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Employment Prep and Career Resources

Get ready for life after college with tools designed just for you. From résumé and cover letter help to interview prep, job and internship search support, and networking opportunities, these resources help you explore careers and feel confident pursuing the opportunities you want—now and after graduation.

��ñ��Career Academy

The ��ñ��Career Academy is a free, online resource designed to help you build the skills and confidence you need to take the next step in your career journey.
- Created just for ��ñ��students, the Career Academy lets you explore short, self-paced courses focused on all things career prep — from building your resume and practicing interviews to networking, personal branding, and more.
- Learn more and enroll in the Career Academy here

Job, Internship Search and Career Resources

Find Co-ops, Internships, On-Campus Student Employment, and Professional Jobs

Use the links below to find positions in Handshake.

U.S. Department of Labor Websites

- Learn about occupations including responsibilities, salaries, education required, and employment outlook
- Explore careers, salary and benefits, training required, and employment seeker services by state
- Quick search tool for Ohio employment data and more
- Learn about growing fields in the state of Ohio

State and Federal Jobs

- USAJOBS is the official, centralized website of the United States government for listing federal civil service job opportunities. Operated by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), it allows job seekers to search, apply for, and track applications for positions across hundreds of federal agencies worldwide.
-OhioMeansJobs is a public-private partnership and comprehensive job-matching website that connects Ohio job seekers with employers. It provides free services including job search tools, resume building, skill assessments, training programs, and assistance for veterans.

Get Started with Handshake-career network and job search platform

Find Jobs, Internships, and other Opportunities on Handshake

��ñ��uses a job search platform called for the posting and application of all on-campus positions. Handshake is also the #1 place where students find jobs, internships and other opportunities, such as ��ñ�� career-related events, career fairs and more. Completing your Handshake profile increases your chances of getting noticed by employers. After enrolling at ��ñ��, students automatically receive a Handshake account and can log in with their Kent.edu username and password.

If you select to unsubscribe from the Handshake email list, please note that it is an absolute unsubscribe, meaning that you will no longer receive any email notifications regarding career events, fairs, jobs, and internships postings.

Additional Handshake Resources to Assist You

GoinGlobal

Country-specific career and employment info regarding:
- Job search resources
- Work permit/visa regulations
- County-specific resume/CV guides
- Interview and cultural advice
- Employment outlook/industry trends
- H1B employers searchable by visa applications to companies
- Over 40 country career guides and city guides for USA & Canada
- Worldwide professional job/internship listings

Professional Headshots

Headshots are professional images taken from mid-chest upwards of a person who is wearing business casual or business professional attire. We recommend all students have a professional headshot to post on their Handshake and LinkedIn profiles.

How to schedule:

Career Exploration and Development offers professional headshot photography appointments every week (except during the summer term). For current students, In KSU Navigate, under “What type of appointment would you like to schedule?" click “Career Advising”, then under “Service” click “Headshots”

What to expect from your appointment:

Headshots are located in the Center for Undergraduate Excellence (CUE), Suite 109. Borrow professional attire for your headshot or take a few pieces home! TIP: Wear dark or bright colors to stand out against the white backdrop. Any student arriving more than five minutes late will be asked to reschedule. Headshot appointments will take approximately 5-10 minutes to complete. Depending on availability, you should receive your edited photo in 1-2 weeks following your appointment. This service is free for all current students and ��ñ��alumni.

��ñ��Career Closet-Free Professional Attire

The ��ñ��Career Closet is your go-to place on campus for FREE professional attire!

Where is the Career Closet?

We are currently located in the Center for Undergraduate Excellence (CUE) and in the Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship (Crawford Hall, Suite 202)

Who can access the Career Closet?

Access is available to all ��ñ�� students, staff and faculty.

How to Donate to the Career Closet?

Currently, we are not accepting donations.

When can I access the career closet?

Career Exploration and Development location hours: Monday - Friday 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship location hours: 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Internship Funding Opportunities

The Unpaid Internship Award and Summer Internship Relocation Award help Kent Campus undergraduates overcome financial barriers while gaining valuable experiential learning. The Unpaid Internship Award provides up to $1,000 per term for students with financial need who are completing an unpaid internship while enrolled in an Experiential Learning course. The Summer Internship Relocation Award supports rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors who must relocate for a credit-bearing internship by helping cover travel, housing, and living expenses. Both opportunities require a FAFSA, application materials, and employer documentation, with awards designed to make meaningful, hands-on experiences more accessible.

