Campus Life

Career Services

Student Information and Resources

Career Development Requirement

Three units of career development coursework are required for all undergraduate students. This requirement was developed to assist students in successfully transitioning from college to career or from one career to another. If a student has three or more years of full-time work experience and a current resume, the requirement may be waived by the Director of Career Services or a Program Director. Please note that by waiving the requirement it does not waive the units, and units in another discipline may need to be successfully completed for graduation. See your academic advisor no later than the start of your junior year to determine your career development requirement plan. Options for meeting the requirement include:

  1. Taking career development (CD) courses at NDNU.
  2. Doing an internship for credit at NDNU.
  3. The First Year Experience satisfies one unit of the Career Development requirement.
  4. Pursuing relevant career development experiences designed in collaboration with a Program Director or the Director of Career Services.

Career Development Courses

  • CD182 Successful Job Search Strategies (3) Fall/Spring
    Students learn the basic skills necessary to find jobs that utilize their college educations.
  • CD195 Special Topics in Career Development (.5-1) Fall/Spring
    Exploration of current issues in the workplace and in career development. May be repeated for credit. Grading is Pass/Not Pass.
  • CD196 Special Topics-Career Portfolio Development (2) Fall
    Provides students with the information they need to create and maintain a portfolio to use in job searches and performance management.
  • CD198 Cooperative Education Internship (1-3) Fall/Spring
    Prerequisite:     2.5 overall GPA.
    Provides students with the opportunity to gain career-related experience. Internships are available in a variety of career areas including business, social service, government, and the arts.
  • CD199 Independent Study in Career Development
    Individuals study under the direction of an instructor. See Undergraduate Policies Procedures on Independent Study.

 

Career Success Plan

NDNU provides a number of services, events, and academic courses designed to assist students in transitioning from college to successful and satisfying careers. Below you will find our "Career Success Plan" that serves as a model for making the student-career transition. Contact the staff in Career Services for more information.

Freshmen, Sophomores – Discover and Explore

  • Attend the Activities Fair in September
  • Join a club or become involved in ASNDNU
  • Take career assessment tools offered in Career Services
  • Research a variety of careers
  • Visit Career Services to learn about resources
  • Participate in community-based learning activities
  • Discuss career options with your academic advisor
  • Attend Job and Internship Fairs
  • Explore majors by meeting with a career counselor and faculty advisors
  • Choose a major
  • Start building your career portfolio
  • Get a summer job

Juniors – Decide and Experience

  • Review academic program with your advisor
  • Discuss career direction with a career counselor
  • Develop leadership skills through campus clubs and activities
  • Take CD 182 Job Search Strategies
  • Do an internship and take CD 98/198 Cooperative Education Internship
  • Identify at least three career options
  • Prepare a resume
  • Develop a mentor relationship
  • Attend Job and Internship Fairs
  • Participate in community-based learning activities
  • Do Informational Interviews to research jobs and careers
  • Continue building your career portfolio and track accomplishments
  • Get a summer job or summer internship

Seniors – Job Search

  • Take CD 197 Etiquette for the College Graduate
  • Attend the annual Etiquette Lunch
  • Conduct mock interviews
  • Attend regular meetings of an appropriate professional association
  • Design a detailed job search plan
  • Complete the senior audit
  • Prepare a resume
  • Do Informational Interviews to research jobs and careers
  • Research and visit potential employers
  • Take relevant graduate school entrance exams
  • Do at least one internship
  • Attend Job and Career Fairs
  • Apply for a minimum of 10 positions for which a college degree is a qualification

Alumni – Career Management

  • Share your career successes and progress with Career Services staff
  • Register to become an advisor to students and fellow alumni on the NDNU Alumni - Student Network
  • Start a financial management plan, including saving regularly in your employer's 401k or an IRA
  • Maintain your career portfolio and an updated resume
  • Keep active in at least one professional association
  • Track your career accomplishments
  • Build and maintain your network of contacts

Graduate School Information

We have both library and online resources to help you choose a graduate program or school and to find out how and where to take graduate school exams. We have information on writing a personal statement or essay and are available to proofread. Stop by or call for an appointment with one of our staff members. We also sponsor (with Kaplan) Practice Graduate School Admission Tests.

