Rockford College > Resources > Career Services

What can Career Services do for you?

Career Services at Rockford College is here to assist current students and alumni in reaching their career goals. For undecided students, we provide career assessments that help students gain a greater awareness of their individual skills and interests, as well as identify possible majors and career paths that will most likely result in their being satisfied and successful. We also offer assistance with finding internships for students in their chosen major. Additionally, we provide resume and cover letter development, mock interviews, off-campus Federal Work-Study positions, information about graduate school, career counseling and job search assistance. Please see below for further information.

Undecided Students
If students are struggling trying to determine their major and future career path, they should consider taking a career assessment. Career Services offers our current students and alumni the Self-Directed Search, a widely used career interest inventory. The SDS was developed by Dr. John Holland who received the American Psychological award for Distinguished Contributions to Knowledge for his theory concerning careers. Dr. Holland believed that most people as well as occupations can be loosely categorized into six types: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional. People who select careers that match their individual types are most likely to be satisfied and successful. Through taking the SDS, students can discover their three-letter Holland code to assist them in finding careers that match their interests and abilities. Additionally, Career Services will provide students with tools to consider their work values and the impact of those values on choosing a career path. 



Internships
Internships provide students with a wonderful opportunity not only to gain valuable experience to build their resumes, but also to allow students to understand what a position really entails. Additionally, internships offer students the chance to network with professionals in their chosen fields. These experiences can lead to receiving strong references and recommendations as well as the possibility of being offered a full-time position upon graduating.
 
Career Services assists students in finding internship opportunities. If students are seeking an academic internship for credit, students should contact the appropriate professor in their major.
 
Resumes and Cover Letters
Career Services assists with resume and cover letter development. Two of the biggest mistakes that people make involve not proofreading their resumes and not making them as marketable as possible. It is most beneficial to set up a one-on-one appointment. To do so, students can call 815-226-4022 or e-mail careersv@rockford.edu. If they are not able to come to campus for an appointment, they may also e-mail these documents to the address above for review. Please allow up to two business days for a response.
 
Mock Interviews
Career Services offers practice interviews for current students and alumni. These interviews are recorded, and through watching the videos, students are able to develop a greater awareness of their non-verbal behaviors. Additionally, students are asked specific questions relating to the job they are seeking; thus they can be better prepared when participating in a formal interview.
 
Off-Campus Federal Work Study
If students qualify for Off-Campus Federal Work Study according to their financial aid package, they can contact Career Services to discuss current open positions. These positions are also found on the Rockford College Web site under Resources, then Employment Opportunities followed by Student Employment.

Job Search Assistance
Career Services offers job search assistance. Current students and recent graduates can log onto my.rockford.edu and scroll down to the career portal to view current job and internship postings, both local and national. Current students and alumni can also log onto www.iscpa.org and go to the On-line Career Center and create a profile to search for employment and internship opportunities and post their resumes. Additionally, through the Illinois Small College Placement Association, current students as well as alumni can participate in the annual CareerFest, TeacherFest and Interview Day. Furthermore, current students and recent graduates can also log onto www.rockfordareacareers.com and create a profile to search for employment and internship opportunities in the Rockford area and also post their resumes. These are all wonderful opportunities and resources to find employment.

Career Services is located on the second floor of Nelson Hall.
To set up an appointment, call 815-226-4022 or e-mail careersv@rockford.edu

Kelly Haugen, Director
Career Services
5050 East State Street
Rockford, IL 61108

Employers
To post an open position, please e-mail the posting to careersv@rockford.edu or fax it to 815-226-4161. Please include the following information:

• Title of the position
• Description of the position
• Qualifications
• Contact information
• Application process
• Application deadline

If the position requires a college degree and is full time, Career Services can also post the position to www.iscpa.org  for students and alumni of other small colleges in Illinois to also view. Additionally, Career Services welcomes the opportunity to team with employers to recruit and hold interviews on campus. Please call 815-226-4022 for further information.