Frequently Asked Questions

We are available to you before you even decide to come to Geneva! If you have questions about the major you are considering before enrolling, schedule an appointment. Current students can use our office any time to discuss their vocational direction, build their resume, and look for job/internship opportunities, etc. See “what does your office do” for a more complete list of services. Scheduling appointments is highly recommended. To schedule an appointment, please call 724.847.6572.

Yes, the Center for Calling and Career is available to you for a lifetime. We can assist you in your job search and graduate school search process. To schedule an appointment, please call 724.847.6572.

Call our office at 724-847-6572 (on-campus extension 6572) or stop by when you are in Skye Lounge!

Career Advising: Just yourself!
Mock interview: Bring a job/internship description and a resume. Wear interview attire.
Resume appointment: Bring a hard copy of your resume and/or an electronic copy.
Job search appointment: Bring your resume if you have one.
Internship/grad school appointment: Bring any relevant graduate school materials if you have them.

We offer assessments to current students free of charge. This assessment is not a “test” to prescribe a major or career. Instead, it is a tool for you to understand your personality, skills, occupational interests & values and what type of majors & careers might be compatible. Usually a follow-up scheduled appointment is necessary to discuss the results of the assessment. To receive the assessment and schedule an appointment, please call 724.847.6572.

Contact Calling and Career to receive an access code. Take the assessment on-line. Schedule a follow-up appointment with our career advisor! To schedule an appointment, please call 724.847.6572.

We encourage students seeking academic direction and major/vocational options to visit our office. Set up an appointment to talk with one our career coaches!

As a student, you can take our online assessment (see “Career Assessment” FAQ section) and make an appointment with one of our career advisors, where we discuss your results (of your assessment). Typical scenarios include helping you to identify your strengths, talents, abilities, connecting you with compatible majors/minors/concentrations, informing you of relevant co-curricular activities, and assisting you as you explore and prepare for vocational options. Scheduling appointments is highly recommended.

On-campus employment opportunities can be found on our website under Student Employment. The Center for Calling and Career also has hard copies of the student worker applications in our office, along with copies of all the job descriptions.

All applications are submitted to the department to which you are applying. For example, applications for a server in the cafeteria would be submitted to Alexander Dining Hall. If you are working on campus for the first time, you will need to fill out an entire new hire packet. If you have been rehired or have already worked on campus, you will only need to fill out the one page Student Employment Application.

Absolutely. Geneva College allows students to choose the “Undeclared” option for their first two years of college. During the time that you are undeclared, you are supported by an academic advisor and the Career Development staff as you explore the options Geneva has. Prospective students also have the option of taking our career assessment and meeting with our staff to discuss the results before they enroll. To schedule an appointment, please call 724.847.6572.

Many factors go into choosing a major. Your interests, personality, goals, and skills should all play a part in your decision. An ideal major synthesizes all four areas. Our office provides free assessments to enrolled students to help you get started on this process. Make an appointment with our career advisor to start the conversation!
Consider using www.onetonline.org/find and search through a list of potential career options and what it takes to get there!

Our career advisor is here for just that purpose. If you′re uncertain about your major and considering a change, let us be a part of that conversation.

All of Geneva′s classes and majors are in the Course Catalog. We have hard copies in our office for students to use.

All students have to declare a major by the end of sophomore year, but you can declare a major any time before that, and switch a major any time after that. You should declare a major when you are fairly confident that it is your first choice. By declaring a major, you have an advisor in that department who will be more familiar with the classes you want to take. Students must fill out a ‘change of information′ form available at the Registrar′s Office.

Visit our website to see general areas and specific employers in your area of study: What can I Do with my major? We recommend speaking with a career advisor to discuss your options. Scheduling appointments is highly recommended. To schedule an appointment, please call 724.847.6572.

To declare a major, you will need to complete a 'change of major' form. These are available from either your current academic advisor or from the Registrar′s Office (first floor of Old Main). When you have completed the form and gathered the required signatures, the form must be returned to the Registrar′s Office.

Our office provides networking opportunities through programs like the Alumni Networking Event, Summer Job and Internship Fair, Western PA Job & Internship Fairs, WestPACS, PERC Education Job Fair and more. We host various organizations each semester for on-campus recruiting. We facilitate a LinkedIn group for Geneva students and alumni that provides opportunities for connecting with other alumni and employers.

The graduate school process typically begins the junior year of college. See our typical timeline & steps online. We offer admissions essay and personal statement writing assistance, curriculum vitae/resume assistance, interviewing help, and graduate school preparation resources to aid you in your search of the graduate school that will be the best fit for you. Please visit our Graduate School link. To schedule an appointment, please call 724.847.6572.

Our Calling and Career library has test-prep books for students to borrow. We periodically offer a competition for a Kaplan scholarship award that offers free preparation classes.

