Career Development Center

Handshake is an online system that allows you to post your resume, view and apply to part and full-time job and internship listings, and connect with professionals.  Be sure to complete and keep your Profile and Documents sections updated. Before posting your resume on Handshake, students are encouraged to receive resume feedback from a career counselor. This one-stop, web-based system will help you to manage your job search throughout your time at Albright. A comprehensive calendar of CDC events is also accessible through Handshake.

Students can utilize the Center at any time during their academic career and as alumni of Albright. Students are encouraged to begin working with us in their first year. According to the National Association of College and Employers 2010 Student Survey, “the likelihood of a student getting a job offer increased with the frequency of career center use.  Students who used the career center four or more times a semester were more likely to have job offers than those who used it once a semester.”  It all begins with choosing/confirming a choice of major, developing a plan for experiential learning opportunities and being able to articulate your skills and experience both on a resume and in person.

Many students begin college confident in their choice of a major. In any major, there are a number of career paths that a student can take depending on their interests and abilities. Shadowing, networking, gaining “hands-on” experience through an internship, study abroad, and/or undergraduate research project can help students to develop skills that are valued by employers and to gain real world experience that can clarify or solidify the direction of their career. The Center is a valuable resource for finding such “experiential education” opportunities, and for providing access to alumni and employers. Also, as noted in the answer to question 2, research shows that “the likelihood of a student getting a job offer increased with the frequency of career center use.  Students who used the career center four or more times a semester were more likely to have job offers than those who used it once a semester.”

As an incoming Alpha (undecided) first year student or a sophomore who is re-exploring their initial major  direction, we can help. The Center offers several self-assessments in consultation with a career counselor who will help the student to define their interests, values, skills, personal characteristics and what concentration and career options may be a good match.

Many college students struggle with the decision about their college major and are unsure of their choice, even if they have selected a college major. Approximately eighty percent of all entering students change their concentration (major) at least once during their college career. Albright wants to emphasize that it’s fine for students to enter college without a clear idea of which academic program they wish to pursue and what their ultimate career will be. Being “undeclared” or “undecided” isn’t a cause for panic!  The opportunity for academic exploration is a unique life opportunity, and it is central to the educational experience at a liberal arts college like Albright.

Go to the Albright Undergraduate Programs page for more information.

All on-campus employment is handled by Albright College Human Resources. Student employment opportunities can be found on this page or by contacting the department directly.

The Center offers students and alumni various online resources in addition to individual career counseling to discuss specific strategies based on your needs. Please contact us to schedule an individual appointment.  In addition to job/internship postings, we are committed to facilitating on-campus recruitment (held October/November and March/April), job/internship fairs (February/March) and preparing students for the best job search possible through workshops, online/resource library information and individual appointments.

Our career counselors can assist you in finding the right graduate/professional school, defining criteria to assess programs, developing your personal statement as well as provide information about various admission exams such as the LSAT or GRE. We also host a graduate/professional school fair each fall where students will have an opportunity to meet with admission counselors from graduate/professional schools in various disciplines.