Career Services

Dear Cal Poly Senior and Graduate Student:

Congratulations on the progress you have made toward achieving your educational goals. Soon you will begin a new phase in your life by either embarking on your chosen career or continuing on for a graduate or professional degree. As you look back, I hope you will recall your time at Cal Poly with pride and satisfaction.

This handbook and reference to services is provided to help you plan and follow through with your next steps. In particular, I encourage you to take advantage of the resources and services available through our department, Career Services. They are outlined here. To get started, simply drop in or visit our Web site. It’s as easy as that.

Best wishes and congratulations. We hope to see you soon.

Martin Shibata, Director
Career Services and Testing Services

Career Services

Career Services provides programs and services to current students, graduates of Cal Poly, and individuals who have completed coursework at the University. Please refer to the Career Services Web page for detailed information about the services.

Student Services

Mustang Jobs

Mustang Jobs, accessed through my.calpoly.edu, is your one-stop shop
for all your interviewing needs! Mustang Jobs allows you to view and sign
up for on-campus interviews; company information sessions; internships,
career and summer-job listings; and job fairs and events.

Job Listings & Interviews

Career Services has also put together a wealth of job-search links (if Mustang Jobs was not enough!). They have links for relocation and salary questions and national and international job searches, just to name a few.

Job Search

This section will help guide you through the job-search jungle. Get information on résumé writing, interviewing guidelines, thank you letters, and more. This is also a great time to meet with your college career counselor for guidance:

  • College of Agriculture - Amie Hammond
  • College of Architecture and Environmental Design - Carole Moore
  • Orfalea College of Business - Jane Johnson
  • College of Education - Charlotte Rinaldi
  • College of Engineering - Tammy Martin
  • College of Liberal Arts - Charlotte Rinaldi
  • College of Science and Mathematics - Markel Quarles
  • Career Resource Center - Karen Severn

Career Planning

Your career counselor can answer questions ranging from developing
education and career goals to fi nding employment. They also have great online links to help answer career questions.

Graduate Schools

If you’re thinking about graduate school after Cal Poly, then this is the section for you. Career counselors can help you with researching graduate programs, creating a timetable for applying, guiding you through the application process and financial aid processes. They also offer quarterly workshops on the application process, personal statements and interviews.

Workshop Schedule

Are you getting anxious about your first interview? Or are you not really sure how your résumé should be organized? Well, why not take a test run before the big day? Career Services has set up various workshops to help with interviewing skills, résumé writing, and negotiating job offers, to name a few. Workshops are typically one hour and are offered at a variety of times. Check our Web page to get an updated list every month. Sign-up folders are in the Career Services front lobby. Career counselors are also available to make presentations to student clubs and organizations.

Job Fairs/Events

What better way to research and network with companies than to have them all come to you? Career Services has planned numerous Job Fairs for Cal Poly students and alumni every year. Each event brings 80 to 150 companies and organizations/graduate programs to the campus. Make sure to check out our Web page for an up-to-date list of participants and job descriptions.

Cooperative Education

Interested in getting paid for going to school? Cooperative Education provides opportunities for professional development that integrate classroom learning with practical work experience. Students usually work for a period of six-months (two quarters) in a paid position directly related to their course of study and/or career goals. Co-op is an academic program; students hired for these positions pay fees and register for each quarter of the Co-op assignment.

Part-Time Jobs/Summer Internships

At the Student Services Building, you will find part-time and temporary job listings for the San Luis Obispo area, including on-campus opportunities. Information on how to get started and how to apply is also included. We have ideas to help you find a summer job. A summer or seasonal job is an opportunity to gain valuable work experience that may or may not relate to your major or career goals. Volunteer work with government and other public agencies and year-round internship opportunities are also publicized through this program. Mustang Jobs is Career Services' online access to Co-op, summer and career opportunities.

Alumni Services

The following services are provided free to alumni. Please refer to the
web site for specific descriptions.

Mustang Jobs Online Jobs Announcements/On-Campus Interviews
(Cal Poly Alumni Only)

Mustang Jobs provides access to current career and summer position announcements. Although this program is primarily for graduating students, employers will indicate if they are also interested in interviewing Cal Poly. For more information, see the Mustang Jobs Tip Sheet for alumni.

Other Online Jobs Listings

Passwords are not required for the job search resources except for “MonsterTRAK.” Call the Career Services office for the MonsterTRAK password.

Job Fairs/Events

These include the Technology Job Fair, Fall Job Fair, Career Symposium, Graduate & Professional School Day, Summer Camps/Resort Job Fair, Teacher Job Fair, and the Springboard Job Fair. Information and participant lists can be found through Mustang Jobs.

Part-Time Job Listings

Part-time job listings are posted in the Student Employment office (Student Services Building, Room 113). Fill out a registration card at Career Services to obtain access to the job listings. Alumni and reciprocal students are not eligible for Cooperative Education, federal work-study or on-campus student-assistant positions.

Use of the Career Resource Center (Room 117)

Use the Career Resource Center to research job listings; computer careers; employer publications, videos, and binders; graduate school information and financial aid sources; and career trend information.

Workshops

Brush up your skills with a Career Services workshop. Topics include résumé and cover letters, interview skills, job-search strategies, and graduate school applications.

Career Counselor Session

Your one-hour appointment may include career counseling, graduate school options, résumé and cover letter review, interview skills, and jobsearch strategy (limited to one appointment per year).

Employer Alumni Services

So now you’ve done it. You’ve graduated, landed a great job, and just found out your company wants to hire a new employee. Why not visit Mustang Jobs one more time — as a prospective employer! You can sign up for a variety of services intended to connect you with qualified students and alumni. Services include campus interviews, company information sessions, job fairs, internships, and a résumé request service, to highlight a few.

Mustang Jobs is also a great way to get your job opening out to students and alumni. By listing currently available positions on our free online job listing service, you can get your position out to thousands of potential candidates. You have the opportunity to describe your positions and requirements the way you want them publicized. Make sure to indicate your alumni status, major, and graduating year in the job description area. (This information helps in generating interest. We will also forward a special notice to your department to assist in your search.)