Career Services

RU/RVC Career Exploration & Job Fair – Spring 2022

Wednesday, March 16, 1:00-4:00 pm at Rockford University in Regent’s Hall

Rockford University and Rock Valley College present a Career Exploration & Job Fair! Join us on Wednesday, March 16 from 1-4 pm to explore career opportunities and chat with employers. Learn more about the event and participating employers below.

Attendees are strongly encouraged to have a resume ready to send and dress in professional attire. Resume assistance is available by contacting RU Career Services at careers@rockford.edu. 

Have a question? Contact Career Services at 815-226-4022 or careers@rockford.edu

Who We Are

In collaboration with faculty, staff, and various off-campus partners, the Rockford University Career Development office equips students and alumni to be strategic and career ready.  

Career Development is not just a department or one-stop center, but an enabling process that starts when you first arrive at RU. While you are on campus, you develop and learn more of who you are and what you aspire to be—and Career Development can help with that!

What We Do

Career Development can help students and alumni through:

• Creating an exceptional resume, cover letter, or CV
• Providing mock interview opportunities
• Assessing interests, strengths, values, and goals
• Developing a job/internship search strategy
• Planning for admission to graduate school
• Developing a professional social media presence

Like you, we are focused on your personal and professional development as a whole person.  We are here to help you find your ROCK SOLID PROFESSION, as well as to help you identify the ways you can make meaningful and sustained contributions to the world both now and in the future.

Job Search Assistance

Rockford University uses Handshake as its official resume and job posting service. Students and Alumni, create your account profile at joinhandshake.com to:

• Search for all Full-time, Part-time, Internship/Co-op opportunities
• Create and upload your resume to make available to employers
• Access event announcements, career advice documents, articles, and more

Learn how to complete your Handshake profile here!

PathwayU

RU Career Department has partnered with PathwayU, an online career counseling companion. PathwayU guides users toward discovering purpose and meaning while exploring majors and occupations that align with their interests, personality, values, and workplace preferences. PathwayU offers:

• Career and purpose assessments
• Detailed career matches
• Occupational exploration
• A job and internship board
• Work preparation tools.

How to Access PathwayU

Rockford University students, staff, faculty, and alumni are eligible to use PathwayU.

• Visit rockford.pathwayu.com to sign up for your free account.
• To learn more, watch this three-minute video.

Career Development Newsletter 

Our monthly newsletter, sent by email to all RU students, can now be accessed 24/7. Click on the links below for fun and free career resources, including interactive quizzes, podcasts, articles, internship opportunities, and even alumni features!

• August 2025: A Rock Solid Start
• January 2025: Using AI in Resume Creation & Job Applications
• November 2024: Reflect, Refocus, and Plan
• October 2024: Networking Isn’t Always Spooky!
• September 2024: Welcome to Rockford University
• April & May 2024: Mental Health in Career Planning
• March 2024: Prepare for the Fair
• February 2024: Dress for Success
• November/December 2023: Make the Most of Break
• October 2023: Internships
• September 2023: Welcome Regents!
• April 2023: Life After Graduation
• March 2023: Preparing for the Career Fair!
• February 2023: Professional Etiquette
• November 2022: Covering Cover Letters
• October 2022: Handshake Crash Course
• September 2022: Job Hunting Like a Pro
• April 2022: Make a Great Impression at Job Interviews
• March 2022: Crafting a Cover Letter
• February 2022: Prepare for the Career Fair (pdf)
• January 2022: RU Involved? (pdf).

• November 2021: Creating an Outstanding Resume (pdf).
• October 2021: Finding Your Future (pdf).
• September 2021: Back to Campus (pdf).

