Career Center workshop encourages students to set occupational goals early

Some December graduates perhaps will wish they started mapping their career goals several semesters ago.

At least that is what Joseph Lyons told students during the career-mapping workshop, which marks the last program scheduled by the University Career Center for this semester.

“Career mapping is the strategic development of an occupational plan for life,” Lyons said. “The purpose is for students to have a structured career plan throughout their college education in order to assist students in defining their career goals.”

Joseph Lyons, the assistant director of the University Career Center, recently told students at the workshop that they should set their career-oriented goals soon after arriving on campus.

“Career mapping is the strategic development of an occupational plan for life.”

– Joseph Lyons, University Career Center assistant director

For about an hour Lyons talked with the group about career mapping, while dividing the students into groups to work on individual career-development plans. He established two groups because only a handful of students attended the workshop and discussion.

For the mapping process, each group created a list of goals students should achieve for each year of college. The groups then compared their lists with the Career Center’s career-development plan and discussed the similarities and differences between the plans.

“I feel like I wish I had this as a freshman,” said Lauren Oltermann, a graduate student pursuing her post-baccalaureate certificate.

Although the ideas discussed contained many positive habits that could aid younger people seeking job advice, most students involved in the discussion were seniors or graduate students.

Oltermann, however, previously attended an interviewing workshop and logged in as a member of CareerConnections. Therefore, she became familiar with the University Career Center and the workshops it offers.

CareerConnections, the center’s Web-based program for VCU students, links students to a database of career opportunities such as internships, job openings and on-campus recruiting activities.

“I never talked to anyone when I went to the Career Center,” said Brett Geary, an international relations student. “I just walked up to look at a list of job openings they had compiled in a notebook.”

Geary says she plans to register with CareerConnections as well as make another trip to the center.

“This time I plan on looking into some Career Center events and at some other options like graduate school,” she said.