Spring 2024 Career Readiness Newsletter
For Students, Faculty, and Staff.
Message from our Director
Dear CSUN Community,
Welcome to Spring in the Career Center.
In case you missed it, there was lots of good work in the fall 2023 semester.
- 3,027 students set up new profiles in CareerLink to research CSUN majors and careers and plan for internships and jobs.
- We met with 593 students for 796 career counseling and advising sessions.
- 11,789 students and alumni logged into Handshake to connect with employers and search for jobs and internships.
- We conducted 94 classroom presentations on various career topics with over 2,350 students.
- 2,256 students engaged in Internship Week events through live and YouTube recordings of 12 sessions.
- 243 employers participated in networking events with CSUN students.
In September, I was appointed to the Career Center Director position. I have dedicated my time to ensuring our team is well-represented and that our plans and practices are data- informed, student-responsive, equitable, impactful, and innovative.
Our priority for 2024 is a Program Review that will provide insights as we prepare to create a strategic plan for the next three years. An external review team will visit and provide valuable insights into our work.
We appreciate your continued support in the work of readying students for their career success.
Warmly,
Nyla Jolly Dalferes
Priorities of Career Counselors and Program Coordinators
When asked about their goals for 2023-2024, the career counselors spoke of focusing their work on informing students of the opportunities on campus and beyond CSUN.
The intent behind my career counseling practice is to provide inspiration, motivation, and support to students seeking to make meaningful academic, career, and life decisions. I find joy in being an advocate for student empowerment, persistence, and success. I also find that those students often provided ME with a sense of inspiration and motivation as well! ~ Brian Finck, Career Counselor, Board Certified Counselor, Sustainability Champion
This year, the intention behind On-Campus Student Employment programming is to elevate From Here to Career, provide more support to on-campus supervisors, and bring awareness to the benefits of on-campus student employment and resources to help students secure on-campus jobs. I find that students are motivated to stay engaged with on-campus activities that can help their career development journey. ~ Genesis Lozano, Career Counselor, On Campus Student Employment
CareerLink & Forage
CareerLink is a CSUN-built online resource that takes career research to the next level by placing Matadors in the control seat.
With access to career readiness courses, jobs, and internships, Matadors can create their future according to their occupational
interests and goals by researching their options in the academic and career modules.
Introducing Forage! Forage offers online skill- building courses for Matadors.
Link to Forage through CareerLink. The site connects students and companies by providing online courses to prepare students for the positions they are interested in. Students learn skills directly from Fortune 500 companies and can attach certificates of completion to their resume.
Peer Educators
“The Career Peer Educator program fosters engagement and connection between CSUN students.”
I have found that students feel significantly more comfortable working with their peers on resume critiques, job search strategies, and research skills.
In the spring, I hope to augment career services by increasing the Peer Educators’ visibility on campus to spread the word that students can meet with their peers when they visit the Career Center.
By Veronica Torres, Career Counselor, Peer Educator Coordinator
EOP Career Program & EOP Career Peer Educators
Hector Carrillo Jr., Career Counselor, EOP Career Program Coordinator, “empathizes
rather than sympathizes” with students to ensure that the counseling and career advisement process recognizes the cultural assets of historically marginalized students.
The EOP (Educational Opportunity Program) Career Program in the Career Center provides services from a student-centered and community-based perspective.
In Spring, we plan to strengthen the EOP RSP (Resilient Scholar Program) Career Series by focusing on experiential learning opportunities for students.
Why use Handshake?
In the words of Sarah Le Long, Employment Services & Event Coordinator, “The system works harder so you don’t have to.”
Whether the position is on-campus or off-campus, part-time or full-time, or an internship, Handshake connects the majors and interests of Matadors to optimize their career exploration on the website.
Students are actively notified of events and job postings according to the specific curation of their Handshake account.
Due to this service, Handshake is used to inform Matadors of events, workshops, and job opportunities (i.e. Tech Fest, Spring Career Fair, Internship Week) that pertain to their major and interests.
On-Campus Student Employment Program
- The Career Center helps students find jobs on campus through the Student Employment Program.
- Students have access to
advisement and events that educate students on the possibilities
and advantages of on-campus jobs. - Genesis Lozano, Career Counselor, On-Campus Student Employment Coordinator hopes to augment the program for the Spring semester by “bridging the gap between on- campus employers and students. I aim to do this by organizing an on-campus job career fair for students to meet on-campus employers and discuss potential on-campus job opportunities.”
