By Sarah Krumholz

A Twitter, Facebook and Skype account! These are three of the many attributes that make the Career Development Center (CDC) an accessible power player on Macalester’s campus. For seniors searching for a job under the looming threat of graduation or juniors looking to secure a top-notch summer internship before spring semester starts, effectively utilizing the CDC may be more important than ever. “The sooner one engages in the process, the better,” said CDC representative Lisa Rey. “But starting – whether as a first year or senior – is the main point. So juniors and seniors, today is the day!” Searching for a job or internship can be difficult and stressful, but the CDC is an approachable outlet for students looking for support. Mariah Blegen ’13 has used the CDC for help with specific needs such as resume editing, but felt that her academic department was more helpful for finding internships relevant to her major. “I think the CDC is a great resource that students should seek out when looking for jobs and internships, but I have found my advisor to be a better resource for grad and med school information,” Blegen said. Edward Metz ’13 agreed that the CDC was an excellent resource for those who have taken the initiative to seek it. “It was so easy to get an appointment with a career counselor but almost none of my friends have gone to visit one,” he said. “We are 21 years old, so they aren’t holding our hands but are still supportive and helpful in giving alumni connections, internship suggestions, ideas and just simple stuff like resume formatting.” The alumni database is one excellent resource provided by the CDC in order to connect students with alumni working in their field. Michael Costigan-Humes ’13 mentioned that the CDC has great local resources, but he wanted internships outside the Twin Cites and therefore did not feel the CDC was the best resource for him. “It’s fantastic if you want to search locally, but if you’re looking outside of Minnesota you might want to use other resources,” he said. Filling out an alumni search request can provide you with the existing Macalester networks outside the Twin Cities, however, which is utilized by some students. “I filled out the alumni connection networking form and a student worker got back to me within a few days, “ Metz said. Students looking to get a head start on the job search should RSVP to the senior-only dinner on October 3. If that is not incentive enough, the CDC hopes seniors will stop by to talk jobs over dinner catered by Shish. refresh –>