Ingredients for a Great Career: The Office of Career Advancement Gives Students the Recipe for Success

The Office of Career Advancement at Rowan hosted a workshop to help students learn more about internships, career paths and conflict resolution within the workplace. Students of all majors were encouraged to bring their resumes and discover valuable techniques for success.

A flyer sent out to students to promote the OCA Leading Through Change Workshop at Rowan University on February 28th, 2018.

Dr. Alicia Monroe, assistant director of the OCA, and Dean of Students Richard Jones shared their personal advice to students looking to create a professional brand for themselves. They explained how important it is to make a good first impression and how to behave before, during and after an interview, as well as the do’s and don’ts of professional meetings. The presentation was based on a comparison to cooking, as students received the “Ingredients for a Great Career.”

The second part of the program highlighted the importance of collaboration and teamwork in most career paths. Led by a team of Target Corporation District Leaders, students participated in a hypothetical case study exercise in which they formed groups to solve several realistic conflicts that could occur in the everyday workplace. The activity brought a new wave of energy into the room as students shared their ideas with peers and colleagues. During a brief discussion session, the Target representatives made their way around the room to weigh in on each group’s ideas and to share advice about succeeding in a workplace. Each worker was excited to hear the students’ solutions to the case study and offered useful feedback that would help them better present their idea to the rest of the room.

Students gather around a long table and talk with a Target Representative in a red shirt and a professor at Rowan University's Target Workshop held by the Office of Career Advancement — Students workshop their ideas with Target Representatives and faculty members.

After the private discussions, each group had a chance to present their strategy to the rest of the room. They took turns sharing their ideas and answering questions from the Target Representatives, as well as their peers. Each group took a unique approach to the case study and brought up valid points, which sparked both conversation and debate among groups. The presentations even ran over the original time frame because of how passionate everyone was about workplace behavior!

The event finally wrapped up with a raffle for several prizes including professional portfolios, $50 gift cards and Target giveaways.

A group of students stands in front of a Target presentation with a microphone during the Leading Through Change event held by the Office of Career Advancement at Rowan University. — Students present their group’s solutions to a hypothetical workplace conflict.

“Ingredients for a Great Career” showcased the OCA’s many helpful services to students and ensured them that Rowan cares about their future careers as much as it values their current education. It was also facilitated by Julie Peterson (director of the Office of Student Enrichment & Family Connections), Dr. Monroe (assistant director, OCA), Angela Steward (administrative assistant, OCA), Patrick Massaro, MA, NCC (career counselor, OCA), and Anita Guzman (lead executive recruiter of campus, Target Corporation).

The Office of Career Advancement offers many free services to students looking to succeed in the professional world, such as resume critiques, mock interviews, career counseling and workshop events. More details are available on their website.

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Story by:
Nicole Cier,
Sophomore, writing arts major

Photos: Dr. John T. Mills, Assistant Director of Multicultural & Inclusion Programs and Mr. Karlton Hughes