COER offers a bridge from college to a dream career

Career Opportunities and Employer Relations (COER) at Missouri S&T is dedicated to helping students and alumni pursue their career dreams. The variety of services offered is wide-ranging and includes assisting students find full-time employment, summer internships and Cooperative Education experiences. 

Unfortunately, many students think of the career office as a place they should visit during that last semester of senior year as graduation looms and they realize that they won’t be returning to school in the fall.  Students who learn early that COER can help them, and who visit often at various stages of their college experience, are able to take full advantage of what this office has to offer.

What does COER do?

The COER office offers a variety of services for students.  Some of these services are specifically designed to help students early in their college experiences as they work to decide on their interests, strengths, and abilities and learn more about career choices.

Here are a few of the things that your student may be able to do in the career office.

• Advising – COER provides many professional development services for job preparation to Missouri S&T students and alumni. They may schedule appointments with a Career Advisor for a resume review, cover letter review, recorded practice interview, or an individual advising session.  Students receive assistance in areas that may include: understanding job offers, comparing offers, negotiating, preparing for plant trips, or writing a statement of purpose for graduate school applications.

• Professional Seminars – COER organizes approximately thirty career related seminars each semester and facilitates approximately 100 special presentations.

• Handshake, Career Fair Plus, and GoinGlobal – access to a job search database and software integral for S&T students.  Last year COER facilitated approximately 1,730 job postings specific for S&T students and provided access to over 100,000 general job postings, summer internships or Co-Operative Education experiences.

• Career Fairs – The Spring Career Fair (February 15-16) is both virtual and in-person this spring and COER offers step by step instructions for preparing for it. Students should download the Career Fair Plus mobile app, or use the Career Fair Plus web app.  Appointment registration is available now.

• Connect with college alumni to discuss their career paths through Miner Network which allows S&T alumni, faculty, staff and students to all connect virtually to discuss career advice, graduate school insight, job-search assistance and more.

• Career Closet – located in COER on the third floor of Norwood Hall, the career closet provides students with professional attire to wear for job interviews, employer networking events and the career fair. In addition, the Suit Up event at J.C. Penney offers substantial savings for students wishing to purchase professional attire.

• Career Planning Handbook – Includes step by step instruction for preparing for a career, along with sample resumes, cover letters, common interview questions, and much more.

• Get a professional headshot photo.

The earlier that your student learns to take advantage of the many services and opportunities offered by COER, the more assistance and assurance he or she will get.

What can parents do to help students?

As a parent, you will be able to have many meaningful conversations with your college student regarding their career interests and choices.  However, you can also help your student in several direct ways.

• Encourage your student to visit the COER early in his or her college career.  If your student is undecided about a major, there will be materials to help learn about majors, careers, internship opportunities and Co-Operative Education experiences. 
• Talk to your student about their skills and interests.  Help him to explore what he might like to do – and to get to know himself even better.
• Talk to your student about your own job and responsibilities.  Discuss the things that you like and don’t like about your job.
• Encourage your student to participate in at least one internship during her college career.  This is a wonderful way to “audition” a job and to learn about the work world, as well as to build a solid resume.
• Encourage your student to take advantage of any networking opportunities and/or career fairs offered by the Miner Network. If you are an S&T (UMR/MSM) alumni, consider mentoring a student yourself and networking with other alumni.
• Volunteer to work with COER by visiting, mentoring a student, participating on a panel, or allowing a student to shadow you at your job.

COER has a great track record of helping Missouri S&T students succeed as evidenced in S&T Career Outcomes.  However, their services are only as helpful as the use that students make of them.  Help your student take full advantage of what Missouri S&T has to offer by helping him understand COER provides a bridge from college to a dream career.

Source

Author of Article: Vicki Nelson. Article adapted from collegeparentcentral.com.  Please Note: Missouri S&T does not endorse or have a relationship with SOURCE and articles are provided for information purposes only.  Missouri S&T and SOURCE do not assume responsibility for error or omission in materials.  

Parent & Family Relations

Norwood 107• 320 W. 12 Street / parents@mst.edu

Phone: 573-341-4209 • Website: http://parents.mst.edu/

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