Daniel’s Resume Tips!
Career Counselor, Daniel Levitch helps students take a proactive role in their job search by teaching students and recent alumni how to navigate the job market.
5 tips to remember!
1. Clarity is of absolute importance. Choosing a simple format like the Chronological resume gives you the structure necessary to help put your best foot forward.
- Add your LinkedIn URL to the contact section at the top of your resume. It is an excellent way to showcase your experience via photos, videos, and uploaded documents.
- Tailor your resume to the job description by scanning and highlighting key terms that you can weave into your resume’s Skills and Job Duties sections. Check out LinkedIn Learning to build your marketability.
- List dates of employment, education, and certifications in reverse chronological order with your most recent experience listed first. Stay consistent in your formatting so that your resume is easy to read and digest.
- Grammatical errors may give an employer the impression that you lack attention to detail. Have someone else proofread your resume before applying to a given job or internship. Check our website for Resume critique Drop-in hours www.csun.edu/career!
Frontline Service Philosophy
The purpose of the CSUN Career Center is to provide students with the tools to be knowledgeable and secure in their career decisions.
In the fall semester, the Career Center student assistants centered on service in all program areas of the department.
Whether it’s scheduling drop-ins for resume reviews, peer advising, or vetting job postings for Matadors, student assistants work to enhance career services and meet the diverse needs of students.
Farewell to Jan Potzmann
Assistant Director, Experiential Learning
It is time for me to retire after devoting most of my life to career counseling and promoting student success and well-being for students of all ages.
I believe that internships and all forms of experiential learning help students make decisions about their future and prepare them by building career readiness skills for the world of work. I have advocated for paid internships at CSUN, which serves as a great equalizer for all students.
My focus is always on the road ahead, towards the future. Thank you, CSUN!
A Special Thanks to our Employer Partners!
D.Law https://d.law/careers
Sherwin Williams https://careers.sherwin-williams.com/home
Spring 2024 Calendar of Events
How to Find a Job on Campus Series
Basics to Finding a Job on On-Campus Tuesday, January 30
On-Campus Job Fair Wednesday, January 31
Internship Week
Handshake A-Z
Monday, February 12, 11:00-12:00 Virtual, Select to Register!
Tech Fest
Tuesday, February 20, 11:00-2:00 Northridge Center, Select to Register!
Spring Career Fair
Thursday, March 7, 11:00-2:00 Northridge Center, Select to Register!
National Student Employment Week
Student Employee Appreciation Day Tuesday, April 9, 11:00– 3:00 Bayramian Lawn, Event Contact Email Select to Register!
Resume Workshop: Crafting Your Student Employment Narrative Tuesday, April 11, 11:00– 12:00 Virtual; Zoom, Event Contact Email Select to Register!
From Here to Career Alumni Meet
Up: Student Employee Alumni Panel Pathways After Graduation: What’s Next? Thursday, April 11, 2:00–3:00
Virtual; Zoom, Event Contact Email
Select to Register!
Education Expo
Wednesday, April 10, 12:00-4:00 Northridge Center, Select to Register!
Recent Grad & Alumni Fair
Thursday, May 23, 11:00-2:00 Northridge Center, Select to Register!
Internship Roadmap from Start to Finish Monday, February 12, 12:30-1:30
Virtual Select to Register!
How to Land a Micro Internship Monday, February 12, 2:00-3:00 Virtual, Select to Register!
Career Fair Prep
Tuesday, February 13, 11:00-12:00 Virtual, Select to Register!
Learn to Create a LinkedIn Profile Tuesday, February 13, 12:30-1:30 Virtual, Select to Register!
LA County Arts and Culture Internship Program
Tuesday, February 13, 2:00-3:00 Virtual, Select to Register!
ResuMakeover Spring ’24
Tuesday, February 14, 11:00-3:00 Virtual, Select to Register!
Important Links
CareerLink & Handshake https://www.csun.edu/careerlink/
Matty’s Closet https://www.csun.edu/career/mattys-closet
Micro-Internships https://info.parkerdewey.com/csun
Newsletter Writer & Editor
Ja’Niece Calhoun, Graduate Student, Marketing Associate, M.A., Communication Studies, 2024