Career and counseling services should be considered a must for juniors and seniors, due to the current job market.

The career and counseling services (CCS) office provides many opportunities for seniors to get a taste of the real world before leaving Simpson College.

Lois Schultz, director of career and counseling services, and Kate Burrell, career specialist, are the people to contact for help on any number of things including practice interviews, resume writing, and even assistance in job searches. Schultz and Burrell referred to themselves as “job coaches.”

“We encourage individual appointments,” said Schultz. The individual appointments allow students’ individual needs to be met in a way that is very unique compared to any group programs or services.

“We assist in any way possible,” said Burrell. According to Burrell, career and counseling services will help students set up internships and make the contacts that most students don’t have yet.

Its no secret that as the job market continues to dwindle, graduates with little or no experience in their field will have a more difficult time finding a job.

“We’d be at a disadvantage without them,” said Scott Wooldridge, a senior criminal justice and political science major. Wooldrige has had CCS evaluate his resume and plans on setting up a mock interview through CCS soon.

There is an upcoming event that the CCS department is really excited about. The Iowa Private College Career Consortium career fair and interview day in Altoona at the Adventureland Inn will take place on February 28. If you’re interested, contact CSS in the student development office. According to Burrell, this is an excellent chance for seniors to get out there and meet some new people and make some contacts.