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Student Success Stories

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Fall 2009 Interviews conducted by Career Services intern, Lauren Finkbeiner

Piper Neddenien

Piper Neddenien hit the jackpot when she received a job offer days after visiting the 2009 Career Fair hosted by Career Services. She says her friends and family were "were really impressed that it was so easy for me to get a job offer. It’s not even November, and I really didn’t even try that hard to get it, it’s really encouraging."

Piper grew up in Maryland but graduated from East Lyme high school. Her family resides in Richmond, Virginia. Currently, Piper spends her time as a Resident Assistant in the Best Western and was also offered the position of Residential Counselor at the Horizon House in Lebanon. In addition to her job as an RA, Piper volunteers at numerous blood drives on campus. Piper was elected Who’s Who in American Universities and Colleges in 2008 and has also made the Dean’s List several times. Piper sees herself with a Master’s degree that will enable her to counsel and help others. She says that she has seen herself going into Higher Education and into leadership development but she is trying to "just take it one day at a time."

Ashley DelBuono

Ashley Del Buono, a recent graduate, has just started her first post-graduation job! Ashley currently lives in Southington and works in Durham at Bruster Elementary school as an Applied Behavior Analysis, or ABA therapist. She graduated in May of 2009 with her Bachelors is Psychology. During her time at Eastern Ashley was very involved in intramural sports, playing both soccer and softball."Del Buono" as friends call her, was not only active in sports, but she also made the Dean’s List several times. She was active in volunteer work, and devoted her time to a phone-a-thon, working at the food shelter and writing letters to soldiers in Iraq.

Ashley, a transfer student from the University of Connecticut utilized Career Services from her start at Eastern. She met with a career counselor who helped her with her resume and taught her how to write a cover letter. She kept in touch with Career Services when applying for jobs. They offered their assistance to help personalize each cover letter and resume depending on the position.

Ashley is currently applying to Graduate School where she hopes to receive her Masters in Art Therapy so that she can work with children in hospitals. To jump start the process, Ashley spent this past summer studying abroad in Italy to receive credit for art classes that would count towards her masters. She says "It was awesome to be in a different culture, to step out of my comfort zone and test myself."

Jacqueline Platt

Recently Jacqueline Platt has received the opportunity of her dreams! After recently moving to Everett, Washington, Jacqueline received a position as a crew member for the Washington Conservation Corps with the Stilly-Snohomish Fishery Enhancement Task Force. Although the current title sounds like a mouth-full, it is what Jacqueline has always dreamed of.

Jacqueline graduated from Eastern with a History and Social Science degree with a minor in Sustainable Energies. Additionally, she has an associate's degree in Early Childhood Education. Although she is very proud of her degree, her passion lies in environmental science. Jacqueline used Career Services to help her write her cover letter and resume and says "I have been numerous times to get my resume and cover letters checked over but it is always nice to know that there is an encouraging crew backing you up in the grueling process that applying for jobs can be; especially when you think you have the wrong degree. Career Services provides much more than resume building and cover letter writing but generous support especially when you're really not even sure what you want to do or can do with the degree, you once felt so confident in."

While at Eastern, Jacqueline was very active on campus. She served as an executive board member as secretary for Eastern Outdoors Club which is a club that encouraged "No Student Left Inside" while observing an environmental ethic. Additionally, she aided in the creation of the Environmental Club. She was also very active in volunteer work and spent a week in 2007 in New Orleans with Habitat for Humanity. She plans to continue and engage in numerous volunteer opportunities.

"Platt" as friends like to call her also received numerous awards. She was a member of Phi Theta Kappa, made the Dean's List and received a Sustainable Energies Award in 2008 as well as the Environmental Stewardship award in 2009.

Abnel Navarro

Recent graduate Abnel Navarro of Willimantic , CT , has just recently started his first job post graduation! During his time at Eastern, he majored in social work and made the Dean's List. Throughout his college career, he visited Career Services where he met with a career counselor numerous times to help him build his resume. Additionally, Abnel used the resources provided by Career Services to help him with his cover letter and to create a draft of his resume, using Optimal Resume. Career Services kept Abnel updated with any new job postings that would be interesting to Abnel in the field of social services.

Currently, Abnel works for the North American Family Institute (NAFI) as a functional family therapist. He says "I kept in touch with Career Services after graduating. They continued to send job postings, offered their services and answered any questions that I had about the job search process." Future plans include, graduate school at the University of Connecticut where he hopes to receive his Masters of Social Work.

Omar Rodriguez

Recently, sophomore Omar Rodriguez was offered an internship position with Northwestern Mutual as a life insurance agent. Before receiving the opportunity with the company, Omar had been very proactive and had visited career services to help him with his resume. Not only did he utilize Career Services but he also used Optimal Resume to help him create his resume. Omar met several times with a career counselor to help him prepare his resume and to conduct a mock interview. Omar says the mock interview "was helpful and made me feel confident." All of his preparation paid off because in the spring, Omar will be starting his new job.

Omar is also very active around campus. Currently he is involved with MALES, OLAS and CAB and serves as MALES Public Relations officer. Omar says that "being involved in organizations such as MALES, OLAS and CAB helped me mature as a leader."

Ricky Hernandez

As a recent graduate from Eastern in May 2009, Ricky Hernandez says his favorite quote is, "Some people dream of success, while others wake up and work hard at it." This is a truly inspirational quote especially for a recent graduate, who was just offered his first job.

During his time at Eastern, Ricky was very active on campus. He was involved with several campus activities including MALES, where he served as the community service advisor, OLAS where he was an executive board member as treasurer and was also a member of the West Indian Society. Ricky says that one of his most memorable experiences was when he visited Africa for two weeks with his Development and Change in Africa class. While at Eastern, Ricky remained close with the career counselors who helped him update his resume and cover letter as he gained new experience. The career counselors would send him any job openings that they thought would suit him. During his time in Africa, a career counselor sent him a position as a juvenile detention officer. This position was a great fit for him because he was receiving his degree as Sociology major and minor in Criminology.

Currently, Ricky resides in Wethersfield and works in Hamden where he was offered the job at Community Partners in Action as their Juvenile Detention officer. Ricky's ultimate career goal is to work as a probation officer in Hartford.

Olivia Puckett

Call her a member of the Civic Generation. Political Science major, Olivia G. Puckett is among the few Girl Scouts in the United States to attain the highest rank of Gold Award in 2008. Olivia earned her award for community service and leadership. Her project led her to serving in her town government office during her freshman year at Eastern.

Olivia's interest in public service and government propelled her as a freshman to join and fulfill a one year stint as a leader in AmeriCorps, serving as a recruiter of Girl Scout leaders in the region. During her sophomore year, Olivia attended the spring career fair and spoke with the representatives from the Eastern Connecticut District Social Security Office.

Her background in public service must have impressed the representatives. A few days later she received an e-mail inviting her to interview for a federal summer internship. Olivia utilized Career Services and scheduled an appointment with a career counselor to prepare with a mock interview. The practice and feedback were invaluable during her real interview. Olivia explains, "I felt very prepared for this important interview and I highly recommend this service to every student. I felt confident after the real interview!"

Having been sworn into the position, she looks forward to learning about all the federal programs and services offered to citizens. "Thanks to Career Services, I have an extraordinary opportunity to service the public in a federal position."Her future goals include returning to work for another summer in the Social Security Administration, finding a full time position in the agency, attending graduate (law) school, and working in a government policy making capacity.

Look for Olivia to continue to aim high, reach out to others and make a difference in her civic generation.

Submitted by Olivia Puckett, edited by Lauren Finkbeiner

Kenton Webley

Senior Kenton Webley of Norwalk , CT has been welcomed by Target as their executive team leader after graduation. During his freshman year, Kenton was incredibly proactive and visited career services to find out about internship opportunities that he could apply for. The following year Kenton was offered an internship position with General Electric but respectfully declined their offer.

During the summer of 2008, Kenton was offered an internship position as executive team leader with Target where he managed and led a team of three hundred people. He impressed his supervisors so much that they extended his internship and invited him back for the summer of 2009. Kenton says that the hardest part was "delegating tasks to elders which made me uncomfortable."

Kenton also utilized Inroads which is a program that places diverse students with companies, specifically fortune 500. He believes that Inroads was an enormous help throughout his internship, thanks to help of an advisor which was assigned to him through the program.

Additionally, Kenton is active on campus and is a member of the entrepreneurs club. He also volunteers for many programs through Inroads, from which he is a proud graduate.

Kadiesha Webley

Kadiesha Webley, class of 2011, has earned many accomplishments and can add one more to her resume! Recently, Kadiesha visited career services and received help writing her resume and searching for an internship. In addition to the help of a career counselor, she also utilized Optimal Resume to create her resume, which she believes is a great tool that students should take advantage of.

Kadiesha applied for an internship position at Marrakech Incorporated and received an offer which she gladly accepted. Currently, she works towards her Bachelor of Social Work degree and a career in Social Services. She is excited about the opportunity to move up in the company.

Kadiesha believes that her background as a peer mentor and her experience working in the office of AccessAbility will help her in her endeavors. She is also proud to say that she has been on the Dean's List numerous times. Kadiesha says that "Without Career Services the opportunity would not be possible."

