Frequently Asked Questions
I need a résumé. Can you write one for me?
We do not write résumés for students because writing your own résumé is truly the best way to learn how to write an effective one. We want you to develop résumé-writing skills that you will use many times in your life. The Magner Career Center has several ways to assist you in writing your résumé:
- We have an online résumé guide (pdf) that you can use to help you build and revise your résumé.
- We hold several résumé-writing workshops each semester (check the career section of the portal for our workshop schedule).
- You can receive résumé feedback.
I'm undecided about what to select as a major. What can I do to make a decision?
You have many options to help you narrow down possible majors.
- Speak to other students who have already declared majors and have clear career goals. Perhaps they can offer you some insight into how they arrived at their decisions.
- Attend the Majors Fair organized by the Center for Academic Advisement and Student Success.
- Take a workstyle assessment test to learn about your strengths, weaknesses, ideal workplace, and supervisors.
- Attend various internship panels and participate in at least two internships to help you decide whether or not you want to follow a particular career path. Internships are also offered through the various academic departments.
- Learn about different careers by getting a mentor.
- Speak to department counselors in the departments in which you might have interest. Faculty members have posted counseling hours for your convenience.
- Seek advice and counseling at the Magner Center. Career counselors are available to advise you about possible career goals and choice of appropriate major. Make an appointment.
- Review our Career Services for Undecided Majors page.
Is it necessary for me to do an internship before I graduate?
While internships are not required for graduation in all majors (some do require it), it is strongly advised that students consider participating in at least two internships. Nationally, 67 percent of students participate in an internship, and 48 percent participate in two internships. Many of these students complete internships before their junior year. Internships are now considered essential for career success, and students who intern find it easier to obtain employment and generally earn higher salaries after graduation than those who do not. Plus, the Magner Career Center Internship Program allows you to "try on" careers, in a variety of areas, for a semester or two (or more!).
Our program assists students in obtaining paid/volunteer, part-time, and summer positions in their prospective career fields. The internship experience enables students to learn the technical, leadership, and interpersonal skills they will need to succeed in their future careers. Students need to start considering internships as early as their sophomore year. Through our Hire BC (accessible via the BC WebCentral Portal), internship panels, and Job/Internship Fairs, students gain access to employers and internship postings. Check out our Internships 101 workshop on finding an internship.
I can't afford to do an unpaid internship. What do you suggest?
Consider the following suggestions:
- About 50 percent of internships are paid. You can search on Hire BC for paid internships.
- The Magner Career Center offers stipend awards that allow students to take unpaid or low paying internships. A stipend award is applied for the semester before the internship. Applying for a stipend is competitive, and applications have several requirements.
- Contact your major department for information on internship courses and requirements.
- Look at external organizations that offer paid internships.
- Join LinkedIn and search for internship postings in different fields, industries, and professions.
I will be graduating soon. When do I start my job search, and what services are available to assist me?
Due to the competitive nature of today's job market, college graduates are best advised to start their formal job search two semesters before they graduate. The Magner Career Center provides a variety of services and tools to assist job seekers including an online recruiting system, job fairs, workshops on résumé writing, interviewing and job search, and more. You can sign up for these events via the "career" tab on your WebCentral account. Our e-recruiting site, HireBC, is also accessible through this tab. Prior to your senior year, you can prepare by doing research on industries and companies, getting a mentor, attending career events, and participating in internships. If you consistently partake in career planning during your sophomore and junior year, it will make the job search process easier your senior year.
If I come to the Magner Career Center, will you place me in a job or internship?
Given the number of students we serve, the center cannot place students. In addition, we think it is important for students to learn job search skills they will use throughout their life. We are here to provide you with the information and tools to get your career started. We provide several services to help students land the job they want and gain access to employers. Students can participate in both the Internship and Senior Recruitment Programs that link them to employers recruiting on and off campus. Attendance at one of the center's job/internship fairs, the Big Apple Job Fair, and the Staten-Island-Brooklyn Job Fair, as well as registering for Hire BC (which lists thousands of jobs), can be very helpful. We also host several events each semester that feature employers. In addition, students can spend time with a career counselor to learn effective job search techniques including networking, using social media for your job search, and practicing interviewing skills. Schedule you career counseling appointment.
