Choosing a career path can be a very frustrating experience. Especially if you have no way of getting your foot in the door.
The University Mentor Program, however, not only makes it easier for students to find out about a particular career, it also allows them to make contacts within a particular field.
The mentor program is a class offered through the Career Center, which gives students a chance to meet with two professionals in the career field of their choice. The class meets six times per term and is good for one upper division credit.
Alyson Boda, coordinator of the program, said students are exposed to the essentials of jobs available to them.
“Mentors agree to an informational interview in which the students can find out what the job is really like, gather advice for breaking into the field and begin networking,” she said. “The class also covers the basics of career planning, resume writing, and preparation for the mentor interviews.”
Previous mentors include a representative from DreamWorks, CIA and FBI agents, an executive from Starbucks, representatives from the upper management of Microsoft and professionals from the Late Show with David Letterman.
“It’s pretty laid back, but it’s nice for the student because the program is willing to go out and find top notch mentors,” said Erika Bearss, assistant coordinator and communications specialist for the program. Bearss says that the mentor program offers services that can provide a crucial step for students who are deciding what to do after college.
Jessica Cagle, who took the course a year ago, now works as a recruiting assistant for the mentor program. Cagle was paired with a writer from Seventeen Magazine.
“It really is great talking with someone who does what you want to do,” she said. “Through talking with my mentor I found out that a typical work day in New York goes until 10 p.m.
“My mentor actually felt guilty for leaving work at 7 p.m., which made me think twice about working in New York.”
The Mentor Program utilizes a database of over 1,500 mentors ranging from advertising executives to social workers to professional athletes. Bearss said the staff works hard to ensure that each student gets a perfect match for his or her mentor. She added that it is not uncommon for students to get internship offers from their mentors.
Currently, mentor classes are offered in business, biology, chemistry, exercise movement science, environmental studies, English, journalism, physics and psychology, as well as an “all majors” section.