Making the Most of Your Coaching Appointment

Before your career appointment, use the following guides to prepare for your time with a career coach.

Most importantly, consider your goal for the appointment. We can cover a lot in 30 minutes, but what is your main goal for the appointment? Think about the one key thing you want to leave with and make sure you tell your coach at the beginning of the appointment.

Here are a few places to start. Elect which of the following best describes your upcoming appointment:

Career Exploration and Decision Making

Career exploration is an exciting process that is fueled by curiosity, reflection, and imagination. Before you make decisions regarding career, we encourage you to invest time into learning more about yourself.

The Career Center can help. Check out some things before you meet with a coach. This will help you make the most out of your time.

Resume, Cover Letter, or Online Presence Review

A resume, cover letter or online presence review are often handled by our Peer Career Coaches (PCCs) via drop-ins. Our PCCs can help you create an effective resume, cover letter and online presence that highlight your strengths and experience.

Before your resume, cover letter, or online presence review; 

• Find a job or internship posting online that is representative of what you are considering. Bring this along and with your resume bring to drop-in hours.
• Review the Career Center resume and cover letter tips and examples for the cluster you’re considering. Make revisions or create a draft using the examples before the appointment.
• Thinking about your online presence, we have you covered.  Check out the resources to update your LinkedIn profile.

Job or Internship Searching

Prepare for a search that will be unique to you and your goals. The Career Center is here to partner with you on your way to finding a meaningful career. Before the appointment, check out the resources on the Career Center website. The resources will help you launch your job or internship search, prepare your application materials, interview, and evaluate offers.

Mock Interview

Taking the time to practice your interviewing skills is a critical step in the job/internship search process! Practicing responding to questions is one of the best ways to help you clarify your strengths and increase your confidence for your next job, internship or graduate school interview. You have access to great resources on the Career Center website, from the behavioral, to case and technical interview practice tools! Review the tools in advance and bring your resume and a posting of a job or internship as an example of the type of position you would be interested in interviewing for to your appointment. We will conduct a mock interview, share tips and prepare you to rock your interview!

Our door is open – please come and visit!

Even if you feel like your very first or second coaching session went well and most of your questions were answered, our doors are always open and we love seeing familiar faces.  Career exploration is a lifelong journey and finding the right job and/or career will not come overnight.  The more times you utilize what the Career Center and its coaches have to offer, the better prepared you will be when making career related decisions.    

For more information on maximizing your appointment, check out tips from the career coaches themselves and our website with more resources. Take initiative and make an appointment with a career coach today on Handshake!

– Philip Guarino, Assistant Director, Career Education