Career Services

Come to Career Services on the second floor of the Long Student Center, and we’ll instruct you on the test-taking process. Our assessments identify interests, personality type, and characteristics, matching students to with potential majors, interest areas, and future occupations and industries.

Strong Interest Inventory College Profile

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Career Report

Research any major that interests you. “What Can I Do With This Major” provides information on common career areas for specific majors, typical employers that hire in these fields and strategies to maximize career opportunities. Explore multiple majors to learn about a wide range of career opportunities.

What Can I Do With This Major?

Search for jobs on one of the many online job search websites. Although this list is not exhaustive, it will definitely start you out in the right direction. Create a LinkedIn profile to start!

LinkedIn
Glassdoor
ZipRecruiter
Government Jobs
Idealist
Indeed
Kansas Civil Employment
Kansas State Nurses Association
Kansas Works
KC Business Journal
Nonprofit Jobs in Kansas City
One Day One Job

What Are the Benefits of an Internship?

• An internship enables a student to integrate on-campus academic study with off-campus work experience.
• It gives the student a chance to explore career choices and make more informed decisions about career goals.
• An internship allows the student an opportunity to gain practical experience through on-the-job challenges and opportunities by blending knowledge gained from academic studies with real-world applications.
• Internships enhance a student’s marketability.

Internship Agreement Form

REU Internships

Getting Started

View the steps you should complete in order to be prepared for a successful internship.

1. Visit with Career Services to do the following:

• Prepare a resume.
• Discuss and develop with Career Services a plan for obtaining an internship.
• Prepare sample questions for your internship interviews and possibly do a mock interview.
• Obtain additional employer contacts. Internship leads come from many sources, including Career Services vacancy listings and contact information, career fairs, on-campus interviews, faculty, friends, and alumni.

2. Visit with faculty internship sponsor to do the following:

• Request their sponsorship of your internship.
• Design an academic project.
• Discuss your learning objectives with your faculty sponsor.  You will need to have these goals ready for the Internship Agreement form. Aspects of the learning objectives vary by department.

3. Visit with potential employers to do the following:

• Request internship information.
• Interview for an internship.
• Establish an employer’s job description, goals, and expectations.
• Negotiate offers.

4. With the assistance of career services, complete the internship agreement.

• Have all contact information ready when you meet with Career Services to complete the first portion of the online Internship Agreement form.
• Complete your part of the online Internship Agreement form at least a week (recommended) before your internship start date or the last day to enroll in the given semester (whichever comes first). The last day to add dates can be found on the academic calendar. They are typically the first day of the new term.

Requirements

The internship experience should be related to the student’s academic area and cannot be a work position that he or she has previously held. Students are not allowed to participate in an internship with a relative acting as his or her supervisor. To be eligible for the Internship, a student must be at least a sophomore (completed 30 credit hours or more).
NOTE: All internships are taken on a pass/no credit basis—not for a letter grade.

Internship Credit

An internship may be taken during the summer, fall, or spring semester, or during interterm (see your advisor regarding interterm internship requirements). Variable credit is given, with the standard being 1 academic credit for 40 working contact hours. Students may gain up to 12 credits during their undergraduate years at Baker University through the College of Arts of Sciences and the School of Education undergraduate program.

The faculty sponsor and the student will determine the number of credit hours after the design of the academic project is complete.

• During the fall or spring semester, internships are part of a student’s regular course load.
• During the summer, students enroll in the appropriate number of credit hours at a reduced tuition cost of $225 per hour (up to 3 hours).
• Students are responsible for the corresponding per-credit-hour tuition cost.

https://cisabroad.com/?

https://www.ciee.org/go-abroad/work/teach-english-abroad
 

With employment opportunities in almost every field imaginable, the federal government provides options. Search for jobs on the USA Jobs Website and read the information below regarding applying for a government job.

