The Office of Career and Professional Development at CUNY’s School of Labor and Urban Studies is pleased to provide information and resources that are dedicated to helping students gain knowledge about government, union and non-profit opportunities that align with their coursework. This webpage will help students with the following:

  • Understanding & emphasizing the importance of having a career strategy
  • Identifying where you are in your career journey: career exploration OR career readiness
  • How to utilize the right tools and resources to navigate each respective career path
  • Preparing for life post high-school – learning and attaining hard & soft skills required for success in the workforce
  • Guidance for both resume writing and creating compelling cover letters to enhance job application prospects
  • Making a positive impression in a job interview by showcasing your relevant skills, demonstrating enthusiasm, and engaging confidently with the interviewers
  • Develop a robust and comprehensive LinkedIn profile that effectively showcases your skills and qualifications

Contact

careerservices@slu.cuny.edu
Current student should use Handshake to connect with career services.

On This Page
Career Exploration
Career Readiness

Career Exploration

Have you started thinking about different career paths but not sure which one is right for you?

Welcome to the career exploration stage!
Making the transition into the workforce can often feel intimidating.  There are so many factors that come into play while trying to figure out the best career for you.  The career exploration stage provides the opportunity to discover different skills, interests, industries and much more.  In this phase your goal is to seek information!

It is important to note that career exploration can be ongoing and evolves along with different professional goals and aspirations.

The information provided in the sections below details a few tips to help navigate career exploration stage.  There are also some external links and resources.

  • A good starting point during the career exploration stage is assessment. Self-assessments, career assessments and value assessments serve as great tools to help align skills and interests with careers.  There are thousands of assessments readily available on the web.  Some of the more common ones include: O*NET, MBTI, Strong Interest Inventory, Big Five Personality Test and Career Onestop.
  • You may have heard of job opportunities in the entertainment industry, healthcare industry, or other industries. During conversation, has someone referenced working in the non-profit sector, public sector or private sector? Understanding different industries and sectors is key during career exploration. Industries refer to groups of companies/organizations that produce shared or similar services, activities or goods. While sectors on the other hand is a term to describe fragments of the economy with groups of similar industries.  Staying atop of industry trends can help career explorers make informed decisions.
  • There are several ways to gain exposure to careers while still exploring. Informational Interviews, Volunteering, Internships and Mentorships are all great opportunities to help determine if a select career path is the one for you.  These experiences provide firsthand insights and fresh perspectives into the working world.
  • Listed below are a few additional resources to help guide you throughout this stage!

Industries vs Sectors

Industries Sectors
  • Group of companies that are into similar businesses or products
  • Gives the view of how companies in a particular industry are performing
  • Provide narrow view of the Economy
  • More specific in nature
  • Has no specific classification, a similar product or business of companies forms Industry
  • The sector will come after the Economy, and Industry come after Sector
  • Sector is the industry group that shares common characteristics of business activities
  • Provide very Broad view of the Economy
  • More general in nature
  • Has four parts, i.e., Primary, Secondary, Territory, and Quaternary
  • An economy is a breakdown into sectors, and sectors are further breakdown into industries

Career Readiness

Ready to find that job? Let’s talk about Career Readiness.

Once you have a strong understanding of your:

  • Skills & career interests
  • The industry you are interested in
  • The type of position you are looking for
  • And a list of organizations or companies you would like to be employed at

You are ready to start working on your job search strategy. In this phase you have one goal: a job offer!

In order to secure a job offer, your job searching materials must be competitive and up to date.  A resume and cover letter will be required to apply to jobs that you are interested in.  You may need to spend some time practicing your interview skills, to ensure you are able to successful convey how your skills and experience are a match for the position you are applying to.  Lastly, its important to ensure your professional online presence aligns with your application materials, a quick LinkedIn refresher will help to keep your professional profile up to date.

The sections below describe everything you will need to complete your application materials, prepare for an interview, and secure a job offer.  Don’t forget to check out the resources to see examples of how to customize your materials for a successful job search.

Resume

There are two common formats of resumes: reverse chronological & functional, also known as skills based. The chart below provides an overview, advantages/disadvantages, as well as samples of each version.

Reverse Chronological Resume Functional Resume (Skills Based)
Overview Lists your work history in reverse order, starting with your current or most recent job and working backwards. Focuses on skills and strengths important to employers. Omits specific dates, names, and places. De-emphasizes a spotty work history.
Advantage Easy to write. Emphasizes steady employment record. Employers like to see job titles, level of responsibility, and dates of your work history. De-emphasizes a spotty work history. Allows you to highlight specific strengths and transferable skills that might not be obvious when outlined in purely chronological order.
Disadvantage Calls attention to employment gaps. Skills can be difficult to spot unless they are listed in the most recent job. Disliked by many employers. It makes them think you may be trying to hide your age, employment gaps, lack of relevant experience, lack of career progression, or underemployment.
Best Used To emphasize past career growth and development in the same career. Or when the name of a former employer may be significant to prospective employer. To emphasize transferable skills you have used in volunteer work, paid work, or coursework. Use this or a combination resume if you are a new graduate, have limited work experience, are changing careers or doing freelance work, or you do not want to call attention to your age.
Don’t use There are gaps in your work history, when calling attention to your age could be a problem, you have changed jobs often, or you are entering the job market for first time or after a long absence. You want to emphasize growth or development or if your duties and responsibilities in recent jobs were limited.
Resume Samples Reverse Chronological Sample Functional Resume Sample

Cover Letter

No job application is complete without a cover letter. The key to writing an effective cover letter is to clearly show how your professional experience fits the needs of the open role and the culture of the hiring company.

A cover letter is a succinct and to the point three paragraph letter to employers explaining your interest in a particular position and why you are the ideal candidate for the role. It’s typically submitted along with your resume in a job application. This letter should highlight your skills, experience and achievements relating to the position you are applying to. Refrain from repeating everything you listed on your resume, cover letters are an opportunity for you to go into more detail about your professional career and explain why you are the ideal candidate for the role and company.

Cover Letter Sample & Template

Interviewing

The interview is a conversation in which you and an employer exchange information. Your objective is to get a job offer, and the employer’s objective is to find out the following: what you have to offer, specifically your skills, abilities, and related knowledge.  There are many different types of job interviews, ranging from the traditional one-on-one format with your potential employer to a video call.  Check out the resources below to learn more about each interview type, as well as questions to help you prepare, as well as a list of questions that you can ask at your next interview.

Linkedin

A professional profile on a networking platform is a great way to highlight your key skills and qualifications.  In the ever-evolving world of job searching, individuals are looking for jobs in many different ways, and hiring managers/recruiters are also looking for candidates in a variety of ways.  A strong and complete professional profile is important because it helps direct the right people to your page highlighting the opportunities and positions you are interested in.