Mary-Francis Plaza

Mary-Francis Plaza , class of 2011, is gaining great experience which will prepare her for a career in communications. Recently, the office of Institutional Research offered Mary-Francis a position as their communication intern. As a communication major the opportunity was one that she could not pass down. Mary Francis utilized career services and scheduled an appointment with a career counselor to learn about the internship opportunity and to get assistance with writing an effective resume and cover letter.

Mary-Francis is also active on campus as a CAB assistant for weekend events where she promotes and oversees events. She also is a technology crew member and helps to set up audio visual equipment for numerous events held on campus. Additionally, Mary-Francis has volunteered for organizations such as Fit Kids Fun Camp, Isaiah 58 and Jesus People USA.

Mary-Francis believes that "Career Services offers students a great opportunity by preparing them for a professional setting." She encourages students who have not taken advantage of career services, to visit and learn more about their many resources.

Summer 2009 interviews

Neftali Cruz

Neftali Cruz has hit the big league! The senior Sports Management major is spending his summer interning with the Pawtucket Red Sox. Neftali worked with the Office of Career Services through all phases of career planning and internship search. He received advice on resume and cover letter writing, interviewing skills, and dressing for success. Mr. Cruz's career goal is to work in major league sports. His summer 2009 marketing and management internship is providing him with the related experience, necessary skills, and strong professional networking he needs.

Jennifer Paradis

Senior Jennifer Paradis of Vernon, CT participated in the opportunity of a life time by taking her local internship to the nation's capitol. Jennifer is currently interning for Planned Parenthood as a Campus Action Intern, promoting and educating students on subject matters pertaining to gender equity and reproductive health. Jennifer visited Washington D.C. this summer to meet with state representatives , which included attending a Press Conference for Senator Chris Dodd to discuss the Healthier America Campaign. She also met with Congressman Joe Courtney to discuss the importance of Women's Health in the current Health Care Legislation and lobbied for Health Care reform, visiting Representative John Larson and Representative Chris Murphy. She also participated in phone-banking, assisting in recruiting over 200 volunteers for future events to support Health Care Reform. Jennifer plans to bring all the knowledge and experience she gained back to Eastern and will continue to organize a grass roots effort for social justice. Ms. Paradis will graduate in December of this year with a degree in Sociology. She plans to attend graduate school in 2010 and return to Capitol Hill in the future.

Amanda Topping

Deadlines, bylines and coffee stains
My summer as a journalist
By Amanda Topping

My first day at Soundings magazine - a national boating publication in Essex, Conn. - began the day after Memorial Day. Right from the get-go, I knew this company would present me with the perfect internship.

I was right.

This experience has been the deciding factor in the career path that is now laid out before me. As an English Major, I faced the difficult choice between teaching and journalism. The experiences I embraced at Soundings were so fantastic I now crave the life of a journalist/editor/proofreader/reporter.

At Soundings I was offered the chance to be considered a regular worker. "Intern" is an almost non-existent word in the office. Though it is an unpaid internship, I realized quickly that I would gain from this experience only what I put into it. With that in mind, I happily took on any assignment my editor threw at me.

This attitude paid off, and in my six weeks there I've written my own story to appear in a later issue, and have come away with my byline on various other sections of the magazine.

I jumped at the chance to fill in as full-time proofreader during our busiest deadline time (signed off later by the editors, of course!) and also gained experience in conducting interviews, writing book reviews, making contacts in public relations, and writing briefs from press releases.

I have learned a great deal that a classroom environment could not offer as easily.

By not limiting myself, and throwing myself into even the assignments that proved slightly intimidating at first (Interviewing the commodore of the Coast Guard Auxiliary!) I have created for myself the chance to succeed in a career that would've been difficult to break into otherwise. No doubt, when I graduate next year, I will be more prepared for the "real world" and have the know-how to continue in the field of journalism.

I see rings from coffee mugs stained on newspapers and magazines, and deadline calendars marked in red ink in my near future.

Spring 2009 interviews conducted by Career Services Intern, Amanda Messier

Ryan Benoit

The Claims Unit of Travelers has offered Ryan Benoit, senior at Eastern, the position of associate information systems specialist! Mr. Benoit describes the position as "a bridge between the business side of the company and the technology side." Since he is a business information systems major, this job is exactly the kind of experience that he needs in starting his career.

Mr. Benoit's goal while attending Eastern was to eventually work for a state department or an insurance company. However, after going through the interview process at Travelers, he now feels that this is the company he wants to work for and the "ideal job." In the future, working for the federal government may be in his agenda as well.

Career Services at Eastern "was extremely helpful in connecting my major course of study and possible career paths/employers," Mr. Benoit explains. The staff helped him to find companies in the area who were looking for interns as well as offering post-graduate positions. Career Services brought companies of interest to Mr. Benoit to Eastern for recruiting events such as Travelers and Northeast Utilities.

To sum it up in Mr. Benoit's words: "Career development is essential to any college student and the staff at Career Services does an incredible job with the limited resources that they have."

Natalie Sims

Natalie Sims is mere weeks away from graduating and has just found the perfect way to continue building her resume. The position of communication and public relations intern at the Red Cross in Long Island , NY has been offered to her for the summer. The internship perfectly compliments the bachelor's degree in communication that Ms. Sims will receive from Eastern. Responsibilities include writing and distributing press releases, generally promoting fundraising events, and attending press conferences.

Ms. Sims recalls that she found the internship through an E-mail sent to her by Career Services' eRecruiting website (http://eastern.experience.com/). If she had never visited Career Services she may have never become aware of the opening at the Red Cross. With no idea as to what she wanted to do with her communication degree, Ms. Sims made an appointment with Career Services. Soon she had created a very professional resume through the use of packets she picked up from Career Services and with revision from a counselor. In addition, Ms. Sims was introduced to some online resources including self- assessments. These resources helped her to see what she personally was good at as well as what communication majors can do. Additionally, websites were recommended to her to find internships.

Ms. Sims has her own recommendation to students who are unsure of what they want to do when they graduate: go to Career Services. She explains that everything at Career Services can help students get them where they want to be, from the free resources to suggested websites, to self assessments that point you personally in the right direction.

Martin Sagendorf

Martin Sagendorf will be starting classes at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania in the fall as well as a new assistantship as the Assistant Resident Director (ARD) of Maple Suites at the college! He will be entering a program for his masters in Student Affairs and Higher Education (SAHE) that will help to further his career in higher education student affairs. Community service and service-learning are just a few of the areas Mr. Sagendorf is interested in and he is excited about learning in a program he describes as having "a strong balance of classroom and practical experience opportunities."

Mr. Sagendorf initially noticed a poster for the school in the Housing Office at Eastern. After showing interest in the program, he discovered the Associate Director of Housing and Residential Life had attended the program and a counselor at Career Services had received similar education. Both were great resources for information about the university and how to get in.

Career Services prepared Mr. Sagendorf by providing him with resources for research, conducting mock interviews, giving resume advice, and revising his admissions essays. On top of all that, Career Services gave Mr. Sagendorf the great idea of creating a portfolio including the flyers he helped create and the Community Service publication, News in a Letter . He explains, " The portfolio blew my interviewers away and showed them my experience as well as my preparedness."

As an AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteer in Service to America ) Community Service Coordinator at The Office of Community Service at Eastern, Mr. Sagendorf wishes to pursue a degree in Student Affairs and Higher Education and is grateful that Career Services was there to help. In his words: "The support I received from the entire Career Services staff was essential to the entire process of applying to graduate school which can be a long, stressful process."

Mr. Sagendorf's encourages students to stop by Career Services to get the preparation that he received in the process of finding and applying to graduate school. He explains, "The ideas, resources, information, and encouragement you receive at Career Services can make all the difference in the graduate school application process"

Aubrey de los Reyes

Sociology major, Aubrey de los Reyes, has been welcomed to the team at the Connecticut Science Center in Hartford. This brand new non-profit establishment, opening in June, has offered her a position as the membership and development coordinator starting as soon as she graduates. The position involves finding out what reasons people became members, thinking up new ways to get people to become members, and creating new events! Right out of college Aubrey will be starting a job that could not fit her major better.

While working for Career Services as the event coordinator she has been preparing for just this opportunity."I couldn't believe I got the job that I found through career services, because I was applying for a lot on my own." Staff worked with her on every cover letter she wrote for every new opportunity. In addition, Aubrey was constantly being exposed to all the positions that flow through Career Services. Career Services is constantly posting internships, jobs, and more online at eastern.http://eastern.experience.com/.com and this position was one of those. The benefits Career Services provides for students were already known to Aubrey, but they still had more to offer her.

"I think too many people don't know how to interview." Aubrey suggests that if students do not want to make an appointment, the packets available at Career Services on resume and cover letter writing are a great help. Making an appointment however can be a great advantage. Aubrey states,"They have all the connections with employers."

Aubrey was connected to the Connecticut Science Center through Career Services and now she has landed the ideal job for her. She says,"I've already got my first event I am attending and working on which is the Pre-Opening Celebration!

For students who are interested in non-profit organizations, in addition to visiting Career Services, you can visit http://careers.ctnonprofits.org for more.

Koli Doolittle

Koli Doolittle is a perfect example of the type of person that a job seeker needs to be. As a junior and communication major at Eastern, Koli is completely involved in both her career development as well as the community. Koli jumps at every opportunity she gets to make a difference. She describes herself as proactive and has gotten exactly the type of internship she was looking for because of it. This summer she will be working for the Connecticut Association of Non-Profits as an event coordinator promoting non-profit organizations.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) on campus is one of those organizations that the Connecticut Association of Non-Profits helps promote and Koli just happens to be a member of. What Koli will be doing for the organization is help promote such organizations by making sure important aspects of events are present. Working with non-profit organizations is exactly what Koli wants to be doing.