Helping Job Seekers Land Federal Government Jobs

With nearly one-third of all federal employees (nearly 1.9 million employees) eligible to retire in the next four years and new federal jobs being created as a result of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the federal government is looking to hire a significant number of people.
Brooke Bohnet, associate manager for education and outreach with the Partnership for Public Service (PPS), offers the following tips for landing a job with the federal government:

• Plan ahead—The application process itself can take time. To improve your chances of getting a job, allow plenty of time to thoroughly complete the application.
• Select carefully—Applications tailored for specific jobs that are a good match for your skills and talents will be more successful than sending out a standard resume for many jobs.
• Prepare for a wait—It can take weeks to months before you will hear back about your application, and during this time there may be little or no communication from the agency. Every federal job requires a background check before the agency can make a job offer. If the position is related to national security, you will be instructed to complete the security clearance process once you receive an offer. Apply for positions without security clearances about four months before their start date and six to eight months in advance for national security-related positions.
• Follow up with the agency—Contact the identified representative to learn the status of your application or to find out more about a job about a month after the closing date or, if the closing date is extended, about a month after you turned in your application.

How can I find out about the grad school programs out there?
Research available grad school programs in the United States:
www.GradSchools.com
www.petersons.com

Can I earn a graduate degree from Baker University?
Yes. Baker offers graduate degrees in business, education, and nursing.
Baker Online

How can I afford grad school?
Find everything from scholarships to loans to fellowships:
www.FinAid.org 
www.GradLoans.com

How do I write a personal essay?
These sites will give you tons of tips and examples:
Essay Edge
About.com

Where can I find testing information?
Hard copies of these test bulletins are available in Career Services, but they are also available online. Most grad school tests are administered at the University of Kansas Testing Services. Call 785.864.2768 to schedule a testing date.
GRE (Graduate Record Exam) 
LSAT (Law School Admissions Test) 
GMAT (Graduate Management Admissions Test)
MCAT (Medical College Admissions Test) 
DAT (Dental Aptitude Test) 
PCAT (Pharmacy College Admissions Test)

Are there other helpful sites?
More info than you could dream of:
Kaplan Educational Centers
Peterson’s
Test Prep Review
Khan Academy

What timetable should I follow?

August

• Research graduate programs.
• Review books about graduate school.
• Talk to your adviser and favorite professors about graduate school.

September

• Register to take the standardized graduate admissions test for your field.
• Contemplate key people to ask to write letters of recommendation.
• Finalize list of graduate programs and request application materials.
• Begin to research forms for financial aid and assistance.

October

• Take standardized admissions tests.
• Begin drafting personal statement and essays required of graduate programs.
• Complete applications forms.
• Request all transcripts be sent to graduate schools.
• Ask for letters of recommendation or distribute recommendation forms.
• Set up an APPOINTMENT at least three weeks in advance with professor/faculty you would like to write a recommendation. At that meeting, provide them with the following:
  • Your resume.
  • A stamped/addressed envelope(s) to each school you’d like them to send their letter to.
  • Details on the school(s) you’re applying to and why you are interested.
  • Follow up with the professor/faculty in two weeks to make sure everything is completed.

November

• Finalize personal statements and essays tailored to each graduate program after getting feedback on them from Career Services, your adviser, professors, and key professionals.

December

• Mail completed applications, only after carefully proofreading all materials.

January

• Follow up with all graduate programs to make sure your application is complete.

February

• Consider visiting your top graduate school choices.

March & April

• Notify each graduate program that accepted you of your intentions.

The Baker Organizational Observation for Knowledge program affects student learning by expanding the basic internship.

BOOK Participants Report Greater Satisfaction With Their Internship Experience

In this optional, above-and-beyond effort, interns interview managers, department heads, and even CEOs, asking questions that impress employers and intensify their learning experience. Interns look deeper into the organization and research the history, mission, and structure of the company.

Once the internship is completed, students create and present a PowerPoint report to judges who are professionals and alumni in the community. A cash award is given to the winner.

“An internship alone no longer distinguishes a college graduate from other job candidates. However, the BOOK program does have that potential.” —Dr. Kevin McCarthy

All summer interns are encouraged to participate in the BOOK competition, and all majors are welcome to sign up! Recent winners have majored in computer science, biology, psychology, communication, and business. BOOK program sign-ups end in May.

If you’re hoping to complete an internship for the summer 2024 term and want to participate in BOOK, please contact career services director Ashley Kretzschmer (akretzschmer@bakerU.edu) or business professor Dr. Martha Davis (martha.davis@bakerU.edu) to get involved!

