CAREER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES (CDS)
Your link to the right people, resources and opportunities
The Peirce College Career Development Services Center supports your career development by providing you personalized guidance for career exploration, access and success. We will work with you to develop the skills and abilities you need to advance your personal and professional growth and become academically prepared and equipped with the latest business skills to meet employers' need for talent.
|
In working together, you can expect:
|
|
|
Contact us to learn more about our services. Visit us on campus at the CDS Center located on the sixth floor, College Hall, email us at cds@peirce.edu or call us at 888.GO.PEIRCE, ext. 9202. The CDS Center is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and in the evenings by appointment only. |
CAREER EXPLORATION AND ASSESSMENT
The Peirce College CDS Center is here to help you meet your professional and educational needs through career planning.
If you are undecided about a career, or if you are contemplating a career change, we can guide you through FOCUS V2.
FOCUS V2 is an online, interactive career and education planning system that combines self assessment, career exploration and decision making into one comprehensive program. This tool will help you map out a career path and select the right major area of study offered at Peirce.
FOCUS V2 will help you:
- Identify Peirce programs that match your assessment results
- Integrate the results of your interests, personality, values and skills assessment
- Narrow your results to plan your education and career
- Store your results in an online Student Portfolio accessible by the Career Development Services team
Check out this tool by visiting www.my.peirce.edu and creating an account, visit us in person in the CDS Center, sixth floor, College Hall, contact us by phone at 888.GO.PEIRCE, ext. 9202 or by email us at cds@peirce.edu.
After completing the FOCUS V2 assessments, you should schedule a one-on-one counseling session to discuss your results and hear next steps.
ONE-ON-ONE CAREER COUNSELING SESSIONS
Whatever your career needs might be, our one-on-one sessions will provide you with assistance in planning or fine-tuning your career path. Using FOCUS v2® technology, we build a customized career portfolio that aligns your skills, abilities and interests, to identify the ideal job and the Peirce degree program that will get you there.
We can also assist you with Cover Letter and Resume Writing, Interviewing Tips and with launching an effective Job Search
To schedule a One-on-One Counseling Session, visit us in person in the CDS Center, sixth floor, College Hall, contact us by phone at 888.GO.PEIRCE, ext. 9202 or by email us at cds@peirce.edu.
Cover Letter
An effective cover letter answers Who you are, What skills you have and Why you should be considered for a role.
Before a potential employer reads your cover letter, he or she can begin to assess your organizational skills and attention to detail by observing the appearance of the letter and resume. How your letter looks makes a big impression and can mean the difference between being considered and being rejected.
Click here to follow guidelines so that you can begin to create a professional, impressive letter.
Resumes
A winning resume is a marketing tool that clearly and concisely illustrates your skills, experiences, achievements and education. Our Career Development Services team can help you build a winning resume by following three steps:
- Identify a suitable resume format
- Understand the key elements of a strong resume
- Follow resume guidelines for writing winning resumes
Click here to follow guidelines so that you can prepare a winning resume.
Interviewing
The interview is one of the most important steps in your job search. As an interviewee, you are primarily a salesperson and you are marketing yourself! It is during the interview that you will have a chance to talk positively about your skills and what you have to offer someone if they hire you.
Since adequate preparation is the key to interview success, we recommend that you meet with a career counselor or use our online mock interview technology InterviewStream®. A mock interview is in essence a practice interview that allows you to answer questions and receive feedback on your strengths and opportunities for growth.
- What to Expect When Interviewing
- How to Prepare for an Interview
- The Interview Process
Click here to learn more how to prepare and excel in the interviewing process.
To schedule a Mock Interview, visit us in person in the CDS Center, sixth floor, College Hall, contact us by phone at 888.GO.PEIRCE, ext. 9202 or by email us at cds@peirce.edu.
Job Search
Career Development Services frequently receives employment announcements from local employers looking to hire Peirce students and graduates. We post these positions online on Peircelink, our online job board. Once you register with, and are approved for the system, you will be able to upload your resume for review and apply to a number of positions online.
Peircelink gives you access to:
- Jobs and Co-op/Internship Postings (both local and national)
- Resume Building Assistance
- Career Event Calendar
- The ability to RSVP for CDS events and workshops
- Career Center Announcements
To learn more about Peircelink, email us at cds@peirce.edu, visit us in the Career Development Services center, sixth floor, College Hall room, or call us at 888.GO.PEIRCE, ext. 9202.
WORKSHOPS AND EVENTS
Peirce hosts interactive career-based workshops and events that enhance your professional development and provide networking opportunities with industry experts and employers. To learn more about them, current students can visit my.peirce.edu, the student portal and sign into Peircelink on the CDS page.
Click here to view the latest schedule of Career Development Services Workshops.
