Many of you may have heard myths about the Career Center or you have preconceived thoughts on the purpose of the Career Center, the services we provide, and the students we serve. Now, it is time to see if what you know about the Career Center is myth or fact! Please take a look at some of the most common myths of the Career Center as they are debunked with facts and as always, please feel free to schedule an appointment with an adviser to learn more and also so we can assist you as you are designing your Duke!
Myth: The Career Center only helps business students.
Fact: “On the contrary, the Career Center helps students with a wide variety of interests. Our career advisors are all generalists but also represent those who are exploring and discovering their interests, STEM, Energy, Environment, Arts, Media, Entertainment, Non-Profit, Government, Law, Pre-Health as well as all areas of Business. We strive to bring in speakers from different industries, highlight jobs and industries you might not have heard about and seek out diverse employers to recruit on campus and post jobs. We work with you to explore the wide range of industries and roles that exist now and prepare you for what might exist in the future.” -Career Center
Myth: The Career Center only helps with resumes.
Fact: “We work with students to explore career options, understand their skills, strengths, personality, values, and interests, reflect on past experiences, research opportunities and resources related to their needs, navigate the search and application process, and build relationships.
-Career Center
Myth: The Career Center is only for pre-professional juniors and seniors.
Fact: “The Career Center is for all students especially first years! We aim to help you go from curiosity to clarity and assist with managing and navigating your Duke experience. Whether you are unsure what career you want or have an idea, we can help you explore your values, goals, skills, and interests in order to identify and realize your aspirations. The way you approach Duke instills the habits and methods you will use to manage your career. We want you to use Duke as a laboratory to practice and learn how to design your career and ultimately your life.” -Career Center
Myth: People with humanities or liberal arts majors have trouble finding jobs because they don’t have any marketable skills.
Fact: “People with humanities or liberal arts majors have a wide variety of skills such as writing, communication, problem-solving, critical thinking, analytical reasoning, and cultural awareness. They also possess interdisciplinary skills outside of the humanities. Liberal arts majors have the flexibility to use the Duke curriculum to design and configure the type of academic experience they want and select co-curricular experiences that broaden their interests. The versatile skills you will gain are highly marketable and make you qualified for a variety of jobs, industries, and fields. Our advisers can help you identity and communicate these skills to different audiences.” -Career Center
Myth: Career Fairs are the only way to engage with the Career Center— and the only employers present are business and tech.
Fact: “Other ways to engage with the Career Center are one-on-one appointments, weekly Drop-In Advising, skills workshops (resumes, cover letters, job search, interviewing, networking, and career fair preparation), Tell Me More and Exploring Careers Across Industries programs, internship events, practice interview days, diversity dinners, employer information sessions, Nonprofit & Government Career Fair and more! Through these various activities, you’ll have the opportunity to learn about many industries and employers.” -Career Center
WRAP UP
The Career Center is a great place to gain assistance in identifying your skills, exploring your options, understanding your vales, setting professional goals, engaging in job and internship search strategies and much more! If you would like to connect with a career advisor, you can schedule an appointment via Handshake!
