Career Services offers help for both students and grads

Grace Wilkie Hall may remain just another brick building on campus for Wichita State liberal arts majors.

But on the second floor is an amenity that shouldn’t be ignored: Career Services.

Career Services is an on-campus help center that assists students in all aspects of their job search, both when they are deciding what they want to become, and when they are graduating and searching for their real job.

Jill Pletcher, the director of Career Services, said the center helps students learn about their future options. If a student knows what they want to major in, Career Services can help them look at the jobs that use that degree. If a student doesn’t know what they want to major in, Career Services can help them find one that suits them.

The second aspect of Career Services is helping students find a job, either during school or after graduation. It can help with part- and full-time jobs for those who need to buy food and pay rent during school, Pletcher said. They also help with finding “adult jobs” after graduation.

Career Services can answer questions about what to wear for an interview, give résumé critiques and conduct mock interviews and career assessments.

“We talk very regularly with employers about what they want to see on résumés so that we can convey that to students,” Pletcher said.

Current students can make appointments at no charge. Students can use their services for a year after graduation at no cost. After that year is over, graduates are considered alumni and charged a $20 an hour fee.

The offices keeps walk-in hours from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Wednesday for students with brief questions about interviews or resumes.

Pletcher said for a more in-depth session, making an appointment is the best option.