ALYSSA BUMP
Editor in Chief
Despite being tucked away on the second floor of Gregory Hall, the Career Development Office manages to serve hundreds of students every semester — even during the pandemic.
The office offers a plethora of useful services for students that everyone should be aware of.
Christopher LaGrow, the Associate Director of the CDO, has worked for the office for about 17 years.
“I provide career counseling to students, career presentations to classes and groups and serve as the primary contact for our recruiting team,” said LaGrow.
The CDO provides individual career counseling, which can be extremely useful for students that are feeling lost or confused when it comes to their career path.
LaGrow encourages students to check in if they feel uncertain about their major or career.
For a situation like this, the CDO would use the MyPlan online career assessment tool to give some insight on what interests, values and skills a student possesses that would be useful for their career.
And for those that feel comfortable in their major, the CDO can be a great resource to start planning out a potential internship or other career goals.
LaGrow said, “We critique resumes and cover letters, conduct practice interviews and review personal statements for graduate school applications. We have several career and recruiting events each school year that directly connect students to employers.”
Other areas the CDO provides services for are job searches, interview preparation and graduate school preparation.
It is also important to note that the CDO’s services are available to all alumni too. This means that even if your time at Fredonia is done, you will still be able to set up an appointment to plan for the steps after graduation.
During COVID-19, the office has mainly relied on Zoom to set up appointments.
Regarding next semester, LaGrow said the CDO is “hopeful but not 100% sure if we’ll be able to go back to in-person appointments, but rest assured that we can provide our full array of services by Zoom again if needed!”
Students are allowed to meet with the CDO as often or as little as they feel necessary, but it would be wise for all students to visit at least once before they graduate.
“They should also visit with us early in their senior year to get their resume into shape and make plans for their job or graduate school search,” said LaGrow.
LaGrow advises new students to get involved on campus right away. “Employers love to see students who were active in student organizations … That aside, it’s a great way to make new friends and pursue areas of interest with people that share those interests,” LaGrow said.
If you would like to make an appointment with the CDO, check out the office’s webpage, fredonia.edu/student-life/career-development-office, and click the blue “schedule an appointment” button at the top of the page.