Career Planning Milestones

You have four different options for contacting us to make an appointment.  If you are making an appointment for a specific class assignment, please have your syllabus handy so that we can help you determine the right appointment for your particular needs.

• Schedule an appointment online through Handshake.
• Email us at career.center@gcsu.edu with your specific career need along with dates and times you are available.
• Stop by 110  Lanier Hall.
• Call us at 478-445-5384.

Students are first introduced to the Career Center through their First-Year Academic Seminar course where students complete the Focus 2 Career Assessment.  This collection of assessments helps students to identify majors and careers that may align with their work interests, personal interests, skills, and much more.  Click on the link above to create an account and use the access code "Thunder" to be connected to Georgia College's database.

The Career Center hosts several Mock Interview Days which are listed in our calendar each fall and spring semester.

Signing up for Mock Interviews with a Career Advisor.  We offer several specific Mock Interview Days listed on our calendar.  To participate, go to Handshake and schedule an appointment online  from one of the Mock Interview options.  For class assignments, you can select "Mock Interview - Class" to access our specific dates.  This specific option works well for those who need to complete a mock interview for class.  If one of those dates does not work for you, you can also choose "Mock Interview" for either job, internships, or graduate school.  These options work well for those who have a real interview to practice for and have a tight deadline.  If you are preparing for a specific opportunity, please make sure you include that information in the notes section of the appointment so that the advisor can prepare ahead of time.  If you have issues getting the date you want in Handshake, please contact us.

Signing up for a Mock Interview with an Employer or Alumni Volunteer.  The Career Center also schedules a few days each semester where employer or alumni volunteers take time away from their busy schedules to help students improve their interview skills.  These interviews are scheduled through the Campus Interview schedule in Handshake.  To get started, follow the instructions below:

• Make sure you have activated your Handshake account with your Unify credentials. 
• Once you have an account, you can access the Interview schedule on Handshake.  Click on the Mock Interview Date that corresponds with your needs.  When you choose "apply," it will ask you to upload a resume if you have not already uploaded one.
• The Career Center staff reviews student resumes as they are uploaded.  If you get an email from us with some feedback, make some changes and upload your new resume.
• We'll contact you a few days before the interview so you know which employer or alumni volunteers you are meeting with if it was not clear when you selected your time.
• Having issues?  We can also sign up for you on Handshake.  Just drop by, call, or send us an email so we can help you.

Use our new virtual Mock Interview Platform.  The Career Center is utilizing Big Interview as an online platform to complete mock interviews.  Don't have time with an appointment with an advisor?  Try out Big Interview to prepare on your own time!

Preparing for Your Mock Interview.  While we want you to take the experience seriously, we also want you to know that no one expects you to be perfect.  To get the most out of the experience and to ease your nerves, you may want to prepare in the following ways.  

• Iron your dress shirt or blouse and dig out your nice black, blue, gray, or other neutral-colored pants or skirt.  A blazer, tie, and nice dress shoes add that extra professionalism you'll need in the real thing.  If you don't have your entire professional wardrobe, that's okay.  During your mock interview, we are glad to answer any questions you have about professional attire and provide advice on the best places to shop on a budget. 
• Take some time to think about your most immediate career goal (internship, full-time job, graduate school, graduate assistantship, summer job, part-time job, scholarship, etc.).  In an interview, you want to be able to clearly articulate why you have chosen that particular goal and the strengths and experiences you have that will make you successful.  We recommend thinking about past successes and failures you can use for a variety of examples.  
• Practice your answer to the popular "Tell me about yourself" question.  What makes you interested in your particular goal?  What skills and experiences do you bring to the table?  What could you say that would set the tone of the interview in a positive way?
• Plan to arrive about 10 minutes early. 
• Take a deep breath and relax.  It's just practice, and there are no right or wrong answers.  We look forward to seeing you!

Imagine you just got a call for a job, internship, or graduate school interview.  You want to practice with a mock interview, and we have you covered.  

• To meet with a career advisor, go to Handshake and schedule an appointment online. 
• To participate in one of our Employer or Alumni Mock Interview Days, use Handshake.  We can also help you schedule a time over the phone, via email, or in person. 
• You can also call, visit, or email us to let us know what you are interviewing for along with your preferred dates and times.  We will do our best to accommodate you.
• If we're completely booked, you can still use Big Interview online to practice over 1,000 interview questions.

Many faculty members partner with the Career Center to ensure that students are integrating career planning with their academics.   Career Center staff are available to present to classes on specific career topics such as resume writing, LinkedIn, and career searches for internships, jobs, and graduate school.  Faculty can also make out-of-class career assignments such as resume reviews or mock interviews.  To set that activity up, please contact us as you are preparing your syllabi.