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Career Development Office

Services for Students and Alumni

The friendly staff and the programs of the Career Development Office can help you:

  • explore options and make career/job choices
  • plan strategies to gain experience and skills to become competitive
  • identify and apply for internship opportunities
  • develop skills to implement a successful job search
  • learn how to apply to graduate or professional school
  • find information to help you make decisions or implement your plans
  • get connected to employers and graduate schools

Individual Counseling

Uncertain about your career plans or your major? Getting started with your job or internship search?  Make an appointment to talk with one of our career counselors at your convenience.

Internships

Counselors can help you identify and find internship opportunities related to your educational or career goals. Assistance is also available in applying for internships, obtaining a Learning Contract required to earn credit, developing resumes, writing cover letters, and preparing for interviews.

Quest

Quest is a web-based system that provides you with the ability to search professional, internship, and summer employment opportunities, learn about CDO Spotlights and other events, as well as to upload a resume to apply for positions online. Click on the Quest logo to get started and set up a Search Agent to have opportunities e-mailed to you!

DISCOVER

DISCOVER is an online program that helps you to identify career options related to what you like to do, what you are good at, and what is important to you. It also includes information about 500 careers. It is most helpful when the results are discussed with a counselor. Check out the Careers and Majors section of CDO Online.

CareerSearch

CareerSearch is a national database of comprehensive information on over 4 million potential employers. It provides contact names, titles, addresses, descriptions and links to organization web sites, and is searchable by industry and geographic location. It also includes salary information, a salary wizard, and an internship search.

Practice Interviews

A counselor will interview you, and videotape the interview. During the playback of the tape, suggestions for improving your interviewing skills will be discussed. See yourself as the employer sees you.

Career Guides

A series of handouts is available on each of the following topics:

  • career planning (successful career planning, a timetable, information interviewing, information interviewing questions)
  • resumes (writing a great one, pointers, what to include, styles, career objectives, action verbs, a checklist)
  • letters (job search letters, pointers, an outline, electronic)
  • job search (basics, common mistakes, networking, finding advertised vacancies, using directories, researching an organization, finding jobs online)

Career Information

Books, magazines, pamphlets, articles, and videotapes about careers are organized for easy browsing on shelves in the resource area. They contain information about work tasks, desired academic background, personal qualities and experiences, salary, hiring organizations, and job market. These materials are also available for overnight sign-out.

Job Search Information

Books and DVDs about how to look for a job, writing cover letters, interviewing, writing a resume, as well as sample resumes, are available on the job search information shelves in the resource area.

Graduate School Information

Directories of graduate programs, books on financial aid and how to write an application essay, as well as information for the GRE, GMAT and LSAT are available in the resource area. Test preparation software, books and videos are also available.

Credentials File

When you are in the final year of your degree program, you can establish a file which includes letters of recommendation that can be sent to prospective employers or graduate admissions offices to support your candidacy for post-baccalaureate jobs or study. Check out the Credentials File section on CDO Online.

Follow-up Study

The office conducts an annual follow-up study of the most recent graduating class to determine their employment and/or graduate study status.

Workshops and Seminars

The staff is available to make presentations on a variety of career-related topics including career options, internships, summer jobs, resume writing, job searching, interviewing, and applying to graduate or professional school.

Office Location Gregory Hall, 2nd floor
Office Hours Academic year: 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, M-F
Summer: 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, M-F
Phone 716/673-3327
Fax 716/673-3593
Mailing Address Career Development Office
SUNY Fredonia
Fredonia, NY 14063
CDO Staff Tracy Collingwood, Interim Director/Internship Coordinator
tracy.collingwood@fredonia.edu

Judy Elwinger, Director Emeritus
elwinger@fredonia.edu
Christopher LaGrow, Assistant Director
lagrow@fredonia.edu
Marjorie Maloney Plaister, Assistant Director
marjorie.plaister@fredonia.edu

Mark Zaffalon, Graduate Assistant
mark.zaffalon@fredonia.edu

Sharon Harrington, Secretary
sharon.harrington@fredonia.edu
Barbara Daniels, Secretary
barbara.daniels@fredonia.edu

Page modified 11/13/09