She has gotten "her foot in the door" of an organization that works with non-profit organizations by being punctual as well as getting a little help in her internship search from Career Services. Career Services was there to provide that additional help that every student could use. Koli was first introduced to Career Services when she was a Student Orientation Counselor (S.O.C.) her sophomore year at Eastern. Soon, she became aware that Career Services was looking for a writing intern. Almost instantly Koli applied for the position and started off her junior year working for Career Services. While working for Career Services as an intern she absorbed ample amounts of information about Career Services and internships. It became apparent to her that she "needed to get hands on practice in the real world."

Koli was told about this particular internship by staff at Career Services who knew she was interested. She also used online resources such as experience.com to find internships that she was interested in. She applied to many and as a result went to a number of interviews. Prior to submitting her resume, Koli made sure to visit Career Services to review each and every cover letter. Knowing that she had to make herself stand out from the rest, Koli always made sure to write a thank-you letter after every interview. The Connecticut Association of Non-Profits made sure to let Koli know that her letter was the extra something that put her above the other candidates that were being considered.

Sulthana Sayed

Sulthana Sayed is constantly succeeding. In the summer of 2008 she was featured in a success story for getting an internship and now she has done it again. This time she has landed a job at RMI Corporation in Avon, CT.

For 25 years RMI has been providing helpful software to companies who rent, sell, and service equipment. Starting in June, Ms. Sayed will be joining their team as a Staff Consultant. She found out about RMI through the help of Career Services. Ms. Sayed was called in for an internship interview and left a good impression. Even though she did not end up doing the internship, they remembered her. When Career Services had the company on campus for a recruiting event, she was immediately alerted through eRecruiting.

After being offered the job, Career Services was still there for Ms. Sayed. She explains, "They provided me with great insight, honest criticism, and helped me weigh the pros and cons of this offer compared to offers that I received from other companies." She goes on to list the many benefits Career Services provides such as helping students choose a major, preparing for graduate school, providing advice about proper etiquette and networking.

By using Career Services, Ms. Sayed has done everything she could to make the best of her college years and has something to show for it. She has secured a job for almost immediately after she graduates. She exclaims, "I am very excited to join the RMI team in June; I believe that this job will be a great start in my career."

Helga Maggi

Helga Maggi is now a registration specialist for Smart Start/CT Economic Resource Center after months of working at various other jobs. Overall, it took around a year for Ms. Maggi to finally start her career. She explains, " It was a daily, full-time effort. Pounding the pavement and knocking on doors shows initiative and may result in being at the right place at the right time."

While attending Eastern as well as after graduating, Career Services proved to be an extremely helpful resource that Ms. Maggi depended on. She visited Career Services for various things throughout her job search.

Many of the publications on careers and job forecasting helped Ms. Maggi to get an idea of what jobs were out there. With knowledge acquired though career oriented publications and the valuable information obtained by taking skill assessment tests she was better equipped to make her career search efficient.

During her time at Eastern, she explains, "It was important to develop solid written and verbal skills which could be transferred to any occupation." Skills such as these can be used in any job and are often a prerequisite that businesses want to see on resumes.

After graduating from Eastern, Ms. Maggi made a point to keep in contact with Career Services. In addition to speaking with the staff, she made sure to use Eastern's networking. ERecruiting is a great way to get your resume out to the businesses you are interested in.

Now as a registration specialist, Ms. Maggi is still learning: "After only 4 months, I am able to acquire public speaking skills to build confidence and explore new areas for personal and professional growth." Not only does Ms. Maggi work with the public, but she also spends time researching licensing requirements. There is even room for creative thinking. She emphasizes, "I am encouraged to and strive toward improving existing procedures and materials."

Ms. Maggi owes her success to outstanding effort in job seeking and absorption of new skills required for a competitive job market along with the help of her network, including Career Services.

Ashley Shattuck

We all keep hearing about how important it is to get an internship; it has never been truer than it is in the job market today. As a senior enrolled in the Social Work Program, Ashley Shattuck has found herself grateful to be an intern at North Windham Elementary School.

When Ms. Shattuck came to Career Services she says she was "lost and confused." Without knowing what to expect she made an appointment with a career counselor. Her plan was to learn how to write a professional resume as well as discuss her options for graduate school. In order to help Ms. Shattuck, the staff at Career Services directed her to a reference book full of graduate schools. She was able to look through the section for social work graduate schools and decide for herself which ones were best for her. Her plan is to attend Boston College Graduate School of Social Work and eventually become a school social worker.

In the meantime, Ms. Shattuck has gotten an internship that will get her experience in exactly the field that she plans to pursue. She spends her time at the elementary school mentoring students, collaborating with teachers and staff, and maintains a relationship with parents. While helping the school stay connected and on task of creating the best environment for students, Ms. Shattuck is having a great time! "It is the best experience I could ever ask for."

Joseph Grigerek

Any Eastern student that lives on campus would rave about the programs their Resident Assistant's have put on. Ranging from trips to a Lazer Tag arena to simply ordering pizza for a floor wide meet and greet. This begs the question though, where does the money for these events come from? As the new Accounting Intern at the Housing Office, Joseph Grigerek would be a great person to ask; one of his main tasks is preparing the budgets for each residence hall at Eastern.

Mr. Grigerek's path wasn't always pointed in this direction. Like many people he has switched majors. He began his career at Eastern as a Business major. It was not until his Junior year, after his first Accounting class, that he was prepared to make the switch. Knowing that he would be at a disadvantage entering the field fairly late, Mr. Grigerek immediately contemplated how to gain some experience.

Luckily, Mr. Grigerek had all ready been to Career Services when he was seeking help constructing his resume and tips on what to include in a cover letter. Now returning as an Accounting major he was looking to make an appointment for a mock interview. Mr. Grigerek explains, "Career Services really is the best jumpstart to getting an internship." During the interview one of the questions that stuck in his mind the most was, "Tell me three of your weaknesses." According to Mr. Grigerek they key to answering this question is to tell them how you compensate for weaknesses you have.

Later, Mr. Grigerek found an advertisement for the Accounting Internship at the Housing Office, and knew this was the perfect opportunity. Walking out of the interview he felt as though he had left exactly the impression he intended. His confidence was obviously well deserved and he is on his way to getting some great experience.

Mike Fleming

February 3 rd , 2009 Mike Fleming began his career as a Residential Worker in an emergency homeless shelter for The Access Agency. Like many, he was searching for a job for months before coming to Career Services in late November, 2008. There is only a certain amount of hope and optimism one can have before worrying about the future. Mr. Fleming was at this point when he entered the office of his career counselor. He explained, "Almost immediately after I met with my counselor I felt relieved. She provided me with the encouragement I needed in order continue my job search in a time of despair."

While students are on their journey through college, they often do not realize how many opportunities they are opening themselves up to. This was the case with Mr. Fleming. His career counselor helped him see that there were more options for a math major than being a teacher. According to Mr. Fleming, Career Services is "very helpful in broadening your awareness of the diverse jobs that are within your interests."

After opening his eyes to the various jobs he was qualified for, Mr. Fleming started off with cutting down the length of his resume, leaving only the information pertinent to the jobs he was looking for. After that, he joined the eRecruiting network to search for opportunities and soon found himself being contacted for interviews. Just over two months after visiting Career Services Mr. Fleming began his job for The Access Agency.

As a Residential Worker, Mr. Fleming is in a position to help people on a daily basis and feels like he is making a difference. Helping people of his community with basic needs such as food, shelter, clothing and safety is something he can be proud of. Mr. Fleming goes on to say, "It is something that I can see myself doing until I retire."

Gregory Steffes

Only in his second year here at Eastern, Gregory Steffes has secured an internship and will be starting work this summer at Marien and Company, a professional accounting firm in Norwich, CT. Mr. Steffes praises his career counselor for educating him on how to prepare for and conduct an effective internship search.

Mr. Steffes started his search for experience early and is executing his career plan: a future as a Certified Public Accountant. One of the first steps was signing up for eRecruiting , a large database of internships and full-time jobs for Eastern students and alumni.

He attended the annual Accounting Career Fair in October. In preparation for the fair, Mr. Steffes made an appointment with Career Services and sought advice on his resume. While in that meeting, Mr. Steffes explains, "My career counselor encouraged me to do company research, and coached me on how to dress and present myself as a candidate at the Career Fair."

In his words: "Marien and Company is exactly what I was looking for, it is small and it is the perfect place to learn the elements of the auditing process. I consider this internship opportunity one of the best steps to secure my career when I graduate," Mr. Steffes explains

Franklyn-Dean Gandiaga

For those of you who think finding a job in our current economy is hopeless, I have a story for you. Franklyn-Dean Gandiaga is presently a senior here at Eastern and has already been promised a job working for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), when he graduates. How did he go about getting this job? The Career Services office here at Eastern of course! Mr. Gandiaga praises, " They have a fantastic staff who will be there for you until you find a job." He started his job search by attending one of Career Services' Accounting Career Fairs. The next thing Career Services helped Mr. Gandiaga with was his resume. Along with advice on all the specifics, they gladly directed him to Optimal Resume. He was able to create a resume with the program with ease and it is free!

