ASU Career Services

Arizona State University has an office dedicated to helping students plan their career; it is called Career Services. Pretty good name, huh? They recently settled into their new home at the Arizona Center. So, if you have used their services before- don't go to the Student Center at the Post Office; you will not find them. They are upstairs from the movie theatre at Arizona Center.

This map shows how to get to the new Career Services office from the old Career Services office. This map does not mean that you have to start at the Post Office to walk to Career Services; it isn't a secret portal or anything. You will be able to get there from any starting point, especially if you have the address: 455 N 3rd St Suite 265, Phoenix AZ 85004. 

So, you know- go take a career-building workshop, and then reward yourself by going to a movie! If you go to the Career Services Website, you can find a list of upcoming events, workshops and webinars. They talk about everything from resumés (they have a workshop and lots of examples) to etiquette (they hosted an etiquette dinner!) to career attire (they did a fashion show!)

If you don't know where to start, no worries! You can just show up and they can help you out. Career Services (CS) has also put together this handy-dandy checklist to guide you through your career-building process as you go through college. Let me show you:

Note: the Downtown Phoenix Campus address on this checklist in incorrect. Please refer to the map above!

I went to a basic class to learn about how to prepare a truly spectacular resumé. They had a PowerPoint presentation and everything! It made it so handy to remember all the important bits to include. I don't want to spoil the workshop for you, because you really should go see them present it and get all the informational handouts that go along with it. However, I will share a few points of interest.

There are 2 resumé formats: Chronological and Functional. The Chronological Format is the most frequently used format; you list your experience in reverse time-sequence. This shows the growth and development through your career history.

The Functional Format emphasizes your skills and abilities, with less emphasis on specific employers and dates. This is often used when entering the job market after an absence. There are drawbacks to using this format. One drawback is that it emphasizes that you have had a long absence from the job market. I think I would try to write a chronological resumé that delineates other areas you have been involved that have forwarded your skill-set and growth- such as volunteer work.

The second thing that I thought was really fabulous is the Career Guide to Resumé Action Verbs. How fantastic is a huge list of words that will more accurately, concisely and precisely describe your educational, employment and growth experiences?  Yeah- pretty fantastic!

I will give you a little snapshot into this word-geek fest, but you really have to go down to see it in its full glory; this isn't even half of the list!

Your resumé will never sound mundane or repetitive again!

This is just the tip of the iceberg; Career Services has so much to offer students. It would be ridiculously foolish not to go check it out.