Follow Baker University Career Services on LinkedIn and @bakerucareerservices on Instagram, Threads, and Facebook.

Make an appointment with Career Services (akretzschmer@bakerU.edu) for assistance with creating or updating your resume and cover letter and preparing for interviews. To start, review the guide booklet.

Wildcats@Work Resume, Cover Letter &  Interview Guide

Download a sample resume template:

Business Student

Education Student

Science Student

Psychology Student

Sample Resume for Federal Government

General Starter Resume Sample

Professional Resume Sample for a Graduate

At Least One Month Before the Career Fair

Get Your Resume Ready

• Visit Career Services to learn about resumes and have yours professionally reviewed.
• Obtain a list of the companies participating in the career fair so you will know how many resumes to bring.
• Buy a quality portfolio to keep your resume straight and easy to retrieve.

Plan & Prioritize

• Review the list of participating employers for the career fair.
• Make a list of employers you definitely want to meet, and create a list of maybes in case you have extra time at the fair.
• Don’t pass up an employer because you already think you know what they’re looking for – you may miss out on an opportunity.

Research Employees

• Surf the Internet or visit Career Services to learn basic information on each company that interests you—find out what each company specifically needs.
• This research will help you know how to best sell your skills to each specific company.

Prepare Your 30-Second Commercial

Employers are busy at career fairs and need to evaluate you in a short amount of time. During your commercial accomplish the following:

• Introduce yourself by providing your name, major, and university.
• Using the research you’ve done, explain your interest in the organization.
• Relate your history and skill set to the employer’s specific needs.
• Mention relevant experience you’ve had, such as internships, jobs, leadership experiences.
• Practice your commercial numerous times. Try it out on a Career Services staff member

Prepare to Answer & Ask Questions

Recruiters at the fair will ask questions like the following:

• What kind of work are you looking for?
• What strengths and skills can you offer our company?
• Why do you want to work for our company?
• Prepare professional responses to these questions.
• Ask questions of the recruiter as well to impress them with your serious interest.
• Ask about specific job responsibilities.
• Ask how the position fits into the overall organization.
• Ask how you can learn about company openings and opportunities in the future

During the Fair

Dress the Part

• You will be judged by the first impression you make—appearance counts!
• Dress professionally.
• Suits are suggested for both men and women.
• Be classic rather than trendy.
• Skirt suits are fine but watch hemlines.
• Be conservative—go light on makeup, jewelry, funky hair, and especially cologne or perfume.
• Wear professional, but comfortable shoes – you’ll be on your feet all day.

Arrive Early

• Check in at the registration table and get a name tag.
• Obtain a list of participating employers and a map of the booths if possible.
• Take care of last-minute appearance touch-ups.

Take Advantage of All Employers

• Most students don’t make the most of career fairs because they visit too few employer tables.
• If an employer is not advertising an opening in your area, ask them for the name of someone in their company who works in the department or area in which you’re interested.
• Call or send a resume to this new contact.
• Long lines will abound, so make the most of your time and visit other employers while you wait for some lines to shorten.
• Keep in mind you will only be speaking with each employer for three to five minutes

Approach Each Employer With Confidence

• Listen while you’re standing in lines—you can learn a lot about the company and available positions by listening to what is being said to people in front of you.
• As you approach the recruiter, make good eye contact, smile, and give them a firm handshake.
• Introduce yourself with your 30-second commercial.
• Be professional at ALL times.
• Explain why you are interested in the company.
• Sell your skills and interests.
• Be enthusiastic about the company—SMILE.
• Focus on what you have to offer the company, not what they can do for you.

Take the Initiative

• Always ask for a business card so you can follow up.
• If the recruiter doesn’t have a card, write down the correct spelling of his or her name, title, address, phone number, and email address.
• Ask the recruiter the best way to follow up to learn about current opportunities.
• Take any available company literature and immediately make notes about the conversation you had with the recruiter.

After the Career Fair

Write a Follow-up Letter or Email

• Within three days, write a separate letter or email to each employer you visited, thanking them for their time—you’ll be sure to stand out because many students don’t take the time to do this.
• Written letters should be printed on quality stationary.
• Thank the recruiter for the information he or she provided (BONUS POINTS: Use the notes you took to mention specific things you enjoyed speaking with them about).
• Restate your skills and qualifications and request an interview.