Mr. Gandiaga knew the IRS could provide him with the career he wanted after speaking with a recruiter his sophomore year. In June, he will be starting work for a program called EAGER in Norwalk , Connecticut , auditing individuals as well as businesses. So, before you doubt your chances in the working world, stop by Career Services and see what they can do for you.

You can sign up to use Optimal Resume for free by visiting the Career Services homepage.

Fall 2008 interviews conducted by Career Services Intern, Koli Doolittle:

Jessica McNabola

"I think I first heard about Career Services when I was a sophomore, because that is the year you generally decided your major, and what you plan to do with the rest of your life," said Jessica McNabola. Jessica graduated in May 2008 as a communications major with a focus in Public Relations.

Jessica really connected with Career Services when she organized an internship expo for the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA). Career Services assisted and helped her organize this event so that it would be just right. After the event Jessica kept in close contact with Career Services, at this point they knew her abilities of multitasking and that she was an excellent event planner. Jessica made sure to attend any workshops that Career Services sponsored whenever she had the time. She also had a lot of questions and made sure she asked them all when she was given the chance.

Another tool of Career Services that Jessica depended highly on was the online source, http://eastern.experience.com/. Jessica discussed how this was the best web site she had seen in regards to posting jobs and internship opportunities. Jessica felt that by using this web site it gave her a ton of options and it filtered out all of the jobs/internships that were not necessary for her to look at.

Jessica was recently hired by the MS Society – CT Chapter as the assistant events coordinator and is very excited to get started into something new, interesting, and for a good cause. Jessica ended our conversation with the statement that "Career Services is so beneficial to students, and so many students don't realize this until they have already graduated."

Jenae Beauchamp

Jenae Beauchamp is very involved in Eastern, being a double major and tutor. When Jenae was a junior she knew it was time for her to begin her Career Services exploration. Knowing she needed to get an internship before her senior year she went straight to Career Services. After attending multiple resume workshops and sending her resume to perspective internships, Jenae received an offer to intern at Incentra Solutions in Colorado during the summer of 2008.

Jenae is now applying to graduate school and has returned to Career Services for help again. The Career Services staff encouraged Janea to attend both the ‘Graduate School Essay Workshop' and ‘Graduate School Admissions Workshop.' "The preparatory workshops really allow success," she said as she fervently talked about Career Services and the tremendous help it gave her.

Jenae went on to explain that she knew she had to apply for graduate school she just didn't know how to go through the process. By attending the different workshops Jenae learned exactly what it takes to apply to graduate school. "Career Services really assisted me in writing a resume, the do's and don'ts of applying to graduate schools, and provided mock interviews for me to test out my skills. I'm grateful that they were able to help me every step of the way."

Chris Doyle

Chris Doyle's senior year was right around the corner and he figured it was about time to start looking into graduate schools. Chris worked for Eastern in the Study Abroad department located in Wood Support Service building, the same building Career Services is located in, just a floor below.

Chris was unsure of what to do and how to get started in searching for the perfect graduate school, so he went to Career Services and set up an appointment. Career Services assessed Chris's work experiences, personality, and aptitude by using multiple career assessment tools. These tools were able to identify Chris's strengths and weaknesses. Chris also used the FOCUS program, recommended by his career counselor to determine a career path.

After talking with Chris about his career goals, Career Services advised him to take a look at Springfield College to pursue his master's degree. After visiting the school, Chris knew that it was right for him, "I had nothing but good things to say about Springfield College ." Chris wanted to thank Career Services for suggesting that he look at this college, because had they not suggested it he didn't think he would have ever thought of seeking it out.

Bridget Pearson

"I love attending the career fairs that Career Services hosts," said Bridget Pearson, a non-traditional student at Eastern, "they really allow great opportunities." Bridget began attending Eastern in Fall 2007 as a junior, majoring in accounting. She needed assistance in writing her resume and applying to different internship and job opportunities. Career Services was able to provide her with this support. "I have a crazy schedule, but it didn't matter because Career Services was really willing to work with me."

While attending the Career Fair in 2007 she was introduced to the State Auditors and immediately got an interview, after the interview she was offered a full time co-op and accepted. Bridget mentioned that she still went to the Accounting Career Fair in 2008 for additional opportunities but recently was offered a full time position with the State Auditors. "Career Services was extremely encouraging and has great options for students to choose from."

Adam Seigle

From freshman year to graduation Adam Seigle has had Career Services involved in his college life. Adam majored in Business Administration, and since every business major needs an internship, Career Services was always making different presentations in his classes to discuss the many services that they provided.

Once Adam decided that it was time to start a résumé, he went to Career Services, picked up a guide on how to write resumes, and created a draft. "Career Services offers so many resources, I thought I would take a stab at writing my own résumé before I set up an appointment," said Adam. Adam then had his resume critiqued by Career Services and once completed, took advantage of the many programs they offered. He checked out the top ten business internships, went to the etiquette dinner, and attended both the Career Fair and Accounting Fair. At the Career Fair Adam was able to meet representatives from RMI Corporation.

Adam gave RMI his resume and set up an interview time. Although Career Services offered interviews on campus, Adam still decided to do an off campus interview. "They offered me a job right on the spot," said Adam with vigor and excitement. Adam was offered the job in November 2006, but didn't start as a full time employee until January 2007. Adam ended our conversation with the statement "RMI gives me a great sense of accomplishment and the confidence to know that I am able to assist our customers when they need it."

Matt DelMazio

"A lot of people know about Career Services," said Matt DelMazio as we began our interview. "I think I first heard about Career Services just by word of mouth from all of my friends." Matt is in his senior year, majoring in Business Economics and since there was so much talk about Career Services Matt decided to go check out Career Services and see what all the talk was about.

Matt went to the Career Services office and set up an appointment with a Career Counselor. During his counseling session he told them that he was strongest at numbers and finance, and wanted to know what job would best suit him. Career Services recommended Matt to look into a career as a banker and recommended a few local banks to check out. "The Savings Institute really fit my needs and I fulfilled all of their requirements. It was part time and a perfect resume builder. Career Services really hooked me up; they have a ton of connections within the town, which really helps." Matt continued to talk up Career Services and how lucky he felt having used them to get this job at the Savings Institute. He thinks that every student should utilize Career Services programs and services.

Janira Perez

Janira Perez will be graduating from Eastern in December 2008. She plans on graduating as a Management major with a bachelor of general studies.

With the help of career services it didn't take Janira very long to find a part time job. She began the job search process in April 2008; she knew as graduation was getting closer it was time to get prepared. "Career Services gave me a lot of direction. They took the time to figure out which job would be the best fit to utilize the skills that I possess" said Janira. She added that Career Services spent a lot of time assessing her personality by using great career development tools, finding out about her strong points, and learning about any previous work experiences she has had to prepare her for a professional career after graduation. "Career Services really helped me polish my resume, prepare cover letters, and so much more."

Career Services helped Janira get a part time job in Human Resources at Fed-Ex. She isn't sure where this job will lead her, it may just be a seasonal job or it could possibly turn out to be something more.

Steve Cessario

Steve is a junior at Eastern, with high aspirations. He is from East Hartford , but currently lives on campus, which helps him stay involved. He was introduced to Career Services through his involvement in campus organizations, in particular M.A.L.E.S.: Men Achieving Leadership, Excellence, and Success.

Steve met with a Career Counselor to help him begin the process of an internship search. After Steve's resume was to his liking, he went to many different career fairs and applied for several positions until he finally got an internship offer.

Steve's internship position is a Marketing Assistant in the Windham Chamber of Commerce office providing information resources, public information, and related services. He has become familiar with the organization and function of a nonprofit business association. Steve took part in many committees, boards, and the planning of different projects as well as university relations with Eastern Connecticut State University groups. One of the projects Steve completed was surveying students on campus in an attempt to figure out the different activities students wanted to take part in, in Willimantic. But Steve's internship didn't stop there; he was also required to prepare drafts of newsletters, articles, promotional materials, and tourism brochures. Thanks to Career Services, Steve successfully found an internship which he loved.

Sara Schiavone

Sara was about to begin her senior year, and with that in mind she thought it might be a good idea if she got help with her resume and found an internship. She knew exactly where to go, Career Services. Being the Vice President of AMA (American Marketing Association), Sara had worked with Career Services multiple times attending workshops for AMA members on how to be professional.

Sara had signed up for e-Recruiting earlier in her college career and made sure that she took time out of each day to read the emails that were sent to her. Each email offered new jobs and a ton of opportunities for Sara and her business major. "Career Services gave me great insight," said Sara as she passionately discussed Career Services. "Career Services really helped me improve my resume," she said. Through this process Sara become more marketable for internships.

In the summer of 2008, Sara came across an email for a marketing internship in Willimantic. At the time she wasn't exactly looking for an internship, but also knew that she should grab this opportunity while she could. This fall she began her marketing internship with Fly Trap. She feels the position has "jumpstarted" her life after graduation.

Sara stated that she would suggest career services to every student on campus, because of the help that she received by using their assistance. Not only that, but Sara was very impressed with how Career Services not only got her an internship, but also followed through to make sure that things were going smoothly for Sara every step of the way.

Summer 2008 interviews conducted by Career Services Intern, Jackie Alessio:

Christian Gaucher

As a freshman at Eastern, Christian Gaucher knew that Career Services existed; she just didn’t know exactly what they did. After speaking with a few of her professors regarding her plans for after graduation, they advised her to visit the Career Services department. However, she put her visit to Career Services on the backburner until she was a Junior and happened to see a presentation in one of her English classes about résumé writing.

