When thinking about the benefits of studying at Trinity over other universities, small class sizes, more dynamic relationships with professors or a high standard for academic achievement may come to mind. Another benefit is the abundance of helpful resources offered by the university, and one of these resources is Career Services.

Career Services offers assistance and guidance for students preparing for life after graduation. Director Twyla Hough is responsible for overseeing the operation of the office and says that Career Services can help students with tasks such as resume building and reviewing, developing a personal brand and identifying potential employers.

“It’s important for us to help students understand how to develop their personal brand using LinkedIn or other online resources,” Hough said. “Career coaching is also important to help students understand how to present themselves in the different areas of the job search or grad school application process.”

These services, and many others, are helpful for students looking for jobs in their area of interest, but Career Services can also be a helpful resource for students who may not be sure where their interest lies.

“I work with students helping to identify what their interests might be, what a good major might be, and then what they are going to do next,” said assistant director of coaching and advising, Katie Ramirez. “I do a lot of coaching on a variety of subjects from general career counseling to resume reviews to job search and grad school assistance.”

To assess students’ interests and potential majors or careers, a variety of tools may be used.

“Typically, we ask quite a few questions to gauge where students are at. We have some assessments and something called a card sort. One thing we look at is the interest in a career choice then we help determine what might be a good way to get them there,” Ramirez said.

Both Ramirez and Hough say that one thing students may not realize is the importance of starting to utilize Career Services early in their academic careers.

“We like to begin working with students early on so that they can gain relevant experience while they’re a student,” Hough said. “We can help discuss strategic ways to be more competitive when they graduate.”

The experiences Hough mentioned are particularly helpful for students when it comes to creating resumes, which is another area in which Career Services helps students to be better prepared for the future.

“It is important for students to update their resumes and have someone give them some feedback. Sometimes they miss really important things,” Hough said. “A lot of times students withhold things from their resume that they don’t realize employers would take and notice some transferable skills. We help determine what students should leave out and what they should leave in.”

Another resource that helps students with tasks such as resume building and networking is a program called TrinityConnect. This online platform helps make connections with alumni who are interested in giving back to current students.

“This tool is free to students and provides them with a relatively easy way to connect with Trinity alumni,” said associate director of external relations John Birch. “TrinityConnect provides students with a safe environment through which to ask questions and get answers that will help them be better prepared for life after Trinity.”

More information about TrinityConnect can be found at TrinityConnect.evisors.com. To set up an appointment with an advisor in the Career Services office, contact information can be found on the Trinity website. The office also has walk-in hours from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday and from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday.