Students

Career Advising

The Career Development Office works with students from their first-year on campus until they are ready to graduate. Students are most successful when they meet with us early and often. Schedule an appointment with a Career Consultant or Career Peer to develop a plan for career success.

The Career Development team will be offering appointments both in-person and virtually. Schedule your appointment through Handshake. We will also continue to offer Electronic Resume Reviews. Drop-in hours are offered at the Student Services Building, Room 113, Monday-Friday from 10am-2pm.  

  • Advising Topics

    The Career Development Office staff can help you with a variety of career-related topics including:

    • Resume and Cover Letter Development

    • Major and Career Exploration

    • Interview Strategies

    • Part-time Job Search

    • Internship Search

    • Full-Time Job Search

    • Graduate and Professional School Applications

    • Personal Statements

    • Networking Tips

    • And more!

  • Drop-In Advising Hours

    Drop-in hours for all majors are offered Monday-Friday from 10am-2pm in the Student Services Building, Room 113. Stop by anytime for help with resumes, cover letters, part-time job search, internship search, career fair prep, and more - no appointment necessary!

  • How to Make an Appointment

    To schedule an appointment, login to your Handshake account and click "Career Center" in the upper right hand corner.

    • Select Appointments and then Schedule a New Appointment. 

    • Select "College of Social Science" to schedule an appointment with a member of our Social Science Team. Then select a topic you'd like to talk about.

    • Select a day and time that works well for your schedule, then add a note to let us know how we can help. You will be sent an email confirmation with a reminder of the day/time and the location or Zoom link and password for your appointment.

  • Electronic Resume Reviews

    Current College of Social Science students have the option of having their resume reviewed electronically by a trained Career Consultant or Career Peer Intern. Receive a response with feedback on your document within one week. Resume reviews are also available in person by scheduling an appointment through Handshake at msu.joinhandshake.com. Before submitting, make sure you review the resume pages in the Career Handbook below.

    CAREER HANDBOOK

    SUBMIT RESUME

Career Opportunities

Are you trying to decide on a major? Do you have a major but are wondering what career opportunities it presents? The following resources will give you an idea of the types of typical careers for our social science majors. It’s important to remember that major doesn’t equal career. While these are some of the paths social science majors take, it is important to develop skills that will help you be successful in any field. For more information on the 8 career competencies, visit the Get Experience section.

Get Experience - Job and Internship Search

Getting a degree and earning a good GPA does not guarantee getting a job. While your major plays an important role in providing you with discipline-specific knowledge, many employers will hire students from any major. So what gets you hired? Employers have identified 8 career competencies they are looking for in a new hire. Possessing these skills, and the ability to articulate your experiences and what you have learned, are essential to getting hired.

How do you gain these skills? While some can be gained in the classroom, it is important to get experience outside of the classroom as well. Experiences such as working part-time, doing an internship, participating in a student organization, getting involved in the community, or holding a leadership position can help you develop these skills.

  • Handshake

    Handshake is our online career management platform with thousands of job and internship postings. Using Handshake, you can search job (both part-time and full-time, on and off campus) and internship postings, find employer information, and find out about upcoming on-campus recruiting events, information sessions, and career fairs. Handshake is also where you will go to schedule a career advising appointment with a Career Consultant.

    HANDSHAKE

  • LinkedIn

    • LinkedIn is a professional social media platform. Similar to other platforms like Facebook, you add others as “connections” to help build your network. Your LinkedIn profile is built with all of your professional experiences and achievements and can be seen as an extended version of your resume.

    • LinkedIn is a great place to stay updated on your connections careers, but it is also a great way to make new LinkedIn provides job and internship postings and employer pages to gain more insight on an organization. Similarly to Facebook, you can join groups to connect with others in related fields or who have similar interests. Get started in a group by joining Spartan Links which helps to connect students and alumni.