Afterwards, when her professor suggested that she intern with the Career Services department, she jumped at the chance.
Interning with Career Services allowed Christian to "learn the ropes just from being there." She learned valuable lessons like how to dress for success, and ace an interview.

As graduation drew closer, Christian sat down with some of the career counselors. One of the most important things she learned was how to prepare for an interview. "I can’t stress enough how helpful that part is. People are asking questions these days that no one would ever think of." Thanks to Career Services, Christian received the "direction, experience and confidence" that she needed in order to succeed after college. "Now I love my job," she says. "In fact, I look forward to going every day which is probably as good as it gets!"

Sulthana Sayed

During her Resident Assistant training, Sulthana Sayed saw a presentation about resume writing and building. It was her first exposure to Career Services and the type of assistance that they provide to the students at Eastern.

As a sophomore, Sulthana decided she needed help with her résumé and cover letter so that she could start applying for internships. After visiting Career Services, she not only learned how to improve her résumé, she had also found out about internship opportunities that were available through the Career Services department.

Eventually she landed "the internship of a lifetime" in Boulder, Colorado. According to Sulthana, the internship gave her the opportunity to meet tons of new people and learn from them as well. It also allowed her to "apply real world facts to the information that I learned in my classes."

Had it not been for Career Services, Sulthana may never have heard about the internship opportunity in the first place. "The staff at Career Services informed me about this internship and worked with me… so that I could put my best foot forward when applying, and all of their work and direction helped."

Victoria Saulnier

Tori Saulnier doesn’t hesitate to give credit where it’s due: "I have always been a big fan of Career Services and I can thank the staff for all of my success outside of Eastern." It was during her freshman orientation that Tori first heard of the office of Career Services, but like every busy freshman, she just didn’t have the time to actually sit down with a career counselor until she realized that she was in desperate need of job experience and résumé help. Tori immediately took action.

As a sophomore, she visited the Career Services department and learned how to perfect her résumé. On top of that, she obtained her first summer internship with Open Solutions, a bank software company in Glastonbury.

Tori didn’t stop there, however. She continued to utilize Career Services in order to maintain a professional résumé and to acquire more internships. This past summer she had the opportunity to spend eight weeks in Washington D.C. working for a National Public Radio flagship station and attending the Institute on Political Journalism at Georgetown University.

During the Fall 2008 semester, Tori will be interning at the Connecticut State University System Office in the Public Affairs department, a position she is extremely excited about which Career Services also helped her obtain. Tori explains that upon her graduation in December she will have transformed from "being a confused freshman to a successful senior," thanks in part to Career Services. "I really cannot praise Career Services enough for all the help they have given me."

Lenny Lima

"Career Services helped me take the next step that was necessary to prepare myself for the future," says Lenny Lima, who first heard of Career Services from emails that were sent to his student account. When it came time for Lenny to find a co-op, he looked to Career Services for help updating his resume and searching for opportunities to receive real-world experience.

Not only was Lenny able to obtain an internship with Sherwin Williams, he also used Career Services as a networking tool. By attending career fairs each semester, Lenny was able to meet new people and build his list of contacts. Now, Lenny credits his success partly to the guidance that he received from the career services staff.

David Raszka

After receiving a letter in the mail from Career Services at the beginning of his Senior year at Eastern, David Raszka decided it might be a good idea to schedule an appointment with a career counselor. Not only did the Career Services staff help him create and post his resume, they also helped him locate an internship. With his new and improved resume, David was able to land an internship with Leader Industries. He was such a good fit there that his internship turned into a full time job.

David asserts that the professors at Eastern are among the best he’s ever had, but he also recommends that everyone get an internship or co-op. "Getting an internship gives you the experience that you will never get in class." Thanks to the guidance he received at Career Services, David now has the skills and experience to impress possible employers and present himself in a professional manner. "I know this will help me in the future," he says.

Courtney McBurney

Although a professor and her advisor recommended that Courtney McBurney get in touch with Career Services, she put it off because she had always had a sure idea of what she wanted to do after college. But when she began to grow and change as a person, Courtney’s idea of what her dream job might be began to evolve as well. "I was having trouble deciding on a minor and needed some guidance to pick the correct one," she says regarding her decision to finally contact Career Services. "I wanted to make sure I would have the right degree to pursue that job when I graduated."

Courtney admits, "Contacting career services was the best thing I could have done for myself." According to Courtney, the Career Services staff gave her great advice and even helped her contact people who could enable her to gain the qualifications she would need to eventually obtain a career in her desired field. "Career Services is one of the best departments on campus and one of the most helpful. Had I not talked to the people there I know I would still be confused."

Jason Budahazy

As a student, Jason Budahazy was very proactive about his education and career goals. Being made aware of Career Services through their campus-wide marketing, Jason decided to seize the opportunity to get ahead, so he made an appointment to speak with a career counselor. "I wanted to form a solid relationship with career services to see what my options are," Jason explains. "Career Services is able to point a student in the direction of their career aspirations, and by utilizing career services, it is much easier to find and obtain that dream job you're looking for."

Not only did Career Services’ online eRecruiting system provide Jason with several job/internship/co-op listings to peruse, Jason made sure to build a relationship with the staff in Career Services. They got to know him personally, and when they received job openings that they believed he would be interested in, they forwarded them to Jason.

One of those openings was for a co-op at United Technologies Corporation, a full-time position that he was eventually hired for. "Career services could have easily left it up to me to learn about the position myself, but they took the initiative to personally inform me, which I am very grateful for." Jason now works in the Global Realty division at UTC and he admits that without the help of Career Services, "I would not have known the existence of this wonderful opportunity."

Jonathan Hunt

Though he had a well paying job right out of college, Jonathan Hunt decided six months later that he wanted something more out of his career. During his graduation process, Jonathan had received a packet of information which included details about Career Services. Since the Career Services department caters to alumni as well as students, he decided to schedule an appointment with a career counselor.

Jonathan came out of his appointment with a new and improved resume and a list of potential employers. It wasn’t long before he found plenty of employment opportunities. Jonathan now works as the Assistant Director for Electronic Communication at the University of Hartford. "I have been on the job about three months," he says, "and am really enjoying myself."

In addition to his full-time job as assistant director, Jonathan keeps busy with his independent contract work, Jonathan Hunt Design, creating and designing various projects for restaurants, museums, music festivals, and other local businesses.

Jonathan Hunt is living proof that with a lot of determination and a little help from Career Services, Eastern graduates can most certainly achieve the ultimate career success!

Spring 2008 interviews conducted by Career Services Intern, Monet Carter:

Kelly Looke

Kelly Looke is working towards a major in Communication and a minor in Sociology with a focus in Public Relations. Her expected graduation is spring 2008.

Since her freshman year Kelly has continuously heard about Career Services from freshman orientation and bulletins all over campus. "The first time I heard about Career Services is when I signed up for E-Recruiting. If it weren't for that website I wouldn't have applied for an internship".

Kelly always knew that Career Services had a lot of great opportunities for students, especially with writing a resume. She would definitely recommend everyone visit. "I went to Career Services to get help putting together a resume which landed me an internship with the Connecticut Sun, in marketing. I use my resume at every chance I get because it's helped me stand out from others".

A thing like mock interviewing has really helped Kelly develop skills for the real world. She says that, "If you want to be successful this is a great place to get started".

Jillian Robbins

When Jillian Robbins was in high school she decided to apply to ECSU because she says, "I heard that the Career Services department is very helpful in getting students internships". That immediately helped sway her decision to attend this institution.

Currently Jillian is working at the Office of Public Affairs, with the Connecticut State University System Office in Hartford , in public relations. She owes much of her success to scheduling an appointment with one of the counselors. "She really was helpful and I wouldn't have gotten the internship if it weren't for her". Her counselor helped her build a strong resume. Jillian says that even though she was not chosen by some employers for other positions she interviewed for, they all seem to rave about how impressive her resume was. It was so exceptional that it also impressed Jillian's peers.

In the future, she will have confidence in finding a job, because she knows about the process of finding a good job. Jillian would recommend that students check out Career Services because they helped her and she believes they will be helpful to others. "One of my friends was in his senior year and I told him how helpful Career Services had been. I told him make an appointment. He got the help he needed and landed a job as Research Assistant at Yale". She encourages all seniors and even juniors, to bring their questions to the Career Service counselors. They will be able to answer them for you!

Noreen Perez

Noreen Perez, a senior at ECSU, is a Communication major with a minor in English. She is expected to graduate this upcoming May. With her passion for writing, she plans on becoming a journalist.

"I always heard about Career Services from my peers" she goes on to say, "This is what attracted me to Career Services". But what ultimately made Noreen make that first visit was her need of an internship.

"With the help from one of the counselors, I was able to land an internship with The Hartford Courant. I really like interning there because I find the tasks that I have to do very fulfilling!" Through Career Services, Noreen was able to construct a professional resume that she could submit to jobs and internships.

Getting the necessary assistance that she needed has helped her. Noreen hopes that from The Hartford Courant she can go on to pursue a career in the field of journalism. She recommends that anyone in need of assistance contact Career Services for help!

Fall 2007 interviews conducted by Career Services Intern Christian Gaucher

Sapna Patel

Sapna Patel first learned of Career Services when she was training to be a Resident Assistant her sophomore year. She then worked under Dr. Bryant and Dr. Tordenti for a summer where she was urged again to use Career Services to help her with her resume and get the internship she really wanted.