There are many reasons to attend and not to attend graduate school. We suggest looking at our overview online as well as talking with your academic advisor, faculty, and career advisor. Consider conducting an informational interview with a professional in the field to determine how that person got to be where he/she is today.

http://www.petersons.com/graduate-schools.aspx is a great place to start. Calling and Career has profiles on graduate programs in the US as well as some overseas graduate program profiles. We also recommend consulting the professional association of your field for recommended graduate programs. Faculty, academic advisors and career advisors are available to help you in your search.

We are here to help you figure out your vocational options. We can assist you as you prepare for your job search including help with: resumes, cover-letters, interviewing, salary information, personalized job search strategies, job fairs, and recruiting.

Salary requirements are when an employer wants to know what salary you expect to earn in the position you are applying for. When asked, typically you include your salary expectations in a cover-letter. We advise our graduates to be flexible when approaching this topic; however, you can research typical entry-level college graduate salaries on our website: http://www.jobsearchintelligence.com/NACE/salary-calculator-intro/

http://www.jobsearchintelligence.com/NACE/salary-calculator-intro/

www.indeed.com/salary

See our Job Search page.

Graduates should start the process the semester before your anticipated graduation. December graduates should start the process the spring semester before graduation.
May or August graduates should start the process the fall semester before graduation.

Do your research! Look up the company′s website (particularly the “About Us” or “History” sections) and learn about their mission, strengths, and vision. Study the job description for your particular position and think about how you demonstrate the qualities it describes.
Schedule a mock interview with Calling and Career. We will walk you through the interview process and give you personalized feedback on your interviewing style.
Spend some time thinking about your strengths and weaknesses. Think of examples you could mention of a time when you demonstrated your strengths. Plan out answers for commonly asked interview questions such as “Tell me about yourself” and "Why should we hire you?".

Ask questions that show that you are envisioning yourself in their company. Ask detailed questions about issues that are deal breakers/makers for you (“Will the majority of my work be with a team or by myself?”). Make sure that you do NOT ask questions about issues that are answered in the job description or the company website. Do your homework before you ask a question.

“Tell me about yourself.” “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” “Why do you want to work for this company/position?” “Tell me about your education.” “Why should we give you this job instead of someone else?” “What is your relevant experience?”

Bring multiple copies of your resume, a copy of your references, a copy of the job description, and any notes you have made for yourself—including questions to ask employers. Bring paper in a professional portfolio along with a pen to take notes.

Interview attire is business professional, even if the job for which you are applying is a casual position. For men, this means a suit and tie. For women, this means a suit with either a skirt or slacks, whichever makes you feel more comfortable.

Yes—always! Sending a thank you note within the first 24 hours conveys respect for your interviewer and your interest in the position. Thank the interviewer for her time and interest in you. It is also appropriate to mention skills related to topics brought up during the interview. Reaffirm your interest in the position. It is acceptable to send a thank-you via e-mail. However, nothing stands out like a hand-written note on professional stationary.

Only discuss salary in an interview if the interviewer initiates the topic, or if you have been offered the position without the topic being addressed. If you are asked about your salary requirements and are unsure what the salary range of the position is, consider responding with "I'd like the salary to be commensurate with the work responsibilities."

Come by the Center for Calling and Career and schedule a resume appointment at your convenience.

Put your GPA on your resume if it is 3.0 or above. Otherwise, leave it off. You can also list your major and minor GPA separate from your overall GPA if needed.

Try to keep your resume to one page by including your most relevant experiences. Only let your resume overflow to a second page if you have experience that is very relevant to the position or you are an education major.

Always put references on a separate page. It is unnecessary to include a line that says “references upon request” at the bottom of your resume. Simply include a separate page with the same header as your resume. Three references is average. Try to have a variety of references, academic, professional, and personal. Check each job application to make sure they do not have any particular requirements.

Cover letters are the employer′s first introduction to you as a candidate. They are a chance for you to express how you heard about the job, why you are interested in the position, and why you are a good fit for this company.

1. Determine if you want to do an internship for credit or not-for-credit. Your academic or career advisor can guide you.
2. Determine what semester or summer you would like to do your internship. We recommend starting your internship search 6 months in advance.
3. Consult our online internship resources, such as LinkedIn, and then schedule an internship appointment with our career advisor to help you search and prepare for options.
4. Schedule an Appointment

The Geneva College Calling and Career LinkedIn page is a connection point for students and alumni of Geneva College. You can find information about career fairs and other events. We post every job and internship opportunity that comes through our office on in this group page, so it is a fantastic resource for Geneva students and alumni. We have full-time positions, internships, and summer jobs on this page. If you are job searching, start here!

Create a LinkedIn account and either search for the group on LinkedIn or follow the link on our LinkedIn reference page.

Any current student or alumni can request to join for the job search and resume functions. Any employer may request to join on behalf of their company to post jobs.

The Calling and Career LinkedIn group has opportunities from all over the country. You can find jobs in every state!

Credit bearing internships must be approved by your academic department PRIOR to the start of the semester. See your academic advisor or Calling and Career for more guidance.