Career CenterCareer CenterDHSHSDHSHS

2010/2011

1. What is the Career Center at 1. What is the Career Center at DHSHS?DHSHS?

It is a place where you can find information about scholarships, career ideas, colleges, and other activities (such as guest speakers).

2. How can I research 2. How can I research careers?careers?

• Visit Career Cruising online at www.careercruising.com

• Explore your personal interests• Research statistics about job

availability, education required and college costs

• This website can be read in English or Spanish

• Stop by the Career Center to pick up our user name and password

3. When do I apply for 3. When do I apply for college?college?

• For a 4-year (CSU, UC) university, apply in the fall of your senior year

• For career and tech college, apply any time senior year

• For College of the Desert or other community college, apply in the spring

4. How can I find out if the 4. How can I find out if the college I want to attend has my college I want to attend has my

major?major?

• Use Career Cruising• From the main page, select the

Schools tab• Search for Schools or Search for

Programs

5. How much does it cost to go 5. How much does it cost to go to college?to college?

• On Career Cruising, you can see how much tuition and fees are for most schools

• Add to this: the cost of food, housing, books, supplies, transportation, and personal expenses (such as your phone)

6. What is the FAFSA?6. What is the FAFSA?• It is a Free Application for Federal

Student Aid.• Many students are eligible for

financial aid to attend college or trade school. You might be one of them.

• Visit www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov or www.fafsa.ed.gov

Financial Aid & FAFSAFinancial Aid & FAFSA

• Class of 2011, apply for FAFSA after January 1, 2011

7. What is the DHSHS 7. What is the DHSHS Scholarship Application Scholarship Application

packet?packet?

• Download it to your student drive from the DHSHS Career Center website

• It will prepare you to have components you need to submit other scholarship applications

DHSHS Scholarship Application DHSHS Scholarship Application complete packet =complete packet =

• 3 pages of your Personal information

• Personal Statement (essay)

• At least two letters of recommendation

• Identify clearly your college and career goals

DHSHS Scholarship DHSHS Scholarship ApplicationApplication

• When your completed DHSHS scholarship application is received in the Career Center, a scholarship file is made for you.

• Copies of your application are submitted for you when you fit specific eligibility requirements for GPA, test scores, activities, community service, major, etc., for local scholarship opportunities.

• Members of scholarship committees read your application and make their decisions according to their own unique criteria.

• At some point you may receive an invitation to be interviewed. • Apply for other scholarships on your own. If you need

transcripts, copies of your letters of recommendation, or copies of anything from your scholarship file, please ask Ms. Emery in the DHSHS Career Center for them at least one week before the scholarship application deadline/due date.

• ALL applications (college, job, and scholarship) will require time, energy, attention to detail, accuracy, and thought from you.

8. How do I get a work 8. How do I get a work permit?permit?

• Once you are offered work, you must obtain a work permit.

• The Request for Work Permit can be picked up in the Career Center.

• You fill out a section, your new employer fills out a section, and your parent must sign the form.

• Return the completed Request for Work Permit to the Career Center so we can issue a Work Permit for you to give your employer.

• Work Permits expire every year after school starts, and they must be renewed until you graduate from high school or turn 18.

9. Where can I find a job?9. Where can I find a job?• Check www.rivcojobs.com, and follow the Job

Seeker links• Other searches for local jobs can be done at

www.deserthelpwanted.com and www.jobsinpalmsprings.com

• If you need experience, become a volunteer with our service-oriented groups at school, such as Community Service Key Club.

• If you have a Facebook or other social networking site, be sure there’s nothing on there an employer would find questionable. Many employers are viewing these sites before making hiring decisions.

10. How do I create a 10. How do I create a resume?resume?

• You can find many resume layouts online. Search under “sample resumes.”

• Our school computers have several resume templates. On Word, pull down File and open NEW. Look for the resume template section.

• Be sure all spelling and information is accurate. Ask someone to proof it for you.