When asked what types of helpful tips she received, she replied, "A lot of resume tips. I learned how to make my resume unique, how to gear it towards certain employers depending on what they were looking for." She also said that she received some great interview tips including writing thank you notes to prospective employers after the interview was over.

Sapna said that the experience of using Career Services was "much more" than she thought it would be, adding, "I just keep coming back!" She explained that one of the biggest benefits she noticed was the opportunity to make new contacts and relationships which would prove helpful when she needed recommendations.

Sapna will graduate this December with a degree in Biology. Keep in mind, that’s on top of the Biochemistry degree that she earned this past August. Add to that a Connecticut Nursing License and an internship that Career Services helped her secure this past summer with Pfizer. There, she was a research assistant where she was able to do lab work and get hands on experience with new drug formulas and current treatments for various diseases. And then there’s her latest accomplishment—getting accepted to medical school in the Caribbean where she will start classes in July.

Congratulations Sapna, a success story, indeed!

Shannon Mack

Shannon Mack is working towards a major in Psychology and a minor in Communication. She plans to graduate in May of 2008. She says that she had heard a few things about Career Services through a couple of on-campus organizations that she was involved with. When she learned that she could get assistance to boost her resume and get a job that suited her best, she came to do just that.

She says that when she arrived, she got help fixing her resume, cleaning it up and making some changes that would help her to secure the type of job she was interested in. She also shared the fact that she was able to "really narrow down the resume to the main points" that would help her to sell herself to potential employers.

Shannon says that the biggest benefit of using Career Services was the different types of interviews that the staff was able to hook her up with. Not only did this prove to help her with interview skills, but eventually the hard work she was doing paid off when she was awarded a job with the New England Center for Children and Families where she was offered the position of residential relief counselor.

Good luck Shannon, we know you’ll do great!

Fatema Mithaiwala

"I would strongly recommend that my peers visit Career Services. It made a difference in my career, and I believe it could result in positive outcomes for others, too," says senior Fatema Mithaiwala, an Accounting major who will graduate with her bachelor’s degree this December.

Fatema says she was encouraged to use Career Services by her accounting professors who also informed her of the career fair which is geared towards the accounting and business majors at Eastern. She took her professor’s advice and attended the fair, noting that "Career Services did a great job in organizing it."

Fatema also says that when she visited Career Services she received a lot of really helpful tips concerning interviews, job search techniques, the importance of networking, and the fact that having an internship or a co-op experience prior to graduation would be essential to her success.

Eventually, Fatema was placed in a co-op with IBM which she says helped her "get some hands on experience in the accounting field while completing graduation requirements." She feels that taking the co-op has been "a rewarding experience so far."

Overall, she says, "I definitely would continue to use Career Services in the future," adding that "I believe the biggest benefit is the friendly and welcoming atmosphere which encourages students like me to make frequent visits to Career Services."

Melanie Richter

When Melanie Richter, a senior Communication major transferred to Eastern, a recent graduate gave her the advice to make an appointment with Career Services. "Starting the day I signed up for e-recruiting and gave Career Services my resume, I have received a constant flow of e-mails updating me on different internship, co-op, and job opportunities." She goes on to say it was, "by far the best decision I made at Eastern."

One of the things that Melanie found to be so beneficial was the personal attention she received from the staff. She explains, "Since they got a chance to know me personally, they were able to look for different internships that would fit my personality."

Perhaps the most important advice that she received was, "to not stop sending out resumes just because I got one interview. This was extremely helpful when I turned down a job because I did not like my potential supervisor." She didn’t have to worry though, because as she says, "I already had other resumes out there to rely on." It was a good thing too, because one of those other resumes landed her a position with the Hartford Courant where she now works three days a week.

When asked if she would recommend Career Services to her peers she says she absolutely would, adding that, "My other advice to them would be to go back more than once. Do not just give up after one meeting with a counselor. Return if you still need help because new opportunities could have risen since your last appointment. They always seem to be the first to know who is hiring, what they are looking for, and who is best for the job."

Brittany Bennett

Meet Brittany Bennett. She is an Economics major with a concentration in Business who hopes to graduate this May. She first learned of the types of assistance that Career Services had to offer while working in the department during her sophomore and junior years.

When she decided to ask for help in looking for an internship, she knew exactly where to turn. What she says she found most helpful in terms of the tips that she received, she lists, "resume critiques, mock interview questions, the best way to go about answering those questions, and what’s appropriate in terms of dress codes." She feels that learning these things provided her with a "good foundation" in understanding how businesses operate, and her efforts were rewarded when she received an internship with the UPS office in West Hartford as a recruiter.

Because of her encouraging experience with using Career Services to get an internship, she plans to use them for the post-graduation job search as well. As she explains, "A lot of my friends were seniors when I was a freshman and they still call for tips!" She highly recommends using Career Services and offers students the advice to, "Have a general idea of what you’re interested in, and bring a resume!"

Muhammad Malloy

"Last semester I referred some friends to Career Services to find internships," says Muhammad Malloy, an Accounting major who plans to graduate this December. Not only did he refer his friends, but he says he will most likely use Career Services for a post-graduation job search.

Why, you might ask? Because when Muhammad used the assistance offered by Career Services, he was able to attain an exciting internship with the IBM Company in Southbury.

Muhammad first learned about the services that were offered at Career Services through a professor. When he came to ask advice on obtaining an internship he received tons of advice including tips on what should be put on a resume and what should and shouldn’t be said in interviews.

The best piece of advice that he received along the way was, "Not to get comfortable with one place." He said that although he had secured the internship, he was still keeping his possibilities open.

Muhammad has now been with the IBM Company since the end of May and has earned the rank of Inter-Company Accountant. Great job, Muhammad, and good luck with what’s ahead!

Ronald Isler

"Ronald Isler is a senior who will graduate this December with a degree in Business Administration. Not only will he be prepared for the job search with a degree under his arm, but he will also have real work experience due to his summer co-op.

Ronald came to Career Services in search of a co-op that would accomplish just that. He said, "The staff really helped match my strengths with the placement. They also helped me pick something that allowed me to work, go to school, and play baseball at the same time."

He explained that he received many tips such as "staying positive" about finding a match. He also found it extremely helpful to be able to get a list of contacts and call them directly so that possible employers would be able to match a name to a face versus applying online.

His hard work paid off when he was granted a co-op with a staffing firm called The Lyle Group LLC. in Manchester. His experience helped him gain important on site skills such as "data entry, learning new software, setting up interviews, contacting clients, and following up on leads."

His advice? "Get started early!"

Tessa Pickering

Tessa Pickering is a senior who is majoring in Communication. She will also have a minor in Social Work when she graduates this May. Thinking ahead, Tessa used the help of Career Services in order to secure the type of internship she had always wanted.

"I went to Career Services to ask for assistance in doing a resume and applying for an internship," she says. "The staff gave me millions of tips. They told me everything from how to dress for an interview to how to put a resume together."

When she was asked what the best advice was that she received she replied, "Honestly, probably when she told me to just be myself in the interview!"

Tessa was able to take in and use some of the great tips and information that she received at Career Services in order to get an exciting internship. She explains, "By using Career Services I was able to get an internship at the Hartford Courant, the place I really wanted to intern at." She went on to say that being placed in this particular internship has opened up many doors for her.

When asked for some final thoughts she concluded, "I highly recommend Career Services. The experience was a lot more educational and memorable than I actually thought it was going to be. I wouldn’t consider not using it."

Best of luck Tessa, we hope to see your name in print!

Danny Diaz

Business major Danny Diaz is not scheduled to graduate until May 2010. The good news is that he has gotten himself ahead by taking advantage of Career Services early in the game.

One of the things he says that helped him most was partaking in the mock interviews that the department offers to better prepare students for the interviews they will experience after graduation. He shared that the mock interview process was really helpful because in going through it a couple of times he was able to see what kind of interview skills he needed to work on and which ones he felt comfortable with.

He says the best benefit of using such a service is that, "it teaches and prepares you for real life interviews." A helpful piece of advice that he remembers hearing was how to dress for an interview. He says that it is important to know how to "dress the part of the job that you want."

Danny also shared the fact that his experience was "…better than I had expected it to be. The counselors really know how to focus on the student’s particular needs." He says, "You need to be prepared to enter a corporation or career, and they will help you. They do a great job!"

After learning the skills that would help him through the interview process, he was able to score an internship through the INROADS program, whose mission is to provide internships in the business industry in order to prepare students for leadership positions.

Good job, Danny, all your hard work will pay off in the future!

Spring 2007 interviews conducted by Career Services Intern Stephanie Pierce

Richard Bruneau

"The Office of Career Services helped me out immensely in creating a resume, and finding and securing a CO-OP for this summer," states Richard Bruneau, an accounting student from ECSU. Richard was a little skeptical about finding a co-op for the summer. Unsure of what he wanted to do or where he wanted to go, Rich went to the career services department for help.

Scheduled to graduate in May of 2008, with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting, Rich wanted to find something that may be useful for his degree. In a meeting with one of the Career Services staff, he was able to build a resume that matched his objective of acquiring "real world" experience in Accounting and Finance.

Rich's counselor asked if he would be interested in a Co-op with an alumni CFO in Boulder, Colorado. The full time, paid position offered housing and transportation as well. Immediately Rich applied, and several days later, Rich was being interviewed for the position.