Be Persistent in Following Up With Employers

• Your resume will serve as a reminder of your qualifications, but don’t rely on the recruiter to contact you after the fair.
• Identify specific positions you would like to learn more about, and contact the employer by phone within two weeks of the fair.
• Initiative is impressive—it’s key to obtaining an offer from a career fair employer.

Career Fair Dos & Don’ts

Do

• Be professional, enthusiastic, and confident at ALL times. The person you meet in the bathroom may be a recruiter you see later in the day!
• Explore every company that catches your interest.
• Take breaks—you’ll need them!
• Make notes about each visit immediately after speaking with a recruiter.
• Focus on what you can bring to the company.
• Spend as much time as you need at the career fair—don’t rush.

Don’t

• Immediately give your resume to an employer in lieu of introducing yourself.
• Chew gum.
• Expect the recruiter to control the conversation.
• Hang out with friends where employers can watch you.
• Ask about salary – let the recruiter bring it up.
• Bring friends or family to the fair with you.
• Hesitate to strike up conversations—recruiters are eager to meet you!

Let us conduct a workshop for your class when you are out of town. This class time can be extremely valuable for your students and provide an important venue for sharing Career Services.

Possible workshop topics include the following:

• Overview of Career Services
• Resume workshop
• Jobs in your discipline: What can I do with a major in __________?
• Job and internship search and LinkedIn workshops

We can assist students with general preparation for graduate school applications, such as identifying and articulating their academic and experiential strengths. Along with faculty and advisors, we provide direction and feedback on personal statements and can conduct mock interviews for students preparing for graduate and med school interviews. Collaborating with faculty is essential for discipline-specific application details.

Thank you for helping us complete our Graduate Survey information. If you keep in contact with Baker alumni, please share that information with us. Any alumni contact information is greatly appreciated.

Career Services Quick Reference Guide | Professionals

Baker University makes considerable effort to provide students with the information, services, and experiences that will enable them to have a competitive edge when they seek permanent employment. This is accomplished through Career Services and the Career Involvement Program.

The Career Involvement Program enables Baker students to integrate on-campus academic study with off-campus work experiences that are related to educational plans and needs. The experience should be related to the student’s academic area and cannot be a work position that they previously held. Students are not allowed to participate in internships with relatives acting as supervisors. To be eligible to participate in the Career Involvement Program, a student must be at least a sophomore (30 or more credit hours earned). All internships are taken on a Pass/No Credit basis, not for a letter grade.

An internship may be taken during the summer sessions, fall or spring semesters, or Interterm. Variable credit is given during the summer or a semester, with the standard being 1 credit for 40 working contact hours. Students may earn up to 12 hours of internship credit during their undergraduate years at Baker. Faculty sponsors work with interns to determine the number of credits for which the student should register, the level of internship (e.g., lower college or upper college), learning objectives, and evaluation criteria. The faculty occasionally visits employers and interns on-site during the internship. Employer feedback is encouraged and appreciated.

To complete enrollment for internships, students must type and complete the Internship Agreement form, confirming their enrollment through the Office of the Registrar. The student must meet with the Career Services director for verification and approval before the internship. Students must document hours worked plus complete all evaluation criteria required by the faculty sponsor. Credit must be earned during the actual work experience. Past employment cannot be presented for credit.

We’ll post your job openings and advertise internship opportunities in our monthly student email blast as well as on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. Please email akretzschmer@bakerU.edu.

Principles for Ethical Professional Practice (2017) from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).

Professional Standards for University Relations and Recruiting  from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) (pdf will open in new window)

Help Baker Students
Come speak to current Baker students about life in the “real world.” We have many opportunities for employers to share their wisdom and experiences. You are a valuable source of knowledge to our students – talk about the company you work for, your specific job, your job search experience or how your specific major has helped you in the workplace. Conduct informational interviews for students looking to enter your specific career area. Conduct mock interviews to help students prepare for the real thing. Contact Career Services with presentation ideas – we would love to speak with you.