• November 2020: Making the Most of Winter Break (pdf)
• October 2020: Virtual Career Fair Tips (pdf)
• September 2020: Internships (pdf)
• August 2020: New Beginnings (pdf)

Chelsea Minor, Ed.D

Director of Career Development & First-Year Programs

815.226.4022

CMinor@Rockford.edu

RESOURCES

Career Development Policies

• Rockford University Career Development Employer Policies

Career Opportunity Links

• Zip Recruiter for Rockford University Students
• Career Builder
• Indeed
• Campus Career Center
• Handshake

Regional School Districts

• List of School Districts in Illinois
• Alden-Hebron School District
• Byron School District
• Boone and Winnebago Regional Office of Education
• Cary School District #26
• Crystal Lake School District #47  — Has online application but view jobs at McHenry Co. ROE
  
• DeKalb School District  — Serves the DeKalb, Malta, & Courtland communities
• Fox River Grove School District
• Freeport School District #145
• Genoa-Kingston School District
• Harlem School District
• Harvard School District
• Hiawatha School District
• Hinckley-Big Rock School District
• Hononegah High School/Rockton, Roscoe
• Huntley School District
• Indian Creek School District/Shabbona, Waterman
• Johnsburg High School/Johnsburg
• Kinnikinnick School District/Roscoe
• Marengo-Union School District
• McHenry Elementary School District #15
• Nippersink School District
• North Boone School District
• Pecatonica School District/Pecatonica
• Prairie Grove School District
• Prairie Hill School District
• Richmond-Burton High School District
• Rockford Public Schools
• Rockton School District
• Sandwich School District
• Somonauk School District
• South Beloit School District
• Sycamore School District
• Winnebago Community Unit School District 323
• Woodstock School District

EMPLOYERS

Posting Positions

Rockford University provides Handshake, an online career platform, as an exclusive service to students and recent alumni, as well as employers seeking to hire RU students and recent graduates for career-related jobs or internships in addition to part-time, on-campus student employment, and volunteer positions.

Employers can set up a Handshake account today! Here are the steps.

If you have questions or would like to post, contact Career Services. Please include the following information:

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

Career Development Policies

The Career Development Office will provide services and resources for recruiting opportunities to employers provided they acknowledge and meet the following requirements:

• Rockford University Career Development Employer Policies

On-Campus Recruiting

Additionally, Career Development welcomes the opportunity to team with employers to recruit and hold interviews on campus. Please contact careers@rockford.edu to schedule. 

Career and Internship Fair

Rockford University is proud to host an career and internship fair each spring open to employers seeking to fill internships, part-time, or full-time positions. Please contact cminor@rockford.edu if you are interested in participating in the 2025 career fair. 

ALUMNI

Just because you are out of sight concerning being on campus does not mean that you are out of mind! We are still here to assist our alumni as well.

Resumes and Cover Letters 

Do you feel like your resume is not sealing the deal for you? No problem! We can help you enhance your resume and cover letter. Some people make the mistake of not truly understanding the importance of a resume. It is the forerunner to your success in landing a new job – so it’s important that it’s free from grammatical errors and that it expresses who you are and what you can do. It is most beneficial to set up a one-on-one appointment – however, you may also e-mail your documents to the address below for review and we will respond to you within 24-48 hours.

Mock Interviews

We offer practice interviews for alumni as well! Your interview will be recorded so that you are able to develop a greater awareness of your non-verbal behaviors, because a lot of what you say does not come out of your mouth! Additionally, you will be asked specific questions relating to the job you are seeking so that you can be better prepared when participating in a formal interview.

Job Search Assistance

Rockford University uses Handshake as its official resume and job posting service. Students and Alumni, create your account profile at www.joinhandshake.com to:

• Search for all Full-time, Part-time, and Internship opportunities easily and efficiently
• Create and upload your resume and career portfolio to make available to employers
• Access event announcements, career advice documents, podcasts, videos, and articles

Read about how to set up your profile here!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Am I Eligible for Student Employment? All full-time undergraduate students are eligible for employment on campus, whether a commuter or resident student. All students requesting student employment must first complete the financial aid process. Federal work-study eligibility is a preference for all student employment positions. With the passage of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, every employer in the United States must now check the legal status of all employees, including student employees, hired after November 1986, or face the threat of criminal penalties. All new employees must complete an I9 form and prove their identity and eligibility to work in this country before they can begin working.

