For many first year students, this semester will be the first time they have the opportunity to take on the responsibility of a job.

With over 20,000 students enrolled at the University, getting a job on or off campus can feel daunting to those that might not have gotten job experience in high school.

“Don’t be discouraged, employers on campus like to get freshman in hopes that they can keep them for all four years,” Director of Student Employment Services Dawn Chong said.

Student Employment Services and the Career center have moved to a new designated space on the second floor of the Union. Both offices are located in 225 and are free of charge to any student at the University. They offer a variety of services that include resume consultations, internship advising and Worknet demonstrations.

Worknet is the online resource for job and internship listings in the Bowling Green area and beyond.

It can be accessed through the myBGSU portal under the tools section on the homepage. Job offerings are posted daily with a brief description of the skills needed for the job and the employer’s contact information.

Students should “get on Worknet as soon as possible, come in or either upload their resume to Worknet, so we can approve it and they can start looking for jobs,” Chong said.

If students don’t feel confident about the quality of their resume, they can utilize the 30 minute resume consultations offered at the Career Center. Staff members can critique the resume content as well as help the students present their best skills, even ones they might not think of including.

“They can feel comfortable coming to our office, we will assist with resume development even if it is their initial resume. We are more than happy to take a look at it because some resumes need to be more tailored toward that position,” Assistant Vice President for Student Career Services Jeffery L. Jackson said.

Narrowing down specific skills in a resume may prove to be a challenge if the student has had multiple jobs; however, it is important that they reflect their strongest assets without misinforming their future employer of their previous experience.

“We don’t want them to embellish anything. We want to make sure that the application they’re submitting reflects the position in which they are applying for. They may have some hidden skills they were doing in that last position that they didn’t mention in the resume, and if they don’t put it in their resume, an employer won’t read into their resume because they don’t know about it,” Jackson said.

Student Employment Services will be hosting a few events that would be beneficial for anyone looking to get a job.

Getting a job in college may seem scary but consulting with fellow students and staff who have been in the same situation can be a wonderful comfort. The staff at both Student Employment Services and the Career Center exists to benefit and assist students.

“I hope, as director of employment services, (freshman) can expect a learning experience, where they will understand that even though they may not have had any work experience outside of school a lot of things they have been doing in life has given them skills they might be able to take to the job just by virtually communicating with others,” Chong said.

Career Center Events

“HIRE” Education: Sunday @ 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Union room 206

This event does not require registration and is geared toward first years. It covers part-time employment, Federal Work Study, a Worknet demonstration and interviewing tips.

The workshop is dedicated to creating a new resume fit to impress University employers. Those interested must email [email protected] to reserve a time slot at one of the upcoming sessions.

Olscamp 101

This event is a great chance to meet employers that relate to department-specific jobs.