    • LinkedIn also offers information on Michigan State alumni. By searching for “Michigan State,” you can see “Alumni”. You can search the alumni database by location, employer name, type of work, or what they studied. Using the alumni database is a great way to make new connections and to reach out to fellow Spartans that are working for a company you’re interested in or doing the type of work you would like to learn more about. Click on an alumni’s profile and select “connect” and “add a note” to send them a quick message about what you would like to talk to them about. Spartans love helping fellow Spartans!

    LINKEDIN

  • Americorps Programs

    • Americorps is a civil service program designed to help make an impact in our communities. There are a variety of Americorps programs throughout the country working in areas like disaster response, education, environmental stewardship, grant writing, and community engagement.

    • Americorps positions are paid and provide a small living stipend. After completion of service, members are also eligible for an education award that can be used towards future education or repayment of qualified student loans.

    • Michigan State runs an Americorps program, MSU College Advising Corps, which places MSU graduates in high schools across the state to empower students to achieve postsecondary education.

    AMERICORPS

  • Online Job Search Tools

    In addition to Handshake and LinkedIn, there are a number of helpful job search websites available. Some of the most popular include:

    You can also search for job search resources by interest area on the Career Services Network website. 

  • For-Credit Internships

    All College of Social Science students are required to complete an experiential learning experience before graduation. One option for this experience is a for-credit internship. The Experiential Learning office offers credit for qualifying internships in the fall, spring, and summer semesters. For more information, visit the Experiential Learning page. 

    EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

Resources and Events

The Career Services Network provides a number of online resources and events every semester to assist you in your career development.

  • Handshake

    Handshake is our online career management platform with thousands of job and internship postings. Using Handshake, you can search job (both part-time and full-time, on and off campus) and internship postings, find employer information, and find out about upcoming on-campus recruiting events, information sessions, and career fairs. Handshake is also where you will go to schedule a career advising appointment with a Career Consultant.

    HANDSHAKE

  • MSU Connect

    MSU Connect is a career networking and mentoring community for current MSU students and MSU alumni. Connect with alumni to explore your career interests and discover new possibilities.

    MSU Connect

  • Career Handbook

    Every year, the Career Services Network produces a Career Handbook with valuable information on a number of career development related topics including career and major exploration, resume and cover letter writing, interviewing tips, and professional attire. You can find a PDF version online on the Career Services Network website or pick up a hard copy in the Career Services office in the Student Services Building Room 113.

    CAREER HANDBOOK

  • Career Fairs

    The Career Services Network and various departments around campus host over 20 career fairs on campus every year. Career fairs are a great opportunity for students to meet with many employers all in one place. We host career fairs with opportunities for part-time jobs, internships, full-time jobs, and graduate/professional school. Attend a career fair to learn more about what’s available to you! Some of the most common career fairs Social Science students attend include:

    • Business - fall semester
    • Criminal Justice - spring semester
    • Psychology - spring semester
    • Geography - spring semester
    • Diversity - spring semester

    For a full list of career fairs, visit the CSN calendar below.

    CSN CALENDAR

  • Career Workshops

    The Career Services Network offers many workshops each semester on topics ranging from resumes/cover letters, to finding part-time jobs and internships, to navigating career fairs, and so much more!

    • A full list of Career Workshops can be found on the CSN website and Handshake labeled "CSN Fall Series".

  • Career Exposure Events

    Have you ever wondered how you’re supposed to make a decision about what sort of career you want to pursue when you don’t know what’s out there? Career Exposure events will help you learn about various career fields by connecting you with alumni who are working in your areas of interest!

    A full list of Career Exposure events can be found on the CSN website and Handshake labeled "Career Exposure Series".

For more information, contact:

Maya Craft
Career Consultant
mayac@msu.edu
517.432.5454

Thuy-Tram Nguyen Butler
Career Consultant
ttbutler@msu.edu
517.432.0746

Angela Magbag (she/her)
Career Advisor
302 Berkey Hall
magbagan@msu.edu
517.353.0871

 

Log in to Handshake and learn about the many resources available today.

HANDSHAKE

Career Development