Students talk CCD amid recruitment season

By Veronica Yang     10/1/24 10:53pm

As students settle into the fall semester, the hustle and bustle on campus is not just limited to midterms, club applications and football games — it’s also marked by recruitment season. The race for internships and positions of employment has officially begun.

The Center for Career Development helps students navigate the job market.

“We want to empower all students to find and make their place in the world ...  We believe all of our students are capable of achieving their professional goals,” Nicole Van Den Heuvel, executive director of the CCD, said. 

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The CCD offers a variety of programs and resources that aid students in job searches. 

“We have one-on-one appointments, we have drop-ins [and] we have a lot of workshops,” Van Heuvel said.

For some students, these services have been invaluable. 

“The counselor I worked with helped me completely restructure my resume, and this change made me feel a lot more confident about my resume,” Radhiya Bharmal, a Duncan College sophomore, said.  “I think that kind of personalized guidance is really valuable, and I wish I had taken advantage of their services earlier.” 

However, others have not found the resources sufficient.

“I’ve used the CCD in order to look over my resume, which was helpful, but I think the meeting could have been longer than 30 minutes in order to go in depth,” Claire Doh, a Will Rice College freshman, said.

Earlier last week, students of all majors were invited to attend the Career and Internship Expo. The Expo featured 116 employers, offering opportunities for Rice students to network and learn about various healthcare, engineering and consulting companies. That same week, CCD also hosted the Tech Careers Night. 

“I found [the Linkedin and Networking Workshop] really helpful because I didn’t have a LinkedIn account, and now I do and manage one,” Parwana Karimi, a  Lovett College freshman, said. 

From business etiquette lunches to salary & offer negotiation workshops, the CCD hosts events for all students looking for professional support. 

“Having the CCD as a resource eases my nerves, especially since they frequently host events and workshops,” Julia Zhu, a Sid Richardson College freshman, wrote in an email to the Thresher.

CCD also provides students with online resources, ensuring students are supported every step of the way. Through 12twenty, the job and internship database, many students have direct access to employers. 

“This is the one-stop-shop for everything. This is where students will find internships and jobs, they can schedule an appointment — everything happens on 12twenty,” Van Den Heuvel said. 

Some students also find the CCD alumni network beneficial. Through mentoring programs and Sallyportal, a database of Rice alumni, students can meet alumni that work in their desired fields.

Aside from resources for career options, students applying to graduate school — especially pre-medical school students — have also said they hope for additional resources. 

“I am planning on applying to medical school, so I’m hoping that CCD will also be able to help with the application process,” Joann Jung, a Hanszen College freshman, said.

“It would be helpful if they could offer more resources or connections for healthcare-related internships or even workshops focused on preparing for grad school applications,” Bharmal said. “I feel like that would really broaden their appeal to students like me.”

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