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Career Opportunities

Experiential Learning

Experiential Learning can be a great way to get your foot in the door and to get hands-on experience for your resume. It can also lead to long-term job opportunities.

There are different types of experiential learning and different reasons for each, though some can help you on your path to success more than others.

Job Shadow/Externship

Job shadowing is when an employer allows you to visit and watch someone work. Some externships may also entail hands-on training, but this is not the norm, and the level of responsibility is far below that of an intern. Generally, these opportunities are not paid and not long-term. Externships are also generally not going to be for course credit either since they do not provide as much time on the job as an internship. The goal is to see what a typical workday may look like and get a feel for the profession. This is a great option for students who are unsure of what they want to pursue or who want to know what the job entails by witnessing it first-hand.

Internships

Internships are hands-on working experience. These can be paid or unpaid and can sometimes be for college credit. Some careers even require internships before you can get licensed. Internships can help students learn through on-the-job training and can open many doors that lead to success.

To find an internship or job shadow opportunity, it is important to be prepared:

  1. Create a resume (tailor it to the internship opportunity) and get feedback on it
  2. Write a letter of interest/cover letter and get feedback on it
  3. Create and improve your LinkedIn profile and use it for networking
  4. Attend career fairs and networking events
  5. Meet with Career Services for help
  6. Use Sasquatch Careers to find opportunities, network, activate your profile for recruitment, and store resumes and cover letters that employers can find!

The benefits of both internships and job shadowing (externships) are

  • gaining more knowledge about a profession,
  • networking with industry professionals,
  • gaining experience and skills for your resume and job search,
  • having necessary experience for better pay and career opportunities

Work Study

  • The Work Study Office, in conjunction with the Financial Aid Office, administers the SCC on-campus and off-campus work programs. If you need help or have any questions, please feel free to contact the Work Study Office at 509-533-7031.

Job search

  • Sasquatch Careers has postings from employers that may not be widely advertised
  • Career Builder: Job listings, salary information and useful job search resources.
  • Indeed: Find job listings, post resumes, and research companies
  • LinkedIn: Network within your industry and search for jobs

Career Fairs

  • SCC Career Services will host two career fairs each year:
    • The Fall Career Expo where you can find seasonal, part time, or temporary work AND meet prospective employers who will provide information on how to prepare for the Spring Hiring Expo!
    • The Spring Hiring Expo will be a hiring event in which the prospective employers will come back to conduct walk-in interviews of qualified candidates from SCC.
    • Career Services can help you prepare once you have attended the Fall Career Expo and learn what the employers are looking for! Watch for announcements and flyers for these exciting events!

Networking

  • Networking is essential for success in many career paths.
  • Networking is building connections with people and companies in order to learn about possible job openings, understanding career qualifications, making industry connections, and more!
  • To start building your network you can
    • attend career fairs and introduce yourself to companies who share the oath you would like to be on
    • Use Sasquatch Careers to find job postings, internships, and contact info for companies in your field
    • come to the Career Center’s networking events and workshops!
    • Remember to use appropriate etiquette whenever you are interacting with professional contacts
  • Community resources for networking:

Etiquette

  • Part of your career journey will be understanding professional etiquette.
  • This means you will be able to interact professionally and comfortably with other professionals
  • Some tips for interactions with professionals:
    • Shake hands and make eye contact upon meeting. Be sure that your grip is firm, but does not crush their hand. When shaking hands, let go after one or two firm shakes instead of lingering or making your wrist soft.
    • Steer clear of discussions of politics, religion, or personal matters (do not ask questions about their personal lives, especially when first meeting them)
    • When you attend an interview or meeting, be sure to keep your phone off or on silent and put it away
    • Be sure your social media pages are set to private, especially if you have images/posts that contain religious or political views, or anything that could be perceived negatively
    • Assume that prospective employers/schools can see your social media and do not post anything that may hurt your chances at success.
    • Google yourself to see what comes up: that may be what your network sees, and you do not want to tarnish your reputation and lose credibility!
    • If you attend a lunch or event that has food, be sure to practice etiquette in these situations.
      • Do not drink alcohol excessively or get drunk (stick to one or two drinks max, if any)
      • Eat moderately using appropriate utensils (If you are eating multiple courses, you begin with the silverware on the outside and work toward those near the plate with each course).
      • Do not start eating until everyone at the table has been served
      • When ordering, make sure to order something moderate –not too expensive
      • Do not salt your food before tasting it
      • Be respectful and courteous to the waitstaff/workers
      • Once you are seated, put your napkin on your lap
      • Drinkware should be to your right and napkins/plates to your left
    • When writing emails, be sure to maintain a professional tone. Address the recipient by name, use standard English grammar and ensure that you do not have spelling errors before sending.
    • Always be sure to sign off professionally and use your signature/full name
    • Do not use emojis
    • Make sure the Subject Line has a relevant title for the email
    • If you are responding, be sure to do so in a reasonable time frame, no more than 48 hours later (unless they sent the email on a Friday afternoon, then Monday is permissible)
    • Keep the font standard, do not add colors or other flair to the email
    • Be sure to avoid using “Reply All” unless it is necessary to communicate with everyone in the originally addressed email
    • Be sure your tone remains polite, respectful, and professional

Avoid Job Scams

  • You may receive job offers or find job postings that seem too good to be true. If you receive an offer or invitation to work for a company without an interview, or you get recruited for a company, or even if you find a posting that seems perfect, there are a few things you need to do to be sure you are avoiding scams
    • Do not pay for a job opportunity. Legitimate employers will not ask you to pay to get a job!
    • Research the company! Use independent sources like the Better Business Bureau or Glassdoor to check that the company is real, legitimate, and upstanding
    • Before you apply on a site with postings, reach out to the company yourself to check that this is an open position
    • If you receive an email with an offer or interview date, check that the email is a company email (not gmail, yahoo…etc.)
    • Do not divulge any personal information until you have vetted the company and know that the offer is legitimate.