A recent article in The Chronicle of Higher Education explained students expect extra help from their universities to help them prepare for their careers.

Julia Sherlock, director of Career Services at Central Michigan University, said her office offers various opportunities to prepare students for life after graduation.

“In 2013-14, 92 percent of graduates were employed six months after graduation,” she said, citing university data.

According to the Office of Institutional Research's First Destination Survey for December 2013 and May 2014, 662 out of 3,521 graduates took the survey regarding employment after graduating. Of this sample, 73 percent were employed part or full-time six months after graduation. Fourteen percent were continuing their education.

Sherlock added while all academic areas have the potential to be employable, STEM majors have growing opportunities. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, demand for graduates with degrees in in science, technology, engineering and math is expected to grow 17 percent until 2018, compared to a 9.8 percent growth for non-STEM occupations.

Shannon O’Connor, a Gaylord junior, said she feels the university has done enough to assist students for post-graduation, but some students may feel uncertain.

“It just depends on the person,” she said. “Some people know exactly what they want to do after graduation, so they know they are able to get a job.”

Andrew Ward, a Grand Rapids senior, said he feels confident about finding a job.

“I feel pretty equipped for after graduation,” he said. “Different resources have been made available to me through the college and I feel pretty confident about my career.”

Sherlock said any prospective job seeker should remember that finding a job is a process, but students should not wait until they graduate to begin job hunting.

Sherlock said students should be engaging with companies by networking and taking advantage of activities at CMU that will make them valuable to employers, such as job and recruitment fairs.

She said a student’s resume is a key element of them landing their first jobs.

“Your resume is a personal branding instrument, and it should only include pertinent information,” Sherlock said.

According to the Career Services website, resumes should have a clean, consistent design and relevant information, including skills the applicant would most like to promote, and college-level work experience, internships and volunteering. Career Services also offers insight to building a personal brand using websites like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

Their website provides tips on successful job interviews, including researching the background of the company, identifying your top qualifications, looking professional and planning ahead.

Students should also not turn down internships because of the fear they will not lead to a job.

“Eighty-five percent of internships lead to full-time jobs,” she said. “Employers want to recognize talent early. Internships can be very useful.”

One way students can find out about jobs is through the Career Services website, Handshake, but there are also many on-campus employer recruiting events.

Career Services hosts three career fairs in the fall and two in the spring, as well as state events. They will host a career fair April 15.