Employment Search

Organizations provide opportunities to help you explore career paths, build your professional skills, gain discipline-specific experience and launch your career upon graduation. The experiences below can be included in your college résumé.

• Volunteerism — If you volunteer in your academic discipline of interest, you can gain skills and experience that demonstrate how you fit in your future career. The Center for Engagement, Service and the Public Good provides volunteer opportunities.

• Externships & Job Shadowing — In these experiences, you schedule time with working professionals to observe a workplace, sit in on meetings and have career conversations with employees. Schedule a Jobs & Internships appointment with us to get help with creating a job shadowing opportunity.

• Student Jobs on Campus — On-campus student jobs are a great way to gain skills and experience in a professional setting. No experience is required to apply to many student positions on campus. Our Find a Job on Campus website explains how to get started.

• Internships — An internship is an off-campus activity that provides real-world exposure to professional development in a business, non-profit or government setting. Our Internships website explains how to get started.

• Fellowships — Fellowships are typically merit-based scholarships for advanced research of an academic subject. The National & International Scholarships and Fellowships Program provides fellowship opportunities.

• Part-time Jobs — Employers offer part-time work off campus to help students build professional skills and explore potential career paths. Opportunities are listed on Cal State LA Handshake; Get Started: Handshake.

• Student Employment in Government — Federal and State governments provide student employment and internship pathways for entry into professional careers. Visit USAJobs: Student & Recent Graduates and CalCareers: Student Employment to learn more.

• Full-time Jobs, Post-Graduation — Employers are eager to hire Cal State LA students and recent graduates, and they provide opportunities that usually do not require prior experience. Opportunities are listed on Cal State LA Handshake; Get Started: Handshake.

• Freelance or Contract Work — Some professionals choose to be self-employed individuals who do specific work for clients without committing to full-time employment. Freelancers may be independent contractors, part-time freelancers, diversified workers, temporary workers or business owners/entrepreneurs. Freelance jobs are offered for practically any career field imaginable. Visit Get Started as a Freelancer and The Freelance Marketing Road Map: Ten Steps to Changing Your Career to learn more. To find companies seeking freelance work, visit Freelancer.com.

Little success comes to those who send the same application to hundreds of employment postings. Yet, if you focus your efforts on a specific type of work, you can increase your success. Use these resources to get started.

Career Pathways by Major

If you are unsure about what jobs relate to your major, the resources below can help you obtain information about the career possibilities.

• What Can I Do with My Major? — This website is a great starting point for viewing related fields, job titles, work places and professional organizations related to an academic major.

• Candid Career Videos — Search by a major to view interviews from working professionals who majored in that discipline. You can also search by an industry that interests you. An industry describes the activity of the company and includes people with different occupations who work for the same type of business.

• Cal State LA Handshake — When you sign up for this free college student job site, you can search for current job openings by a major. You can also search job openings by industry, which is the type of business activity a company or organization performs.

Job Titles by Government & Freelance

• Federal Occupations by Major — Search this list of academic majors and the matching federal job titles.

• California State Occupations by Industry — Search this list of jobs in the State of California by industry of interest/job family. An industry/job family is a group of jobs based on the work performed, skills and education required.

• Freelance/Contractor Career Fields — Some professionals choose to be self-employed individuals. Self-employed individuals do specific work for clients without being employed by a company.

You can explore employers by a wide variety of interests. Use these resources to help your research.

Industries and Companies

• Employers by Major — Search this list of employers in California who have hired college graduates with the major.

• Vault Guide to Jobs — Research these guides to learn about key careers and industries by job activities of interest.

• Business Finder by Industry — Search this list of industries by location to find employers near you who perform a business activity of interest.

• Corporate Scorecard — Search this index to find companies that match your career values.

• Ten Ways to Research Company Culture

Strategies for Working in Government

• USAJobs: Working in Federal Government

• CalCareers: Steps to a California State Job

• CalCareers: California State Job Search FAQ

Strategies for Freelance Work

• Freelancer.com

The employment search process can be challenging and tiring. When you are feeling tired or down about your search you may be more vulnerable to job scams. We are available to help you review an opportunity before you click on the links or hit the apply button. Use this resource to improve your awareness of scam opportunities.

Job Scams Consumer Advice by the Federal Trade Commission

People who are working in organizations or positions that interest you are often willing to support students and recent graduates. They provide valuable advice about how to prepare and succeed in the employment search. Building a relationship with professionals working in areas that interest you is called networking. We can help you grow your career network with ease. Use these resources to get started.

What is Networking?

We work to make connecting with employers easy and impactful. Here are some of the ways that employers recruit college students.

• Outreach Tables — Visit an employer outreach table outside of the Career Center to learn about part-time and internship openings.

• Information Sessions — Attend these employer presentations for career exploration and decision-making. Learn about the organization's mission, values and work culture, which career pathways are available and how to successfully apply. Sign up for employer events using Cal State LA Handshake.

• Career Workshops — Join our workshops and events with employers eager to share advise and provide career mentorship. Sign up for workshops on the Career Center calendar.

• On-Campus Interview Program — Apply to positions and be invited to interview for the opportunity. Interviews are typically on campus. Sign up for employer events using Cal State LA Handshake.

• Career Fairs — Attend our campus-wide career fairs offered twice a year, typically in September and March. Sign up for employer events using Cal State LA Handshake.

How to Make the Most of Career Fairs