Learn more about internship funding opportunities.

Cooperative Education (co-op) Program: Obtain professional work experience while still in college

Cooperative Education (Co-op) allows students to gain full-time, paid professional experience related to their major while remaining enrolled at ��ñ��. Through co-op, students apply classroom learning in real-world settings, build career-ready skills, and clarify their professional goals. While co-ops do not carry academic credit, the employer and experience are noted on the student’s transcript, and participants maintain full-time student status with access to university resources. Most students who complete co-op or internship experiences report stronger career direction, and many receive full-time job offers before graduation.

Learn more about co-ops.

Explore Majors and Careers

Not sure what major fits your goals—or what you can do with it? This section helps you explore majors and degrees at Kent State, discover career options connected to each major, and use tools like FOCUS 2 interactive assessments to match your interests with potential careers. You’ll also find support for graduate school exploration and graduate assistantship opportunities.

What Can I Do with this Major?

Check out to see what careers can match your major.
- Use this collection of information sheets on hundreds of academic majors to see outlines of common career areas, typical employers, and strategies designed to maximize career opportunities.
- (You might notice a few documents that are not Kent State-specific; this is a best-in-class resource from the University of Tennessee (UT).)
Explore majors and degrees at ��ñ��:

FOCUS 2-interactive assessments to match students with potential careers

Create an account in FOCUS 2 to begin uncovering and investigating career and major options today. You will be asked questions related to things already familiar to you such as your personality, life preferences, and more. After just 30-40 minutes, you will be provided a customized list of possible career aspirations. A deeper understanding of yourself will give you the confidence you need to make more informed decisions about your education at ��ñ��. This service is for current ��ñ�� students only.

For free access to Focus 2, follow the directions below:

For first time users, who are currently enrolled students, to gain your free access code.
Once you have your free access code, go to the , and click on “Register”
New users fill out the requested information during the registration process and click CONTINUE
Returning users, log in with your username and password and then click CONTINUE

Suggested Assessments

Once you are logged in, begin by taking the Career Planning Readiness and Academic Strengths assessments.
Then take the Personality, Work Interests, Skills and Values assessments
Be sure to read the results of your Combined Assessments
Click on the list of matched careers and begin researching the most current information on industries

Get feedback on your results

Process the results with a .
- Follow the prompts to schedule your appointment. You will be asked to choose a category. Pick the area of work you are interested in or select "Exploratory" if you are undecided/exploring, and then select service "Focus 2 debrief"
Questions? Call 330-672-8370.

Graduation College Prep and Grad Assistantships

Since the decision to attend graduate school requires careful planning, start early and take advantage of our many resources.

Evaluating Applying Essays

Learn more about ��ñ��Graduate Studies

Why Consider Graduate School?

While in some fields an advanced degree is required to enter your chosen profession, or will increase your marketability, in others additional work experience is more relevant. Since graduate school is self-directed in nature, students who are self-motivated and have clear goals will more likely be successful in completing a graduate program.

Can you commit to a career field?

Are you interested in attending graduate school but are unable to select a specific field or degree program? You will want to spend some time clarifying your interests before completing your undergraduate program. Meet with a career advisor, talk with faculty members, and consider an internship in your field of interest. You may also want to consider gaining a year or two of work experience to help focus your goals.

Should I consider applying for a Graduate Assistantship?

Many graduate programs offer one of three types of graduate assistantships: administrative, teaching or research. These competitive awards typically provide compensation in the form of a full tuition waiver in addition to a monthly stipend for 10-20 hours of work per week. Students should first inquire through their academic program regarding the availability of assistantships. Learn more about Graduate Assistantships at ��ñ�� by clicking the button below.

��ñ��Graduate Assistantship Guide

Is graduate study worth the investment?

Investigate the employment outlook for your field of interest and talk with professionals and current graduate students about the benefits and potential drawbacks of that path.

Can you live the student lifestyle?

A full-time Master's degree will typically take two years to complete, while Ph.D. and some professional degrees require three or more years. Part time enrollment will require additional time and may even be discouraged in some programs. During this time period you will focus intensely on your academic subjects and typically forfeit a competitive salary, workday routine and leisure time.

Can you manage the financial commitment?

Ultimately you will need to decide if graduate school is of value and worth the investment. Before making that decision, you should investigate potential funding sources including fellowships or scholarships awarded by outside organizations. Institution-based aid most frequently takes the form of a graduate/teaching assistantship which expects part-time employment in exchange for a stipend and tuition reimbursement.

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