Welcome to Chapman, my name is Ivy! I am a second-year Business Administration major with an emphasis in Marketing and a Minor in Psychology. I actually came in as a double major in Psychology and Business Administration, but have recently decided to focus my time and energy specifically on my Business degree. 

I currently work at the Office of Career and Professional Development as a Peer Advisor, which is a position that allows me to help YOU with the exact resources that I’m going to talk about today!

Every time I am asked to share my first-year experience with parents and incoming students, along with tips for a successful first year at college, I always mention the Office of Career and Professional Development. With so much information that is thrown our way during the first few weeks of our first year, it can be hard to keep track of all the available resources on campus — and the Office of Career and Professional Development is a huge one. Through my position as a Peer Advisor, I was given early access to the resources that they provide and I truly believe that it has positively changed my college experience.

Once I discovered the Office of Career and Professional Development, I immediately began to utilize the resources they offered. Since then, I have been able to consistently update my resume with trusted individuals, prioritize my time towards opportunities that will positively affect my future career goals, and I have been taught to properly network.

One thing I wish more incoming students knew about was our office and the depth of resources that we provide to assist them in their professional development. So, to make that wish come true, I have curated a list of the resources that we provide for all students. I have highlighted the first five appointment types because I believe every incoming student should take advantage of these specific resources. 

Remember — It’s important to start early and return often!

  1.  Career Planning and Exploration

This resource is one that we highly recommend to first-year students. It is a great tool, specifically for Undeclared students or any student thinking about exploring other/additional options. We can help you brainstorm ideas about what you want to do later in life, and assist you during that process. 

 It is the perfect example of why you should start early. We can help you plan out your years at Chapman to assure that you are using your time effectively to reach those career goals. 

  1.     Resume Reviews

With our resume review service, we can help create your resume from the beginning and/or review a previous one you have on hand. Even if you don’t plan to get an internship or job soon, I highly recommend that you come into our office and start the process of creating and reviewing your resume.

The first time I got my resume reviewed was during my Freshman year, after I realized that the one I had uploaded to Handshake wasn’t as great as I thought it was. I thought that what I had on there from previous years, including my previous jobs, was good enough to secure a job or internship in college, but I was wrong. By going to the appointment, I understood that it takes certain experiences to acquire new experiences. By getting my resume reviewed early, I was able to focus my time and energy throughout college towards jobs that would help lead me towards what I wanted to do in the future.

  1.     Cover Letter Reviews

Something that we tell everyone that is extremely important: Every cover letter is different. Every cover letter should be written from scratch for every position you’re applying for. Our cover letter review appointments can help ensure that every cover letter written is perfect for the unique position.

  1.   LinkedIn Reviews

One of the most important parts of your professional development is networking. Come into our office to create a LinkedIn, get tips on building a successful profile, and build connections. It’s better to start this early to connect with as many people as possible before you graduate. These connections may come in handy when it comes to finding that pre- or post-graduation job!

  1.     Internship Searches

As a new student, we don’t expect you to have a job waiting for you the second you start your first year. On the other hand, we do think it is important to start early and gain those experiences whether through an internship or job. Internships can act as a job (or even other forms of experiential learning) and help you get experience for any future jobs. Schedule an appointment with us and we can help find the perfect internship for whatever position you’re in. 

While those five appointment types are highly recommended for our new and incoming students, the following is a list of some of the other appointments we offer!

  • Graduate School Exploration
  • Networking and Informational Interviews
  • Mock Interview
  • Interview Preparation
  • Job/Grad School Offer Evaluation

 If you would like to schedule an appointment with us:

  1.     Go to chapman.joinhandshake.com
  2.     Log in with your Chapman email (and go through the steps to set up and activate account, if not done so previously)
  3.     Click on Career Center

4.     Go to Appointments and schedule a new appointment

5.     Click on Career Fundamentals and choose which service you would like help with

6.     Choose which day and time is best for you

7.     Fill out the form


8.     Submit request for appointment (green button)

Let us be the first to welcome you to Chapman University! Remember, we are here for you every step of the way; we are so excited to meet you and help you reach your career goals! Please visit chapman.edu/career and chapman.joinhandshake.com for more information!