From resume review services to career advising, the Career Center has it all
By AMBER DUHS — features@theaggie.org
UC Davis regularly emails undergraduate and graduate students about the wide range of on-campus resources, from the Women’s Resource and Research Center — which provides advocacy and education and a general safe space — to the Educational Opportunity Program, which provides support to low-income and first-generation students. Among these many centers is the UC Davis Career Center.
Located in South Hall, the Career Center hosts a vast array of resources, including resume review services, career fairs and career-advising.
“Our primary mission is to help walk students through the journey of ‘what are they going to do after graduation,’” Andrea Hanson, the interim executive director of the Career Center, said. “Whether that’s graduate school, jumping into industry doing something like Peace Corps [or] some kind of volunteer opportunity — our entire mission is to walk that journey with them as they figure it out.”
The Career Center offers three main services: resume and cover letter review and assistance, career advising and workshops and career fairs. With both scheduled and walk-in appointments available, the Career Center is one of the most easily accessible resources available to students.
One of the most commonly used services in the Career Center is resume review. Students can either send in their resume online and get it reviewed within five business days, or walk into the second floor of South Hall and meet with a peer advisor who reads through their resume with them and offers recommendations for improvement.
“There was lots of feedback [on my resume] and I think it was really useful,” Maria Badillo, a first-year biological sciences major, said.
In addition to the services that focus on student-advisor interaction and feedback, the Career Center also offers four subscription-based email newsletters. The newsletters give students insight into upcoming internships and job-related opportunities, career-focused events and new programs they can sign up for. Additionally, each newsletter is tailored specifically to one of four desired fields of work or study.
“I’m subscribed to their health newsletter, so I think it’s really useful [for] finding part-time jobs, finding career paths and also attending webinars that are listed in the email,” Ziqi Lin, a first-year neurobiology, physiology and behavior major, said.
Even so, many may find it daunting to receive criticism on their resume or cover letter. However, the Career Center is there to encourage and aid every step of students’ careers — whether it’s navigating their first on-campus job or the search for a full-time position as graduation approaches. The center is staffed with both faculty and students; UC Davis students themselves provide resume help, and industry advisors offer career advice and more tailored help to those looking further into the future.
“It’s such a privilege to experience those lightbulb moments with students when all the pieces come together,” Hanson said. “When a student figures [that] ‘this is what I want to do.’”
Not only does it not hurt to get an extra opinion on your budding career as a young professional, but the data doesn’t lie: Those who get help from the Career Center early are more likely to have a role lined up post-graduation.
“Our data shows the earlier we see students [during] their time at Davis, the more likely it is they have a job right at graduation,” Hanson said. “Come early and often.”
Students are often encouraged to make connections and build relationships with those around them, with the ultimate goal of creating a strong network to alleviate the pressures of the job market. The Career Center helps students build these professional networks by organizing four to six career fairs each year; in doing so, they connect undergraduates with employers and organizations they might not otherwise encounter.
As the job industry grows and shifts — especially with the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) as a tool for both employers and employees alike — the Career Center has adapted its approach to the hiring process. Hanson detailed how the Career Center as a unit is grappling with the questions we all are, and learning together how to best support students in the current job market.
“Certainly AI is impacting all fields, but it really is impacting how people are applying to jobs and what that looks like,” Hanson said. “How [do] we incorporate [AI] into our work and how [do] we incorporate it in conversations with students around their job search?”
The Career Center serves as a resource for all undergraduate UC Davis students — with connections to be established, edits to be made and resources to be used. Whether it’s a question about your next job opportunity or if that “recommended” cover letter is really necessary, consider visiting the Career Center for guidance.
“I think many students come through our door because they want resume help, and that’s a great place to start; but I would say in general, I truly believe we can do hard things with support, and the Career Center is here to support you in navigating finding your job [and] finding your internship,” Hanson said.
Written by: Amber Duhs — features@theaggie.org