How Do I Find an On-Campus Job? It is the student’s responsibility to find student employment on campus. All open on-campus positions are posted on the website. The student obtains an application from Human Resources or online, fills it out and returns it to Human Resources. Human Resources provides students with a copy of their application to carry throughout the application and interview process. Student Administrative Services provides the student with a Federal Work-Study/Campus Work-Study Authorization Card. Students should only schedule an interview once they have received their card. Once a student is hired for one of the posted, open positions, the hiring supervisor completes the student’s authorization card and a Personnel Action Notification for Students. The supervisor should return the appropriate paperwork to Human Resources. The student completes any other necessary employment paperwork. Rockford University’s job search process mimics that of the outside world and offers students the opportunity to discover the variety of campus positions available, to compare them and to participate in interviews. It also creates the opportunity for students and departments to meet their needs for the academic year in a competitive manner. It is important that the student project professional appearance and conduct, as there are many more students looking for jobs than there are available positions.

I’m Thinking About Changing Jobs. What should I do? On occasion, a student employee and their supervisor mutually agree to terminate the employment relationship. The most common reasons are scheduling conflicts or obtainment of off-campus employment. These terminations should be readily apparent before or early in the semester and should be handled quickly so those positions can be available for other students. Any problems or concerns that arise regarding on-campus jobs should be discussed with an immediate supervisor. If the problem or concern cannot be resolved with the supervisor, the student employee may choose to seek other employment on campus. However, a student employee should not job-hop and should always give a two-week notice, which is considered standard courtesy. A student employee should never walk out on a job!

How Much Do I Get Paid? Rockford University uses a job classification process to ensure that all student employees are being paid equally while working in similar positions. To ensure equality, all positions have a written job description on file with Human Resources.

When & How Do I Get Paid? Student employees are paid on a bi-weekly basis according to the Student Payroll Schedule‌ which also indicates when timesheets are due. Students are issued a paycheck; earnings are not subtracted from their tuition bill.

What Are My Responsibilities? Student Employment was designed, not only to assist in educational expenses, but also to help students learn work ethics to carry with them as they move into careers. The student employees are expected to:

• Report promptly to their work site and supervisor.
• Become familiar with job duties, quality and quantity of work expected.
• Adhere to the mutually agreed upon work schedule.
• Submit their timesheet to their supervisor as specified by the Student Payroll Schedule.
• Complete the Federal I9 and W4 forms prior to beginning work.
• Keep their supervisor informed of any schedule deviation.
• Report all on-the-job injuries or illnesses promptly to their supervisor.
• Maintain good work performance.
• Do not exceed their total award amount and adhere to e-mails received from the Student Employment Program Coordinator when limited award amount is remaining.
• Participate in the employee performance evaluations.
• Notify their supervisor and Human Resources if they plan on terminating employment.

How can off-campus student employment help me? The Off-Campus Federal Work Study program is designed to not only assist students with their educational expenses, but also to gain valuable community service experiences. Due to federal guidelines, community organizations must be non-profit. Only those students who were awarded Federal Work Study in their financial aid package may participate. During the school year, students are limited to the number of hours they may work per week. Those hours are based on their academic status. For further information, please refer to the Off-Campus Federal Work Study page.

SERVICES AND PROGRAMS

Services for Current Students

If you haven’t started working with us on a plan to achieve your career goals yet, it’s never too late (or too early!). We will meet you where you are and help you get where you want to go by working with you on the academic, extracurricular, and experiential learning experiences you’ll need.

The next step will be to access the many tools and resources available to help you prepare for applying, interviewing for, and landing an internship or even that first job. Meet with us to create a resume/cover letter, prepare for an interview, and develop a comprehensive job search strategy.

Student Employment

Many full-time, undergraduate students qualify for Student Employment while attending RU.

Off-Campus Federal Work Study

If you qualify for Off-Campus Federal Work Study according to your financial aid package, you can contact us to discuss current open positions.

Internships

Internships provide you with a wonderful opportunity not only to gain valuable experience to build your resume, but also to allow you to understand what a position really entails. Additionally, internships offer you 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.

We can assist you in finding internship opportunities! If you are seeking an academic internship for credit, you should contact the appropriate professor in your major.

