Career Development Services & Lutgert College of Business

Career Planning Resources

UPCOMING EVENTS

This fall, Career Development Services is hosting Employer “Meet and Greets” for students. They will be held on Wednesday’s from 11am – 2pm in the Career Services Training Room in the Student Union. Students can stop by anytime – refreshments will be served.

While this event is informal in nature, we strongly suggest that you dress business casual (khaki-type pants, collared polo-type shirt or button-down shirt, etc.) so that you can make a good impression on the employer representatives.

The Statewide Job Fair will be held Wednesday, May 9th, 2012 from 11am-3pm at the UCF Arena in Orlando. This is an amazing opportunity to connect with national employers and finding your first big job.

It is challenging job market. So come out and meet representatives from companies that are actively looking to recruit FGCU students.

Career Exploration

Curious about what you can do with your major? Click the name of the major to access a guide on career options related to that major

If you are interested in doing some assessments to assist with your career exploration, check out MyPlan.com, a web-based career planning resource that allows you to take assessments of your skills, interests, personality, and values, and then see how those patterns of personal characteristics match with different occupations.

Internships

The Lutgert College of Business website provides detailed instructions on the process for pursuing an academic internship.  Please carefully read over all the information contained on this page - http://www.fgcu.edu/CoB/internships.html

Process for searching and applying to internships:

The Lutgert College of Business does not “place” students into internships. It is the responsibility of each student to identify, apply, and secure the internship of their choice. Here is a list of ten strategies you can use to identify internship opportunities:

1. Use College Central Network, the web-based internship/job listing website offered by Career Development Services.
2. Attend recruitment events. Career Development Services hosts job & internship fairs throughout the year, as well as employer information sessions.
3. Join the student club associated with your major. The clubs often have guest speakers who may also being looking for prospective interns.
4. While it does not capture all the internship opportunities available (since internships are not always posted on the web), you may consider using www.indeed.com or Google.
5. Target specific employers you would like to work for and send them a “prospecting” letter. As a starting point, here is a database of employers (mostly local) that have recruited with FGCU Career Services in the past. Meet with your Career Services liaison to the LCOB to discuss this strategy further.
6. Join the local professional organization of your field (if one exists.) Many offer discounted student memberships. Numerous FGCU students have obtained their internship by networking with local professionals. If you can’t join, at least visit the association website to help with your prospecting.
7. Discuss your internship interests with your Faculty Supervisor. While they won’t place you into an internship, they may have suggestions of employers to contact, or they may even have an “email distribution list” they can add you to for when they receive internship postings.
8. Some students have obtained internships with local non-profit agencies. (Almost all internships with non-profits will be unpaid.) The FGCU Service Learning office maintains a searchable database of agencies that are approved sites for Service Learning. 
9. Check with your classmates and other faculty.
10. Meet with your Career Services liaison to the LCOB to discuss your strategy further.

 Here are the answers to some additional “Frequently Asked Questions” regarding Internships.

Q. What is the difference between an academic internship and a non-academic internship?

A.  When a student completes an academic internship, he/she receives academic credit for the experience by completing the LCOB Internship for Academies Credit procedure as outlined at http://www.fgcu.edu/CoB/interships.html. A maximum of three credit hours of an approved academic internship may be applied toward graduation requirements as a College of Business elective. Students are registered for the internship course in Gulflione and must pay all tuition and fees associated with the course. Upon completion of the internship, a grade of S- Satisfactory or U- Unsatisfactory is reported by the Internship Faculty Supervisor. S/U grades are not calculated in the GPA.

Non-academic internships do not earn academic credit. These internships are relationships strictly between the student and employer – FGCU is not involved. Consequently, there are no requirements for permissions or paperwork. However, both the student and the employer should establish a clear understanding of all expectations prior to the start of the internship.

Q. Are internships paid?

A. It depends. Some employers provide an hourly wage for interns, and some do not. If an internship is not paid, students should ensure that they will receive a substantial amount of training and be provided with an opportunity to do challenging, meaningful work.

Information related to qualifying for Academic internships, the approval process, time requirements, roles and responsibilities, and necessary paperwork can be found here.

Job Search

Since each student has their own particular career goal, aspirations, and requirements, every job search can unique. The Job Search Guide is a great “jumping off” point for most students since it covers most of the main elements of a successful search, so we encourage students to review it. However, if you would like assistance in creating your own job search strategy, make an appointment to meet with one of the Career Services liaisons to the Lutgert College of Business (listed below.)

Click on Icon to access the "Job Search Guide"

Graduate School Planning

Are you thinking of applying to graduate school to pursue an advanced degree? It is a major decision and one that you should give careful thought and preparation. The Graduate School Planning guide is an excellent resource to help you answer many of the questions that come up, and help you prepare for the graduate school application process. Career Services liaisons are also available to help you along the way.

Click on Icon to access the "Graduate School Planning Guide"

Career and Job Search Advising

Reid Lennertz, Director – Liaison to the Lutgert College of Business

Amy Scott, Coordinator – Liaison to the Lutgert College of Business

To make appointments with Reid or Amy, please contact FGCU Career Services at (239) 590-7946.