"I accepted it and I owe it to the people at the Office of Career Services. Without their help, I don't know if I could have been able to find an opportunity like this CO-OP for the summer."

Richard is a primary example of what career services can do for you. "They can help build your resume with you, and they can help put you into a position where opportunities are always just a phone call away."

Sapna Patel

Sapna Patel is an ECSU student, majoring in biochemistry and biology. She is scheduled to graduate in May of 2008 with both of the degrees. She has landed an internship with Pfizer.

Although Sapna found the internship on her own, she still used the career services department for help. Like most students, Sapna went to the department for help with building her resume. Sapna's main objective was to find "an internship experience in scientific research that will provide the opportunity to expand her efficiency in research procedures and laboratory methodologies".

Along with helping to build Sapna's resume, career services also prepared her for the interview. Interviews can be a little nerve-racking but with a little bit of knowledge of what the questions may contain, can help a person ease their mind a little.

Sapna is scheduled to start her internship with Pfizer's in the summer, where she will be able to expand her knowledge in research and methodologies. Congratulations!

Jenna Podeswa

Jenna Podeswa is anticipating her graduation in May of 2009. Pursing a Bachelor of Arts in History and Social Science, with a minor in Theatre, Jenna has recently found a full time internship with the Hartford Stage scheduled to begin June 3rd, 2007. Jenna will be in a field that will help to prepare her for her future teaching profession. She wants to become a teacher in history, social science, or theater. By interning, Jenna will get the experience that she needs and wants.

Jenna was not able to do this all alone. As known by most of us who are trying to pursue a career after college, we know that much time and effort goes into not just finding the career but also preparing for it. With the help of career services, Jenna was able to build a resume that caught the attention of the Hartford Stage Employers.

"It was a great experience", Jenna said, "Not only did they help me prepare my resume but they also helped me write a thank you letter after my interview". As she puts it, career services were very helpful in her quest to find an internship.

Alicia McCain

Alicia McCain is not scheduled to graduate until May of 2008, but that has not stopped her thinking about her future after college. Pursuing a Bachelor's in Business Marketing, Alicia has been able to concentrate in communications and public relations.

Through a lecture given in one of her business classes, Alicia learned about the ECSU Office of Career Services. Knowing nothing about career services, Alicia took it upon herself to set up a meeting with a career counselor. With that help, Alicia came up with an outstanding resume.

Alicia's objective, according to her resume, was to "pursue an internship in marketing or public relations where excellent customer relations and intrapersonal skills can help improve the company's profitability".

Taking the chance, Alicia started posting her resume. With the help of career services, Alicia did not just land an internship. She did one step better. She found a co-op with Open Solutions in Glastonbury, a business and marketing position with a software development company. The Co-op will allow Alicia to apply her studies in a real-world environment while utilizing her customer relations skills in working with clients.

Alicia's full time Marketing Co-op will start after the spring 2007 semester. Having a co-op as opposed to an internship means that Alicia will not only learn on the job, but she will also be getting paid.

Spring 2007 interviews conducted by Career Services Intern John Macy

Chelsea Adams

Chelsea Adams is a senior pursuing a degree in Business Administration, with a focus on Marketing. She was introduced to Career Services in her sophomore year, while preparing an application to the Disney College Program, an internship at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.

Chelsea believes that Career Services has helped her significantly, not only in securing the internship, but with her post graduate job search as well. She feels that Career Services counselors helped her create an effective resume, as well as giving her tips to prepare for interviews.

In retrospect, Chelsea feels that her experience with Career Services has been nothing but encouraging and optimistic, and that every student should take advantage of the resources provided by Career Services. She believes that many students think that there is a certain point in their college career when it is too late to get assistance from Career Services, and this certainly is not the case. She also emphasized that Career Services is free to Eastern students, commenting that many people have to pay for similar services.

Chelsea hopes to eventually seek a full time position with the Walt Disney World Corporation in some sort of marketing capacity. She is currently pursuing a position with the Hartford Courant.

Kelly Fitzgerald

Kelly Fitzgerald is a senior at ECSU with a major in political science. She has always had an interest in jobs in government, particularly those with influence over public policy. She became familiar with Career Services through attending various job and grad school fairs held by the office.

Kelly made use of the resume building services offered by Career Services, and believes that without them, her resume would not be of the quality that it currently is. Kelly praised the Career Services counselors, who she feels show great concern for each individual student, and stressed that they are always looking for job opportunities with students in mind. She believes that the counselors are always willing to put in the effort necessary to help a student.

Kelly currently holds an internship with CWEALF, the Connecticut Women's Education and Legal Fund. This group serves as an advocate for women, providing an informational hotline, workshops, and educational programs for women.

Kelly feels that any student looking for employment should take advantage of Career Services. She says that the counselors are willing to "bend over backwards" in order to help students put themselves in a position to be more employable and to find a job that is suited to their skills and life goals.

Tim Kramar

Tim Kramar is a junior majoring in History, with an expected graduation date of May 2008. He is currently serving as an intern in the office of Governor M. Jodi Rell in Hartford. In this internship, Tim is working with members of the Governor's staff, monitoring legislation which may affect the state's budget.

Tim first became aware of Career Services when he received a letter detailing his eligibility for the Co-op Program. He then attended a Career Services information meeting, which led him to schedule an appointment with a career counselor. Tim said that he first came to ECSU with the intention of studying to be a teacher, but soon realized that he had more of an interest in federal law enforcement, such as the FBI or Secret Service.

Tim believes that Career Services has been a major help to him in his search for employment. He said that aside from the technical aspects of the employment search, such as resume writing assistance and advice on how to go about searching for a job, the career counselors also provided encouragement during his search, which helped him stay motivated and optimistic about his future prospects.

Lauren Bedini

Lauren Bedini is a senior at ECSU, and will be graduating in May 2007. She is a business major with a focus in Human Resources. Lauren wants to find a job as a recruiter, to make full use of her degree. She learned of Career Services through a recent orientation held by a Career Services staff member.

Lauren first made use of Career Services when she joined students and staff on a trip to Hartford for a career fair, where she secured an internship offer with First Investors. She will be working on campus this semester, assisting First Investors with recruiting other students interested in internships and employment in Finance. According to Lauren, once a student has registered with Career Services, and the eRecruiting site, they can exppect to receive frequent email updates about opportunities for internships, co-ops, and full-time jobs.

Lauren feels that ECSU in general, and Career Services in particular, comprises a large network of people putting forth their best effort to help students find post-graduate work, and that their involvement does not end once a student receives their diploma. When asked what she would tell an uninformed student about Career Services, she stressed that students should take the time to meet with a counselor and discuss their future plans. She mentioned that the counselors are a valuable resource, and that they have access to resources that students may not be aware of.

Fall 2006 interviews conducted by Career Services Intern Teresa Piccolello

Angela Orum

"I wish that my friends who don't go to ECSU could use the Career Services department too!" says Angela Orum, the 22 year old Norwich, CT native. Orum is an English major pushing through her final few weeks before graduation in December 2006.

Orum met with a Career Services counselor who taught her how to revamp her resume. "She introduced me to new resume styles that better represented me," Orum comments.

Not too long after Orum had posted her resume on eRecruiting, on the Career Services website, she received an e-mail from the Progressive Insurance company. She applied and was almost immediately contacted for a telephone interview. Once Orum passed the three preliminary steps, a basic skills test and an emotional IQ test, she anxiously prepared for the final interview in Pennsylvania.

"[My counselor] was available all the time. We communicated by phone and e-mail as I prepared for the 90 minute interview. She helped me to create 'thank you' cards to send, following the interviews and helped me to prepare for questions they might ask me," says Orum.

Needless to say, Orum's 90 minute interview was a success. Days later, Progressive Insurance offered her a full time position as a claims adjustor.

"I highly recommend Career Services to everyone. I only wish I had used the resource earlier!"

Paul Zaudke

"I enrolled in college to expand my mind and gain from the endless resources that a university has to provide; and one of the strongest resources I found is Career Services", says Paul Zaudke, a senior and Business Administration major at Eastern Connecticut State University.

Zaudke, a Manchester resident, is expecting his degree in December 2006. Zaudke has been a success since the beginning of his college career when he received the Excellence in Communication Award in 2003. Regardless, he still insists that, "Utilizing Career Services was one of the major steps in gaining my education and I would feel shorted without it", as he continues to excel in both the academic and professional sphere since discovering Career Services.

Like other college students, Zaudke can relate to having a full schedule as he manages a full-time job, a part-time job, and classes. Zaudke credits his success to his career counselor, "She was simply fantastic. She helped me with a lot in the short time I spent with her. I feel privileged to know her as she helped me to mold my resume, she gave me confidence, a piece of mind, and a wonderful feeling for taking on those nerve racking first interviews".

In June Zaudke started a co-op at Nationwide Insurance. In late July he was given a permanent position, and since then he has been promoted. "I am sincerely happy with my career and I have Career Services to thank for helping me on a path of success".

As a previous intern and now permanent employee at Nationwide, Zaudke is extending a helping hand in offering a broad range of insurance, co-op, and internship opportunities to Eastern students, "I speak from experience when I say that this opportunity is long-lasting and a great way to start a path to success". Zaudke looks forwards to a continuing relationship with Nationwide Insurance and Eastern Connecticut State University.

