Q: I’m in my last semester at the iSchool. I am starting to apply for jobs and have been following your blog and listening to your recordings. Right now I’m buried up to my ears in my final course and completing my e-portfolio, but I have a few questions that I would like to pose to you:

• How can I best use the career center resources to help me find employment after I graduate?
• What would you suggest I be doing during my final months at SLIS?
• Do career center resources remain available to me after I graduate?

Thanks for your help and input!

A: Thank you for your questions. I like your style of planning ahead.

As alumni, you will have access to the Career Development section on the iSchool website, as well as, the monthly Career Development Elluminate sessions I conduct and the iSchool Career Blog at no charge. The piece that you will not have direct access to is one-on-one career coaching from me and access to SJSU Handshake.

Once you graduate, you can obtain a career center membership for $25 per year which gives you access to SJSU Handshake. Also, with a career center membership you can schedule in-person or phone appointments with me for $50 for 50 minutes to discuss for example, your job search strategy, practice interviewing, get help writing your resume or have it critiqued.

I recommend before you graduate to have me work with you on your resume and perhaps a cover letter so you can feel confidant you have that set. If you would like to discuss your job search strategy or have any questions related to your job search, let’s set-up time to talk (in-person, via phone or email) sometime before you graduate. I encourage you to take advantage of the resources that are free to you now while you are still a student.

Feel free to comment or ask me additional questions.