Center for Career Readiness and Life Skills

Along our undergraduate and professional journey, we may start to develop fears about facing our futures, especially as undocumented and DACAmented students. It is common (and completely normal!) to experience heightened anxiety, as your future may sometimes seem uncertain. In this …

When I first came to university as a first-generation student, I was both excited and thoroughly overwhelmed. Without family members who had gone through the process before me, I had to figure out a lot on my own – sometimes …

In recent years, the popularity of podcasts has grown exponentially. The accessibility of opening your device, clicking on a podcast, and listening from anywhere has been the biggest attraction. Within the wide range of podcast topics, one that specifically benefits college students are podcasts on career readiness conversations and advice. Career readiness podcasts discuss topics about navigating post-grad, corporate workplace culture, professionalism, networking, and are even centered around specific career paths. Read along for tips and recommendations on how to make the most of these types of podcasts.

A résumé is a personal marketing tool designed to showcase your relevant skills and experiences garnered through your life experiences. Throughout your college journey and beyond, you’ll use it in a variety of situations—applying for part-time jobs, campus leadership roles, internships, graduate programs, full-time positions, and more. It can serve as a roadmap, helping you recognize the strengths you already have and guiding you toward the professional skills you want to build. But how can you be sure your résumé is effective? Will it even make it past the initial screening? And if it does reach a real person, how can you stand out in the mere 30 seconds they’ll likely spend reviewing it? Don’t worry – this guide will walk you through a variety of strategies and resources to help you perfect your résumé, giving you the confidence to apply for any position. 

Forage is a free online platform designed to help students explore career paths, participate in realistic job simulations, and gain firsthand experience with leading employers. For students coming from different educational or cultural backgrounds, it can be difficult to know what to expect from the U.S. job market. That’s where Forage shines, providing insight into U.S. workplace culture, day-to-day responsibilities, and industry expectations—all without needing a visa or work authorization. By simulating real-world tasks from top companies, Forage empowers students to build practical skills and make informed career choices, no matter where they’re starting from. 

Between final projects, classes, and trying not to spiral into a quarter-life crisis over my LinkedIn profile, finding time to prepare for interviews can sometimes feel borderline impossible. I met with Career Coach Mary Catherine and asked her for a 10-question speed coaching appointment to cover the basics of getting ready for the interview process – read along to see what I’ve learned from her insight!