Resumes and Cover Letters

Don’t have a resume? No problem! We can help you develop a resume and cover letter. 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 careers@rockford.edu. If you are not able to come to campus for an appointment, you may also e-mail your documents to the address above for review and we will respond to you within 24-48 hours!

Mock Interviews

We offer practice interviews for current students and alumni. Your interview will be recorded so that you are able to develop a greater awareness of your non-verbal behaviors because a lot of what you say does not come out of your mouth! Additionally, you will be asked specific questions relating to the job you are seeking so that you can be better prepared when participating in a formal interview.

Job Search Assistance

We offer job search assistance!  Rockford University uses Handshake as its official resume and job posting service. Students and Alumni, create your account profile at www.joinhandshake.com to:

• Search for all Full-time, Part-time, Internship/Co-op job opportunities easily and efficiently
• Create and upload your resume and career portfolio to make available to employers
• Access event announcements, career advice documents, podcasts, videos and articles

Additionally, through the College Career Consortium of Illinois, students and alumni can participate in the annual CareerFest and Fall Interview Day. For more information, please visit cccillinois.org. 

CAREER DEVELOPMENT

In collaboration with faculty and staff and various off-campus partners, the Rockford University Career Development office equips students and alumni to be strategic and career-ready.  

Career Development is not just a department or one-stop center, but a process that starts when you first arrive at RU. While you are on campus, you develop and learn more of who you are and what you aspire to be—and Career Development can help with that.

Spring 2025 Career and Internship Fair

It’s time once again for the Rockford University Career and Internship Fair! To view a list of employers attending, please click here.

Date, Time, and Location:

Date: April 22, 2025

Time: 1:00-4:00 pm

Location: Regents Hall, Burpee Student Center, Rockford University, 5050 E. State St., Rockford, IL 61108

Doors will open for participants at 1:00.

Parking and Logistics:

We ask that campus guests park in parking lot A. There will be signs indicating designated parking for attendees and employers. There is an elevator as well.

Contact Information:

For any questions or assistance leading up to the career fair, please don’t hesitate to reach out to cminor@rockford.edu or 815.226.4022. We’re excited to have you join us for this fantastic opportunity to connect employers with students and alumni from Rockford University. Thank you for your participation, and we look forward to seeing you at the career fair!

Rockford University Students

Please go to the Career Development Portal page to access additional resources, templates, and more.

What We Do

Career Development can help students and alumni through:

• Creating an exceptional resume, cover letter, or CV
• Providing mock interview opportunities
• Assessing interests, strengths, values, and goals
• Developing an job/internship search strategy
• Planning for admission to graduate school
• Connect experiences in the classroom and community with future career opportunities
• Exploring majors and minors and linking them to post-graduate goals

Like you, we are focused on your personal and professional development as a whole person.  We are here to help you find your profession, as well as to help you identify the ways you can make meaningful and sustained contributions to the world both now and in the future.

First Destination Survey

Career Development administers the First Destination Survey and collects information from Rockford University alumni in order to assess their post-graduation plans. The First Destination Survey data is designed to provide students, alumni, and employers with critical data about where Rockford University students go after graduation. Survey data provide an impressive overview of the diverse interests and achievements of recent graduates from Rockford University.

• Class of 2024 First Destination Survey (pdf)
• Class of 2023 First Destination Survey (pdf)
• Class of 2022 First Destination Survey (pdf)
• Class of 2021 First Destination Survey (pdf).
• Class of 2020 First Destination Survey (pdf)
• Class of 2019 First Destination Survey (pdf)
• Class of 2018 First Destination Survey (pdf)
• Class of 2017 First Destination Survey (pdf)

Handshake

Rockford University uses Handshake as its official resume and job posting service. Students and Alumni, create your account profile at www.joinhandshake.com to:

• Search for all Full-time, Part-time, and Internship opportunities easily and efficiently
• Create and upload your resume and career portfolio to make available to employers
• Access event announcements, career advice documents, podcasts, videos, and articles

Read about how to set up your profile here!

Career Development Newsletter 

Our monthly newsletter, sent by email to all RU students, can now be accessed 24/7. Click on the links below for fun and free career resources, including interactive quizzes, podcasts, articles, internship opportunities, and even alumni features!