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Webster University's Career Planning and Development Center is here to help you explore your career options, build skills and experience, share your personal brand, and execute your career plan.
Get to know yourself by using the interest profiler to explore your own interests and how they relate to potential employment opportunities. Learn about soft skills valued by employers that you may already have or can work to improve. Use the life values inventory to provide you with strategies for professional and personal development.
Learn about Webster University majors and degree programs and what can I do with this major? Explore different career profiles with the Occupational Outlook Handbook and through O*Net, and view career videos at Career OneStop. Additional career next steps information is available through Become.
Is graduate or professional school in your future? Determine if your desired career requires graduate or professional school after receiving your bachelor's degree, and explore Webster University graduate programs.
Gather insight from professionals using informational interviewing or through professional associations. Explore career rating and reports and company reviews.
Learn how to grow your network through building your contacts. Participate in the Regional Business Council (RBC) Mentor Network — contact Kerry Lee for more information.
Get involved on campus and in the community. Consider joining student organizations or attending speaker engagements and events as well as conferences like the annual Diversity & Inclusion Conference typically held in February. Participate in student publications and media, including The Ampersand, The Green Fuse, Idea Tree Media and The Journal. Find volunteer postings in Handshake for community opportunities.
Participate in professional associations and use Webster's professional association membership program, if you are eligible.
Engage in internships when possible. Find internship postings in Handshake.
Gain work experience either on the Webster Groves campus (job postings in Handshake) or off campus. The CPDC provides listings for part-time, off-campus jobs in the St. Louis area, as well as part-time and full-time job postings in Handshake.
Your brand describes who you are, what you do, and how you can contribute to an organization. An effective personal brand exhibits a consistent message about your experience, knowledge, skills, and strengths as well as your interests, personality, and values across all forms of professional communication. The resources below guide you in creating compelling professional communication through which you can share your unified brand message.
Your Personal Brand
Resume/Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- Guidelines for Resume Writing
- Bullet Point Action Verbs
- Preparing a Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- Writing a U.S.-Style Resume — International Student Career Content
Cover Letter
LinkedIn Profile
References
Networking Pitch
Interviewing
Once you've decided on a path, put your career or continuing education plans into action. Use the resources below to develop a strategic and robust approach to achieving your goals.
Networking
- Building Your Contact Network
- Informational Interviewing
- Elevating Your Networking Pitch
- Elevating Your Networking Pitch Activity Sheet
- Making the Most of LinkedIn
- Professional Associations
- Professional Association Membership Program
Applying to Jobs and Internships
- Job and Internship Search Strategies
- Avoiding Fraudulent Job Postings
- Internship and Job Tracking Form
- Taking a Gap Year
- Teaching Abroad
Job and Internship Opportunities
- Accessing Your Handshake Account
- On-Campus Job Postings (Webster Groves Campus) in Handshake
- Part-Time, Off-Campus Employment Postings (St. Louis Area)
- Internship and Job Postings in Handshake
- Workforce Recruitment Program for Students with Disabilities
Applying to Graduate School
Interviewing
Finalizing an Offer
Career Planning for Constituent Groups
- Career Considerations for Individuals with Disabilities
- Career Considerations for International Students
- Career Considerations for LGBTQ+ Identifying Individuals
- Career Considerations for Military-Affiliated Students
- Career Considerations for Students of Color
- School of Education Career Information
- Exploring Alternative Careers for Educators
Major, Career, and Graduate School Decision Making
If you're considering changing your major or career plans or don't know whether you should pursue additional education, meet with your career advisor to discuss your options and receive resources for researching prospective majors and careers. You'll learn more about your interests, personality, skills, strengths, and values through discussion and, if relevant to your decision making process, may complete career assessments like CliftonStrengths for Students, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, or the Strong Interest Inventory.
Application Material Review
Your career advisor can provide feedback on existing resumes, cover letters, reference pages, LinkedIn profiles, or graduate school personal statements or tips to get started on writing application materials for the first time. They will provide recommendations to improve your document and training on principles for creating effective application materials in the future.
Interviewing Skills
In an interview overview appointment, learn about how to conduct yourself and respond to common questions in an interview. Or provide a job posting of interest to your career advisor so that they can create a customized practice interview and provide you with feedback and coaching to improve your interviewing performance.
Job and Internship Search Strategies
Your career advisor will assist you in defining your target jobs, companies, and industries and will give you recommendations on how to execute a variety of search strategies. You'll work together to create a personalized plan to activate your internship or job search. Your career advisor can also help you practice networking introductions or review follow-up communication as you engage with prospective employers in your search.
Currently Enrolled Students
If you're a currently enrolled student or recent graduate up to one year after graduation, the Career Planning and Development Center (CPDC) can assist you through individual career advising appointments, virtual and live events to develop career management skills and connect to employers, and a variety of resources on the CPDC's website, including Handshake, Webster's career management and job posting platform.
Alumni
As a Webster graduate, you have access to the Alumni Association network and Handshake, Webster University's online career management system. Handshake features a database of job opportunities, career development resources and events suitable for graduates. Create an account in Handshake using your personal email address. In addition, access career resources on the CPDC website and attend the center's virtual or live events and career fairs.
For Employers
Whether looking for information on how to post a job or how to recruit some of our on-campus talent, we have plenty of resources for you to get acquainted with the Webster CPDC.
Job Postings and More
Handshake, Webster's career management and job-posting platform, can help connect you with the right employer. If you are a Webster alum, be sure to utilize your access to our various resources at your disposal.
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News and Events
Highlights from the Career Center
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Four Alumnae to Be Recognized at the First Women of Webster Event Oct. 2 With a New Documentary
September 19, 2023
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In the News: Miller-Struttmann, Schuster, Buck, Hall, Fatton, Rothenbuhler, and Many More
August 22, 2023
This regular news feature offers links to news stories that quote students, faculty and staff or discuss University...
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What Should I Major In?
August 8, 2023