Destiny Gore

"I admit that I was a skeptic", says Destiny Gore, senior and Sociology major at Eastern Connecticut State University, when a fellow student recommended she visit Career Services, "He [the student] guaranteed me that I would have a job within a few weeks".

Gore met with a counselor. "She gave me very helpful suggestions on how to better format my resume and cover letters. Once my resume was completed I couldn’t believe how professional I sounded. I never realized before how much I have to offer".

Gore experienced the anxiety of employment searching like the rest of her classmates. After seeking the help of Career Services and sending out her newly crafted resume to various companies and organizations the counselor had suggested, however, Gore had four job interviews lined up after just two weeks. She remembers, "I couldn’t believe it. I had applied to jobs before and I had never received this response".

Gore received numerous phone calls and one was from the one particular employer she hoped for. Gore now has a full time position with The Community Renewal Team (CRT) in Hartford where she works for the Forensic Services Department with a program called "Fresh Start". It is the perfect fit for Gore’s interest in Sociology as she is able to make her own contribution to the 24-hour facility that houses women who have been incarcerated and assists them in making a transition back into society.

Regardless of having to complete strenuous senior class work, and be at the facility until midnight every week day, Gore still declares, "My position is Resident Advisor and I love my job!"

Gore shares her opinion in what seems to be the student consensus on Career Services, "If it weren’t for their help, I would still be lost."

Yemi Ayeni

"They gave me tons of helpful advice for my resume, how to search for jobs, and how to act during interviews," says Yemi Ayeni about her time spent with Career Services’ counselors. Ayeni is a senior Accounting major and Math minor here at Eastern Connecticut State University and she expects to graduate in December 2007.

Last summer, Ayeni worked as a finance intern at Women’s Health USA, a healthcare services company, in Avon, CT that she learned about through Career Services. "I did the usual journal entries and made of lot of spreadsheets with transactions. It was a great experience".

Although her internship with Women’s Health USA has expired, Ayeni recently attended the Accounting Career Fair hosted by Career Services in October. She distributed several resumes and discussed opportunities with the companies, "I am staying in touch with them for the future".

In the meantime Ayeni is busy with strenuous senior Accounting class work and her duties as an R.A. in her residence hall. As for continuing her relationship with Career Services, Ayeni says, "Definitely. Definitely. That’s a sure thing".

Jon Tufano

"I knew that they were there for me," says Jon Tufano, Business major and Economics minor at Eastern Connecticut State University, when asked about his experience with Career Services.

Tufano had a unique experience with Career Services; one that he describes as "pro-active". After searching the Career Services eRecruiting website and constantly reviewing updates and job leads, Tufano says, "I came to them with an internship and said, ‘How can we make this happen?’ And well, they made it happen". Tufano attended and networked at the Business Department Open House co-hosted by Career Services where he received an internship position with XSellence CRM Software dealing with sales revenue acceleration.

"Career Services definitely played their part in my transition, it is a great resource".

After his summer internship, Tufano still works with XSellence where he has been given additional responsibilities in his position, seeking out and scheduling motivational speakers for the company. Tufano is thankful to XSellence for the flexibility they allow him as he completes his last two semesters.

Tufano continues to collaborate with Career Services and is in the process of planning for potential post-graduation employment. "My counselor set me up and I had an amazing telephone interview with a Connecticut consulting firm".

"Most students don’t realize the value of Career Services—you have to leverage what is there for you in order to succeed", Tufano states. He expects to graduate in Spring 2007 with several employment opportunities. Thanks, to Career Services.

Laura Figerle

"Internships are required for my major to graduate, and it was a tough road to search for the right one," says senior Laura Figerle of Eastern Connecticut State University, who expects to graduate in May of 2007. Figerle is a Business Administration major with a concentration in marketing, and a minor in communications.

By the middle of the summer, Figerle was uncertain about finding an internship and decided to schedule an appointment with a Career Services counselor. She articulates, "Career Services was fantastic. our interview made me realize that finding an internship/co-op was actually attainable for me in the near future."

After the interview and signing up for E-recruiting, Figerle says the counselor "helped me understand different areas that I wanted to gain real world experience in. Within three weeks she sent me an opening for the position that I work for today."

Figerle now interns at Hire Logic LLC in South Windsor, CT. She is responsible for assisting the recruiters in finding potential candidates for positions that are offered, working on projects, and managing the online resume database, among other clerical work. Figerle comments, "This is a perfect internship for me. Although it is in the human resources field, it deals with marketing and selling candidates to specific companies."

Figerle recalls her experience with Career Services as an excellent opportunity that provided job opportunities and immediate responses.

"Overall, my co-op was a tremendous experience that gave me real job skills and proper business etiquette, which will be helpful in attaining a position in the human resources or marketing field in the future," Figerle comments, "I plan on keeping in touch with Career Services and utilizing E-Recruiting to assist me in finding another position post-graduation."

Molly Burgess

"I feel like I'm an interview 'pro' now," laughs Molly Burgess, a 20 year old junior and Accounting major at Eastern Connecticut State University. She is President of the Accounting Society and expects to graduate in May 2008.

"My GPA was good and I was involved with extracurricular activities, so I thought that was all I really needed. I was wrong," Burgess says of an interview "gone bad" in her sophomore year.

Burgess' care free assumptions about interviewing quickly changed when she realized she was not prepared for the questions that were asked. It was at an Accounting Society meeting where Burgess met her counselor who was giving a presentation about job searching and interview skills. "She went over the basics, like how to dress, eye contact, speaking clearly, posture and stuff like that. She also went over things to do before the interview, like research the company!! The biggest help was the list of questions she gave."

By junior year, Burgess still had no internship: "I was getting really worried because I really needed accounting experience before I graduated and time was running out. I went to the Accounting Career Fair this October. It was a big success. Career Services did a wonderful job putting it on. I ended up talking to various companies. I got about five call backs and four interviews! I couldn't believe it, I was so excited."

"I researched the company and went over all the sample questions a bunch of times," Burgess recalls about the days before her interview with Blum Shapiro, a regional public accounting firm in West Hartford. "The interview ended up going really well! I was so nervous at first, but right when we started talking I realized, wow, this is easy. I was able to answer all the questions-- even specific behavioral ones-- and I walked out thinking I did a good job."

Today Burgess is getting excited having accepted Blum Shapiro's offer for the January through April co-op. "Career Services was great because they helped me register the offer as a co-op so I could keep my full time status and financial aid and scholarships and everything. My counselor was a big help," Burgess said.

Thanks to Career Services, Burgess will never make the same mistakes again during an interview. While looking forward to beginning her co-op with Blum Shapiro, she is also waiting for a call back from accounting and consulting firm, KPMG, for a summer internship. "If all goes well, I'll get it!"

Marcia Saccu

"I have recommended it to all of my friends and everyone I know who is looking for internship or job opportunities," says 21 year old Eastern Connecticut State University senior, Marcia Saccu, about Career Services. Saccu is a Business Administration major with a concentration in Marketing; she expects her degree in May 2007.

Saccu set up an appointment with a Career Services Counselor, and afterwards excitedly admits, "I realized I didn't know any of this! If it wasn't for Career Services I would be completely lost."

Saccu worked with her counselor on perfecting her resume and cover letters, and also set up an account with e-recruiting. "She sent me so many internship and co-op opportunities in business around the area."

Among the many options Saccu sifted through, was an internship available at Quasar Enterprises in Willimantic. "I called and made an appointment for an interview, then when I went, I got the internship right on the spot!"

Quasar Enterprises is a company that specializes in website design and redesign. Among her responsibilities that she will be taking on during the spring semester internship, Saccu says, "I am going to be prospecting new businesses, particularly restaurants, and seeing if they want Quasar to design a website for them and I will be teaching them all about it-- basically I market Quasar to the businesses."

Saccu credits Career Services with helping her set off in the right direction. "Yes, it is an absolutely valuable resource," she says, "I personally plan to continue to utilize it and to also continue to spread the word."

Pedros Pozo

"I definitely feel I am on the path to success. I'm trying to do the right thing and have fun at the same time, because after all, that's what life is about-having fun with what you do," says Pedro Pozo, who recently graduated from Eastern Connecticut State University with a B.S. in Biology and a minor in Biochemistry.

Pozo is an Ecuador native who moved to the United States when he was eleven years old. Although he wasn't sure exactly what he wanted to do, Pozo always knew he wanted to have a career in the science field. "So about two months before I graduated I went to the Career Services Office to see if they could help me out," says Pozo.

Pozo was given suggestions and a wealth of information on how to search for positions in the field of science. Starting his job search just before graduation, it was at the end of the summer that he received the e-mail from Career Services that would set his science dream in motion.

The e-mail notified Pozo that a lab assistant position was open at Goodwin College in East Hartford. "I followed up the e-mail and replied to Goodwin College telling them that ECSU's Career Services Office had sent me, along with my resume," says Pozo.

The Health Services Department Chair from Goodwin College replied to Pozo shortly after, proposing an interview appointment. "I was extremely happy, jumping all over, screaming, you get the idea!"

"I went for the interview and killed it," Pozo confidently recalls.

Three days later Pozo received a phone call with the good news that he had been selected for the position. "I am currently the Lab Coordinator at Goodwin College and loving it."

Pozo concludes, "I absolutely recommend anyone to stop by the Career Services Office. They helped me obtain my current job and I am certain that the experience and knowledge I am gaining will help with my future career and success."

Congratulations Pedro Pozo, and congratulations Career Services on yet another victory!

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