational interviews. In addition to providing you with job search leads, informational interviews will provide you with additional information about a career field.
Contact Center for Career Development
Mailing Address:
Center for Career Development
Wheelock College
200 the Riverway
Boston, MA 02215