To learn more about these services, email us at cds@peirce.edu, visit us in the Career Development Services center, sixth floor, College Hall or call us at 888.GO.PEIRCE, ext. 9202.
EXPERIENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES
Experiential opportunities are experiences that provide you relevant work experience. In addition to providing you hands-on experience, they can make your resume more robust and can give you a competitive edge in your job search. Experiential opportunities include internships, co-ops, job shadowing and work study. Internships and co-ops can be paid or unpaid. If unpaid, the experience you secure becomes your "salary."
The CDS team can help you understand the impact and relevance of experiential opportunities and can provide guidance and support in securing a suitable one for your career needs.
To learn more about experiential opportunities, email us at cds@peirce.edu, visit us in the Career Development Services center, sixth floor, College Hall or call us at 888.GO.PEIRCE, ext. 9202.
COOPERATIVE EDUCATION (CO-OP)
The Cooperative Education Program (Co-op) allows students to gain work experience associated with their academic major while attending Peirce College.
As a Co-op student, you will receive a 14-week intensive job-search training through the pre-co-op seminar. Completion of CWE098 (associate) and/or CWE099 (bachelor's), are pre-requisites for enrolling in the co-op program. These seminars are not credit bearing and are provided at no cost to the student.
The Co-op is a 14-week course. A three-credit Co-op requires you to work a total of 135 hours over the 14-week period. A six-credit Co-op requires 270 hours to be completed in 14- week period.
If you are interested in earning college credit for relevant work experience, Co-op is for you. To learn more about Co-op, email us at cds@peirce.edu, visit us in the Career Development Services center, sixth floor, College Hall, or call us at 888.GO.PEIRCE, ext. 9202.
WORK STUDY
Work Study refers to the Federal College Work Study Program (FCWSP). It is a form of federal aid awarded by the Student Financial Aid Office that allows full-time students to satisfy a portion of their documented financial need through part-time employment at the College while attending school.
Students are paid an hourly wage. Peirce College also participates in the Federal Work Study Community Service Program, which involves off-campus, part-time employment. Students may work off-campus for approved non-profit and/or government agencies.
To be eligible for the FCWSP, students must first qualify for financial aid. Once authorized, job opportunities specifically within the College are posted in the CDS Peircelink job tool. All students accepted for FCWSP positions are required to complete a training program on office procedures and professional etiquette prior to starting their assignment.
To learn more about the program, email us at cds@peirce.edu, visit us in the Career Development Services center, sixth floor, College Hall or call us at 888.GO.PEIRCE, ext. 9202. To find out if you are eligible for FCWSP, contact Student Financial Services at 888.GO.PEIRCE, ext. 9370.
GRADUATE SCHOOL PREPARATION
The CDS team can help you learn about the graduate school application process, prepare you for required entrance tests, and guide you toward relevant resources to continue your studies.
To learn more about graduate school preparation, email us at cds@peirce.edu, visit us in the Career Development Services center, sixth floor, College Hall or call us at 888.GO.PEIRCE, ext. 9202.
PEIRCE JOB CLUB
Peirce's Job Club is a group of dedicated students and alumni who meet on a monthly basis to learn job search strategies, listen to speakers, share job leads and provide support to their peers as they navigate the job market. Facilitated by a member of the CDS team, this group is a great resource for those who understand that finding a job requires commitment, time, strategy and support.
To learn more about the Peirce Job Club, email us at cds@peirce.edu, visit us in the Career Development Services center, sixth floor, College Hall or call us at 888.GO.PEIRCE, ext. 9202.
CDS Employer Advisory Board (EAB)
The CDS Employer Advisory Board is an invitation-only board created for the purpose of providing guidance around Career Development Services' programs, services, events and activities. The Board identifies existing job or experiential opportunities including internships, co-ops, externships and/or job shadowing within their organizations and professional EAB member networks.
They are Peirce champions who liaison with the business community and ensure Peirce students and alumni are on employers' radars. The Board also assists with the development of new CDS initiatives and programs including the Student Leadership Program and the CDS Mentoring Program. Membership consists of employers who have a desire and capacity to share role and industry knowledge, Peirce CDS team members, students and alumni.
To make an appointment, contact us at 888.GO.PEIRCE, ext. 9202 or email cds@peirce.edu.
FIND CAREER-READY TALENT THAT MEETS YOUR UNIQUE BUSINESS NEEDS.
Welcome! Peirce College is keenly aware of employers' workforce development needs and is well positioned to provide solutions. As a specialized institution with a primarily adult-learner population, we boast a pool of diverse, academically prepared, focused talent. As an employer, you are able to connect with our students and alumni through our "Signature Career Services" offerings including:
Free Job Postings and Resume Reviews
Peirce's free online job board, PeirceLink lets you post job openings,
review student resumes and contact students to schedule interviews. If you do not have an account, simply visit Peircelink
and, within just a few minutes, you will be able to create a free, user friendly profile. Your account will be reviewed
within 48 business hours and you will be contacted once you are approved.
