Career Development Center Offers Virtual Services to Saint Joseph's Community

As COVID-19 continues to present challenges across the economy, Saint Joseph’s Career Development Center, remains accessible via Zoom to provide career guidance and counseling to both students and alumni.

While in-person, on campus interaction has been temporarily suspended, the Center continues to offer all of the same services it did prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, says Trish Shafer, the Center’s executive director.

“We’re here,” said Shafer. “We’re not just ready to help; we want to help.”

To access the services and expertise offered by the Center, interested students and alumni need to first set up an account on Handshake, a career services portal used by universities across the country. Current students and recent graduates should use their Saint Joseph’s email address to log in. Alumni who no longer have Saint Joseph’s email accounts may access the platform with their personal email address.

For members of the Saint Joseph’s community feeling anxious about the economic uncertainty ahead, Shafer says reaching out to the Center is one of the best actions they can take.

“Start the relationship with us,” she says. “We’ve got an entire staff of compassionate counselors who are trained to help navigate the ups and downs of the job market. If you’re an alum who suddenly lost your job or a current student without a plan in place, we want to hear from you.”

Members of the Saint Joseph’s community can also offer their career mentoring help to others during these uncertain times through the Center’s SJU Connects platform. By signing up, alumni and current students can connect for informational interviews, career guidance, and other networking purposes. The platform can also be used for alumni to connect with each other (more information can be found here).

Shafer notes that networking will take on a heightened importance if the job market continues to be tight even after the threat of coronavirus has subsided. She says students and alumni can start making connections by accessing the University’s private LinkedIn group.

“Networking has always been an important part of the job search process, but it’s significantly more important in the current climate,” said Shafer. “If the economic fallout continues, you want to be able to access the ‘hidden’ job market. If opportunities open at companies you’re interested in, it’s an advantage to know someone at the company who can give you a heads up.”

In addition, for alumni looking to expand their skills or pursue an advanced degree, the University offers a 10% discount on tuition to all alumni returning for undergraduate, graduate, or credit-bearing certificate programs beginning in Summer 2020. More details on this new initiative are available at Graduate Admissions (graduate@sju.edu or 610-660-1101).

For more information and career-related resources, visit the Center's virtual services page and/or the Alumni Association's website.