I have very little work experience. What can I do about it?
The need for work experience will depend on the position, company, and industry you have targeted. Having paid or unpaid experience will give you an advantage over other students and will help your résumé stand out. Consider the following areas to get the work experience you need:
- Get an internship. The Magner Center can help!
- Get a temporary position or part-time job, or apply for a position on campus.
- Volunteer at a community organization.
- Do a project for a company.
- Assist a professor with research or a project or become a teaching assistant for a class.
- Secure a leadership position in a student organization or help run one of their events.
- Get actively involved on campus by joining student government, the school radio station, or the student newspaper, The Brooklyn College Vanguard. Interested students should inquire via e-mail at the bcvanguard@gmail.com or by emailing the faculty advisor, Anthony Mancini.
What companies come to Brooklyn College to hire students for full-time jobs?
The Magner Career Center welcomes many companies from numerous industries that recruit students for internships and full-time positions. Some of the companies that have recruited and hired Brooklyn College students include Citigroup, Ernst and Young, Federated Merchandising (Macy's), New York City Department of Education, New York Life Insurance, Brooklyn District Attorney General's Office, Enterprise Rent-a-Car, Bloomberg LLP, Young Adult Institute, Barnes & Noble, Teach for America, and many more. You can find a list of employers who are recruiting on Hire BC (Access your account via your WebCentral account).
I think my GPA may be low. Will I still get a job?
The importance of a GPA varies by industry and company. Some companies have a strict minimum GPA requirement, but many do not have a requirement or are flexible with the requirement. If you feel your GPA may not be what employers want, it is not required for you to mention it on your résumé or in an interview unless you are asked. If your employer requires you to put your GPA on your résumé or you want to be prepared in case you are asked, make an appointment with a career counselor at the Magner Career Center for help with handling the situation. You can make an appointment. Here are some things to think about:
- Enhance your GPA with work experiences and extracurricular activities.
- Be able to explain why it is low.
- Use your major GPA if it is higher than your cumulative GPA, or provide both if asked for a GPA.
- Include your GPA for a selected time span. This works if you did better academically over time.
- Highlight any academic awards or achievements.
- Retake courses you had trouble with, take future classes pass/fail, or change your grade to pass/fail. The Brooklyn College Bulletin has information on how and when it can be done.
- Sell yourself in person through career fairs, participating in professional organizations, etc.
I have a liberal arts major. What kind of careers can I go into?
Almost anything you want. The multidisciplinary nature of a liberal arts education exposes students to history, literature, political science, sociology, economics, and more. The interesting thing about liberal arts majors is that the skills are transferable to many different careers. Students who have majored in a liberal arts discipline are well equipped for the 21st-century workplace, or for graduate study at universities and professional schools seeking broad intellectual preparation. Business, financial organizations, and urban institutional employers, like schools, hospitals, and the media, also seek graduates who have a broad knowledge and are sensitive to the multicultural realities of the present day. Getting a mentor to learn about their career path could be helpful. You can also use LinkedIn to look at the career path of professionals and alumni who had your major.
I am an international student. How can I get a job once I graduate?
In order to qualify for employment after graduation, all international students must make an appointment with the International Student and Scholar Services Office, 235 West Quad Center, in their last semester to apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT). This office will assist students with completing the application for employment to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Also, view our Career Support for International Students page to help you on your job search.
An employer wants to complete a background check, something may come up, what resources are there for me?
John Jay compiled a Guide to Navigating Background Checks which helps readers: understand what is on their record, prepare for a background check, know their rights, be ready to respond to questions about their record and be able to talk about themselves and their history.
How can I find out more information about the Magner Center?
- Visit the portal regularly for more information about our services, special events, and workshops.
- Stop by the center at 1303 James Hall. Office hours are Monday, Thursday, and Friday, 9:15 a.m.–4:45 p.m., and Tuesday and Wednesday 9:15 a.m.–7 p.m. Hours are subject to change, so call ahead if you are making a special trip.
- Call the center at 718.951.5696 during office hours.
- Follow us on social media:
E-mail the center's Director, Natalia Guarin-Klein, if you still have questions.
