Career Mentor Program

Career Mentor Alumni Plus Program (Career MAP Plus)

Making informed decisions about career choices is difficult. Studies show the more you learn about a company, particularly its working environment, the greater the likelihood of being hired.

Career MAP Plus enlists the help of alumni volunteers and professionals currently working in the area who have agreed to share their knowledge, experience and skills with SWIC students interested in a particular career field or job. Career MAP plus volunteers can:

• Show you the career path they took to become successfully employed
• Give you insight into your chosen career field
• Arrange for you to visit a professional work site
• Provide a potential networking source for future employment

These services are designed to meet your immediate needs. The level of interaction and career mentor/student involvement is as little or much as you and your career mentor feel comfortable providing.

Career Mentor Services

Informational Interviews

Informational interviews occur via telephone or email, where the mentor answers your career questions. Common questions deal with career choice, career path potential, the current workplace environment, networking sources and future employment prospects.

On-site Informational Interviews

Career mentors also provide one-on-one informational interviews in their workplace. These interviews are more in-depth than phone calls. You can ask the career mentor questions face-to-face regarding their career experience.

Job Shadowing

Many career mentors are available for site visits and job shadowing sessions where you can visit the mentor's worksite and observe.

Contact

We believe every student benefits from Career MAP. To take advantage of this service:

• Come to the Career Activities and Employment Center to fill out a Career Mentor Assistance Form
• Call 618-235-2700, ext. 5562, to have a form mailed to you.