A career is not just a job, it’s much more than that. A career combines your education, training, and overall experience, as well as your values, interests, and strengths. Your career goals and plans develop over time and connecting with Career Services early can help you get a strong start in this process. We have exploration resources to help you research and learn about different occupational areas and set career goals and plans. We also have tools and support to help you prepare for your next steps if you already know what you want to do.

Here are 5 reasons to connect with Career Services early in your college journey.
1. Identify interests, values, and priorities
a. Reflecting on what matters most to you can help you make decisions more efficiently. When it comes to job searching, you may assume these priorities and filter your search by location, salary, etc. Connect with Career Services for career assessments and additional tools to help you identify how your interests relate to your future career.

2. Researching occupations, industries, and companies
a. Start researching your future profession, learn about the required skills, and your salary expectations. There are many virtual resources and in-person opportunities at NECC to help your research.

3. Start networking
a. Networking is a crucial component in internship and job searching, plus it’s a great way to learn about occupational areas of interest. Connect with Career Services to learn how to do it and why it is important.

4. Guidance on resumes and cover letters
a. Creating a resume and cover letter early sets you up for success in the future. You can schedule a meeting with Career Services to receive feedback and learn how to tailor your materials for a specific job application.

5. Strategize for job and internship search
a. There are more job search tools than Indeed.com. Connect with us early to discuss your career goals, how to apply your skills from classes, and additional search tools – including Handshake!

To meet with Career Services, schedule a meeting through Navigate or email careerservices@necc.mass.edu. Meetings are available on the Haverhill and Lawrence campuses, plus Zoom.