On-Campus Interviews
Interested in interviewing Baker University students for current openings at your company? Schedule a tabling session.

Keep Us Informed
Know of anyone who would like to speak with Baker students or who could be a valuable career mentor? Let us know.

Some of the most valuable things parents can do to help a student with career planning are to be open to ideas, try to help your student find information and reserve judgement. Here are some ways you can help:

• Encourage your child to visit Career Services. Reassure your student that Career Services is not just for seniors, and meeting with a career counselor can take place at any point (and should take place frequently) in his or her college career.
• Advise your student to write a resume. Suggest your student get sample resumes from Career Services. You can review resume drafts, but recommend that the final product be critiqued by Career Services.
• Challenge your student to become occupationally literate. Encourage him or her to research a variety of interesting career fields and employers.
• Allow your student to make the decision. It’s okay to make suggestions about majors and career fields, but let your student be the ultimate judge of what’s best.
• Emphasize the importance of internships. Having relevant experience in the job market is critical. A strong recommendation from an internship supervisor can often tip the scale of an important interview in that applicant’s favor.
• Encourage extracurricular involvement. Part of experiencing college life is to be involved and active outside the classroom. Interpersonal and leadership skills—qualities valued by employers—are often developed in extracurricular activities.
• Teach the value of networking. Introduce your student to people who have careers or jobs that are of interest. Encourage your student to shadow someone in the workplace to increase awareness of interesting career fields.

Your student will be involved in assessing his interests and abilities. They will do this through finding success (or failure) in courses they take, involvement in campus activities, and being exposed to new ideas and experiences. Here’s what you can do to help:

• Support your student’s interest in exploring new areas of study.
• Remind your student of the areas of ability that he or she has demonstrated consistently.
• Talk with your student about the courses and activities he or she is enjoying.
• Support your student’s involvement in campus activities but urge them to balance them with his or her coursework.

Your student will be involved in assessing his interests and abilities. They will do this through finding success (or failure) in courses they take, involvement in campus activities, and being exposed to new ideas and experiences. Here’s what you can do to help:

• Support your student’s interest in exploring new areas of study.
• Remind your student of the areas of ability that he or she has demonstrated consistently.
• Talk with your student about the courses and activities he or she is enjoying.
• Support your student’s involvement in campus activities but urge them to balance them with his or her coursework.

During the sophomore year, students begin to explore majors and career options more seriously. What’s your role in your student’s sophomore year?

• Don’t insist upon a decision about a major or possible career choice immediately. Urge your student to seek assistance from the Career Services.
• Suggest that your student talk with faculty and career advisers about potential choices.
• Don’t worry if your student chooses to major in something you consider “impractical.” Liberal arts studies sharpen skills which are critical to the “package” employers are seeking: strong written and oral communication skills, problem-solving skills, and excellent research skills.
• Suggest your student learn a foreign language and develop computer skills. Both of these skills will be helpful in today’s market, no matter what career field your student chooses.
• Direct your student to family friends, or colleagues who are in fields your student is interested in. Informational interviewing is extremely helpful at this stage. Career Services offers events throughout the year where current Baker students can learn more about career fields from recent Baker alumni and employers.

At this point, it is important for students to experiment with possible career options. This is a critical time for your support. Here’s what you can do:

• Encourage your student to use the resources available at Career Services. We can assist your student in preparing a good resume and assist them in finding opportunities to test their career choice.
• Emphasize to your student the importance of gaining exposure and experience in their field of interest.
• Internships in some very competitive fields may be nonpaying. Discuss your financial expectations with your student before an internship commitment is made.
• Don’t conduct the internship or summer job search for your student. It’s great to provide names of people who may be helpful, but making contact for your student deprives them of an important learning experience and makes a poor impression on the future employer.

The senior year is a time when your student will be heavily involved in more advanced courses and have more responsible roles in campus activities. This is also the time your student will begin his or her job search. Here are some ways you can lend support:

• Suggest that your student visit Career Services. We will offer mock interviews, on-campus interviews, workshops, and information on local job fairs.
• Don’t call potential employers to intervene for your student. This is your student’s responsibility.
• Be prepared for the ups and downs of the job and graduate school search. Not every desired job or acceptance will come through.