By: Sophia Pascuzzo ’22

Just like many of you, when I was in high school, I took the day off to tour LVC to learn more about my future “home away from home.” It was a brisk fall day; brightly colored leaves scattered the grass and walkways as students buzzed by on their way to class or practice. I took in the atmosphere and started to feel excited. I could picture myself learning and growing at LVC. 

We walked through campus as my tour guide talked about the many offices and services on campus you could go to for different resources. I remember my tour guide talking about the Breen Center for Career and Professional Development and how the team reviews resumes and helps with finding jobs. I hardly paid attention, as I thought, “I don’t need to worry about this stuff right now; I have a long way to go before I need that.” Now, as a senior, I realize just how wrong I was that day.

The Breen Center is so much more than resumes, cover letters, and “job stuff”.

Yes, the Breen Team can help to provide you with the tools and resources to write your resume, offer insight on the current trends, connect you with employers through Handshake and campus events, but most do not realize just how much the Breen Center has to offer.

Deciding a major

The Breen Center has several resources to help students explore majors if they are still undecided.

Whether the resources be one of the many informational packets available at the center or major exploration websites, the experts at the Breen Center take the time to understand you and what might fit you best. Say you want to know more about a specific major’s employment opportunities after college, a career peer can help you navigate websites that compare job outlook, average salaries, and related positions.

In addition to the Breen Center, the Center for Academic Success and Exploratory Majors supports students in researching their strengths and interests before deciding on a major. To increase efforts, The Breen Center and the Center for Academic Success and Exploratory Majors are co-sponsoring a Major/Minor Fair on Thursday, October 26th, from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Check out this awesome opportunity and more by visiting both the Breen Center and the Center for Academic Success and Exploratory Majors!

Internships

Many programs at LVC require you to complete an internship before graduation. Finding one is half of the battle. 

The Breen Center can guide you through the search process, differentiating between academic, paid, and unpaid internships. And ultimately, what might be the best for you. They also provide several ways to find internships, like on Handshake. This free website lists hundreds of internships every day, most of which you can apply to instantly. If your major doesn’t require an internship, still consider applying for one. Internships provide many benefits. For example accountability, professional development and opens doors to certain companies and graduate schools.

Interview Preparation

If there is one service I regret not using, it’s mock interviews. 

The reality is that many internships and jobs on campus require an interview. At the end of my freshman year alone, I sat in over three interviews after applying for on-campus jobs. 

Also, most scholarships require an interview after the initial application. The point that I want to make is that interviews are part of your college career and beyond. Being prepared can make a difference during the interview process. The Breen Team can help you understand the different types of interviews and how to prepare. Whether it’s a Breen Team member, or one of their dedicated employer partners, or an LVC alum, they are all happy to assist you with a mock interview and give you real-time feedback.

Professional Photos

New to the Breen Center this academic year, are drop-in hours for professional headshots. While you may think that headshots might not be so important right now, they can be helpful for portfolios, LinkedIn profile photos, and even your Facebook page. 

The best thing about the photo studio is that it’s completely free to LVC students and faculty, so dress in your best and stop by on Tuesdays from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.!

If I could go back in time, I would tell myself to take the Breen Center more seriously as a freshman. If I knew just how hard it would be to build a resume or find an internship, I know I would have been there more often than not. It’s never too early to start thinking about your career readiness. The Breen Center is always here for any bumps along the way.

Like everyone else here at LVC, the Breen Center cares about your success, but the question is, do you?