Prior to creating an account, be sure to review our Posting Policies . If you already have an account, simply log in. Peircelink account members can also participate in the annual (and free!) CDS Virtual
Career Fair. Peircelink members are emailed event details to participate.
On Campus Recruitment
If you have an interest in conducting an On Campus Recruitment (OCR) session to present your career opportunities to our
students and alumni, please email us at cds@peirce.edu or call us at 888-467-3472, x9202
to discuss your recruitment needs and timeline. OCR sessions are reviewed and approved by the CDS team and are free for
employers with a Peircelink account.
Experiential Opportunities
(Internships and/or Cooperative Work Experience) Experiential roles can offer valuable experience, industry insight and
tremendous networking opportunities. For employers interested in working with our students, Peirce offers the Cooperative
Education or Co-op program. The Peirce Co-op is a credit bearing (3 credits) course where students complete 135 hours within
14 weeks of work in a company. As this is a learning opportunity for students, CDS oversees the process and works with the
student, the employer and a faculty advisor. The Peirce team oversees the process to ensure all required documentation is
completed. Students can focus on the experience and on completing their assignments while employers can teach, train and
benefit from having a temporary add to staff. In order to participate in Co-op, students must complete an online 7 week
prerequisite or opt out by completing a Pre Co-op portfolio.
The CDS Team can work closely with employers to develop a suitable Peirce Co-op program and to source candidates. For additional information about the Peirce Co-op, please contact its facilitator, Audrey Cooper, at alcooper@peirce.edu or call 888-467-3472, x9292.
Although Peirce does not offer credit bearing internships, students and alumni can gain valuable resume building experience from paid and unpaid internships. If you are interested in recruiting candidates, please post your internship roles in PeirceLink.
Work Study
If you are a non-profit organization and you meet the Federal Work Study Program guidelines as well as Peirce's requirements,
CDS may be able to partner with you to fill Work Study opportunities at your site. Every year, Peirce works with non-profit
organizations to offer a limited number of Work Study students the opportunity to work in an organization where they can
earn a salary while further developing their professional skills. For more information on Work Study, contact its facilitator,
Audrey Cooper, at alcooper@peirce.edualcooper@peirce.edu or call 888-467-3472,
x9292.
Job Club
One of our Signature Services for students and alumni is the CDS Job Club. Facilitated by a member of the CDS team, this
group of students and alumni meets monthly to enhance job search skills, share job leads and network with guest speakers.
If you are interested in speaking to a motivated, career-ready group about your career journey, providing industry insight
and identifying candidates for your employment opportunities, presenting to our Job Club is a great opportunity to get to
know the Peirce community and to recruit. To learn more about Job Club contact Audrey Cooper at
alcooper@peirce.edu or call 888-467-3472, x9292.
Employer Advisory Board (EAB)
Employers work closely with the CDS team, Peirce faculty and staff, and students and alumni to develop career-based programs,
events and activities. They provide tremendous industry insight that helps us enhance the marketability of our students
and alumni. Membership in the EAB Board entitles employers to participate in select CDS and Peirce VIP events. If you are
interested in the EAB Board, please contact Uva Coles, Dean of Career Development Services, at
uccoles@peirce.edu or at 888-467-3472, x9206.
Engagement with CDS
CDS prides itself on offering students and alumni programs that are highly informative, interactive and relevant. We host
new workshops and events every seven weeks and work closely with employers to ensure participants have access to industry
experts. If you are interested in co-facilitating career-based workshops, being one of our featured speakers, or sponsoring
a "CDS Road Trip" where students and alumni can visit your facility for a tour, just let us know. Contact Uva Coles, Dean
of Career Development Services, at uccoles@peirce.edu or at 888-467-3472, x9206
to discuss your opportunity. This session's career-based events can be accessed here .
Continuing Education and Training
As an employer, if you are interested in sharpening your competitive edge or that of your organization’s, consider partnering
with Peirce. Peirce offers Individual Workshops as well as Customized Corporate Training Programs that can:
- Enhance employee engagement
- Provide an open, productive and controlled environment to discuss critical business issues specific to your organization
- Ensure that resources, time, and money allocated for training can be spent more efficiently
For more information on how Peirce College can help you achieve your organization's strategic training initiatives, read about our Continuing Education programs or contact Carol Walton, Program Manager, Business Development at 888-467-3472, x9056 or at cawalton@peirce.edu.
We welcome the opportunity to speak with you to learn about your talent needs, available roles, and opportunities for partnership. For more information, please contact us at cds@peirce.edu or call us at 888.467-3472, x9202.
Peirce CDS: Providing Personalized Access for Career Exploration, Access and Success!