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How to Use Career Counseling Services

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Elaine M. Damon, M.S., NCC, LPC, NCC
Career Advisor, Georgia Tech Career Services

Career Services at Georgia Tech offers a wide array of programs and services to help students, ranging from advice on resume writing and editing (as part of a GT1000 course) to scheduling on-campus interviews and preparing students for a fulfilling career. During their academic career at Tech, students may experience uncertainty about their initial choice of major. This is not unusual and for many students is a natural progression as they develop and mature. During their time at Tech, students will gain exposure to various disciplines for which they are well suited, further identify their strengths, acquire a phenomenal skill set, and explore career opportunities.

A career counseling session may help your student evaluate alternatives in regards to choice of majors by identifying what is most appropriate for his/her goals and talents. The goal of the career counseling process is to provide students with additional resources from which to make appropriate decisions for their future livelihood; decisions based on reflection and greater self-awareness, health and wellness, and other factors for career satisfaction.

To make a career counseling appointment, your student should call the Career Services office at 404.874.2550 and request a meeting. The first session is with a career advisor who works with undergraduate students and is generally one hour. Students typically leave the meeting with a number of “homework assignments,” including websites to research and exploration activities based on the conversation with the career counselor. If a change in major leads the student to Career Services, a meeting with an academic advisor of the major they are considering is almost always recommended. In addition to the exploration assignments, students may take assessments and discuss the results with a career counselor. Some assessments are accessible from the Career Services website www.career.gatech.edu which allows students to perform these assessments on his/her own. For a minimal fee, other assessments are administered through Career Services during a second appointment, and are followed by a scheduled interpretation session. If needed, an additional follow up session is scheduled to review research and identify next steps for the student.

The annual Majors Fair on Thursday, October 20, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., is an upcoming opportunity for students to visit with faculty, academic advisors, and alums who represent the various majors at Georgia Tech. The Majors Fair is designed especially for first- and second-year students to ask questions about majors and the careers related to these respective majors.

Career counseling at the undergraduate level is really a part of a life-long process of exploring values and personality; identifying skills, abilities and interests; targeting industries and functions in the marketplace; and arriving at a best fit professionally. Since it is predicted that this generation of students will experience numerous careers over their working lives, these are valuable life-skills to have!

For more information on how your student can benefit from Career Services, visit www.career.gatech.edu.

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  • Workflow Status:Published
  • Created By:Rachael Pocklington
  • Created:09/06/2011
  • Modified By:Fletcher Moore
  • Modified:10/07/2016