GradSource.com - a comprehensive resource for students exploring graduate school and studies.

Job Listings

Career Services receives many part-time, full-time, internship, and work study job listings. Job listings received from employers are filed in job binders and placed on our job board.

Online job and internship postings are available through NACElink, MonsterTRAK, and Internships.com. Contact us 650-508-3717 or careercenter@ndnu.edu for the NDNU passwords.

NACElink Jobs
Student Login
Username:
Password:
 
New users register here
Forgot Password?

Top Entry Level Employers for College Undergraduate Seniors

Employers on Campus

Career Services sponsors "Find a Job/Internship at Lunch." Companies and organizations set up a table outside the Dining Hall from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm during the fall and spring semesters. Watch for flyers and emails with specific details.

Job and Internship Fairs are usually held each year. Watch for posters and emails for details.

For a list of current off-campus job fairs in Northern California, go to JobStar.

Career Counseling Services

Individual career counseling is available on an appointment basis for all residential, commuter, Intensive, and graduate students as well as alumni. Call 650-508-3667 for an appointment. A visit with a career counselor will help you to:

  • Assess your personality style, skills, interests, and values
  • Choose a major
  • Explore career options
  • Develop job search strategies
  • Create or improve your resume
  • Practice interviewing skills
  • Explore options for graduate school

 

Resume Writing

You can access Susan Ireland's Ready- Made Website by clicking on Resume Help Online. Contact us at 650-508-3717or careercenter@ndnu.edu for the password. This comprehensive site is composed of a Resume Writing Guide, Cover Letter Writing Guide, and templates for resumes and cover letters. Students can make an appointment in Career Services for resume assistance. Students can also take CD 182 Job Search Strategies that covers resume writing in addition to career self-assessment and interviewing for a job. Here are a few quick pointers to help your resume stand out:

  • A good resume is a marketing tool. Its main purpose is to help you get a job interview.
  • A good resume focuses on the future - not on the past.
  • A good resume emphasizes your skills and accomplishments rather than descriptions of your previous work experiences.

View Susan Ireland's cutting-edge tips and resources:

Sample Resumes

Sample Cover Letters

Sample Thank You Letters

Career Portfolios

Career Portfolios are a great way to demonstrate how your academic work and extra-curricular activities can be powerfully presented during a job interview. Students can enroll in CD195 Career Portfolio Development. This two unit course will show you how to create a career portfolio that works for you. Career Services also has examples of portfolios that won the NDNU Portfolio Contest the past three years.

Internships

Internships are essential for testing career and major choices, and for acquiring practical experience that makes you competitive in the job market. Taking CD198 Cooperative Education Internship provides a structured internship that allows you to apply your classroom knowledge to realistic business and community service internships. Career Services provides a database of opportunities and internship resources. Departments also offer specific internship experiences. To learn more about the Career Development Internship experience, contact Carrie McKnight at 650-508-3667 or cmcknight@ndnu.edu.

Career Resource Library

Our career library offers students a wide variety of resources that includes:

  • Employer information
  • Graduate and professional school literature
  • Career books and information
  • EUREKA, the California Career Information System
  • Two student computers available for job search and career research
  • Resume, interview, and job search publications:

              Resumes

              Cover Letter Format

              Interviews

              References

              College Graduate Checklist

             More materials available in Career Services, SM128.

Networking – Seniors, Alumni, and Business Community

Career Services actively networks with current students, alumni, and the business community to develop contacts willing to talk with students concerning careers, organizations, and industries. If you are interested in learning more about these networking connections, please drop by to speak with our staff. Before networking, you may want to enroll in the CD195 Special Topics – Network for Career Success, which explores the value of networking in the job search and career management process.