CareerExpress

Logo for Career ExpressWhether you are unsure of your life direction; questioning your choice of major; wondering what jobs you can get with your major; looking for help getting ready for the job search; or ready to look for a job, this page has something for you.
 
The resources are organized in order by the following areas of career preparation: Self-assessment, Researching Careers, Preparing for the Job Search, and Job Searching.
 
Starting with Assessment, the CareerExpress can help you identify careers that best match who you are; Research those careers and begin setting goals; Apply to positions and Prepare for interviews; and perform effective Job Hunting for positions in your selected career.
 
You can start at the beginning and go through all the resources, or access those you are most interested in. 
 
Where would you like to begin?
Before using any of the resources below, please review this disclaimer regarding the provision and use of the resources on this website. Use of the resources indicates that you are fully aware of and accept the provisions of the disclaimer.
To request an accessibility accommodation, please email careers@calstatela.edu.
 
1: Self-assessment Career assessment icon
Your career is likely to be one of the most significant parts of your life, so it is crucial to find a path that reflects and harmonizes with who you are. Career assessments are a valuable aid in this process: they gather information about you, such as your interests, values, and personality; evaluate that information; and then identify careers that closely align with who you are. The Career Center also offers individual career assessment and planning services. Please call or come to the office to schedule an appointment.
  • Focus 2 provides a variety of assessments, such as personality, interests, and values, and then lists careers that match your results; offers rich information on the careers listed; provides a database of majors, including those offered at Cal State LA, associated with the listed careers; and a decision making and action planning tool. If you use Focus 2 to choose a major, please visit our guide for exploration after Focus 2.

​How to Register for Focus 2 (free courtesy of the Career Center)

  1. Use the following link, only. Focus 2
  2. Click "Register" underneath the login boxes
  3. Fill out all the information (do NOT use your campus credentials)
  4. "Access Code": EAGLESLA
  5. Click "Continue" when done
For more information about what Focus2 provides, please visit our Focus 2 overview. 
  • CareerScope is an online tool for eligible Veterans benefit recipients, offered by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. It provides interest and apptitude assessments, recommendations for careers and courses or training programs to pursue those careers. CareerScope is frequently used by Veterans to determine the best career path for transition to civilian life.  (Disclaimer: Do NOT use your campus credentials to register or logon.)
 
2: Researching Careers  Researching Careers Icon
Researching careers to get a clearer understanding of the characteristics, requirements and duties that apply to specific jobs, as well as the labor market demand, salaries, and required preparation, will help you narrow down those best suited to you, or suggest new ones you hadn’t thought of. You can also check out the Career Center's Resource Center which houses hundreds of career-related books and other resources.
  • Candid Career includes videos that get you inside the office with straight talk from real people in real jobs. Candid Career features unscripted interviews with working professionals about their work. Learn about specific jobs in industries you are interested in, or discover and explore other options. Searchable by industry, career title, college major or keywords. No login required.
  • The California Occupational Guides, from the California Employment Development Department, provide detailed information on California wages, job outlook, education, and licensing requirements for approximately 300 occupations. The Guides offer students and job seekers occupational information to assist with making informed career choices that can lead to a satisfying work life. You can perform a topic search, choose your county, and select, from the index, to search occupations by job family, jobs by education needed, or jobs that match your work interests.  No login required. 
  • Occupational Outlook Handbook, from the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, provides a trove of reliable information about a variety of occupations, such as typical duties, education needed, projected growth rates, and the median pay. You can search by occupation group, select an occupation category, and discover the preferred entry-level education, media pay, what people do in that category, the work environment, the job outlook (e.g., projected growth), and additional information on how to enter that occupation.  No login required.
  • O-NET database contains hundreds of standardized and occupation-specific descriptors on almost 1,000 occupations covering the entire U.S. economy. You can browse groups of similar occupations to explore careers by industry, field of work, science area, etc. You can also focus on occupations that use a specific tool or software.  Or, you can use the Crosswalks to search by Education, filter by your academic major, and explore related job titles occuring under each standard industrial classification.  No login required. 
  • Employers by major maps dozens of college majors to companies and industries in California that employ graduates of those majors. It provides information about thousands of potential employers, such as industry, locations, demographics, revenue, and the surrounding community.  No login required.
3: Preparing for the Job Search Preparing for Job Search icon
In order to obtain the job you want, you must successfully navigate the job search process, which requires skills and knowledge typically not developed elsewhere. There is no easy way around this - to be most successful, you must invest time and energy to learn and refine these essential skills. The resources provided below can help you get started. You can also get help by reviewing the career development guides located on the Career Development Center website or attending regularly scheduled workshops listeds on the Cal State LA Handshake calendar. If you have a quick question, we offer walk-in group career advising Monday - Friday, from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
  • CareerSpots provide straightforward videos illustrate what you need to know BEFORE, DURING and AFTER the job interview. Career Spots provides highly relevant career guidance from leading experts across the country. No login required.
  • Career and Job Resources LibGuide provides a list of additional resources, such as databases and websites, that will aid you in your job industry research. It also provides information on résumé and cover letter perfecting, as well as information on interview etiquette and preparation.
  • OptimalResume heps you build your résumé based on a variety formatting styles. You can also browse sample résumés based on industry and level of work experience.

​How to Register for OptimalResume (free courtesy of the Career Center)

  1. On the top right-hand side of the page, click "New User"
  2. In the Student Users box, type in your @calstatela.edu email address
    (Alumni will click on the Alumni button and use a personal email address)
  3. Click "Continue"
  4. Fill out all required information (do NOT use your campus credentials)
  5. Click "Create Profile"
  • Perfect Interview lets you practice interviewing in real time with video of yourself, custom questions, and examples of how to do it right. Perfect Interview creates interviews based on your work experience and the type of position you are looking for. Additionally, you may select specific question categories to focus on, or let Perfect Interview select the questions for you.

​How to Register for Perfect Interview (free courtesy of the Career Center)

  1. Click "Create Account"
  2. Fill out all information (do NOT use your campus credentials).
  3. Check the box that notes that you agree to the terms and conditions of the site
  4. Click "Create My Account"
  • InterviewStream lets you practice interviewing in real-time with video of yourself, custom questions, special tools to evaluate yourself, and the ability to share your video with others.

​How to Register for InterviewStream (free courtesy of the Career Center)

  1. On the top right-hand side of the page, click "Create Account"
  2. Verify that it says "Sign Up for California State University Los Angeles" a few lines above the info boxes
  3. Fill out all of the required information (do NOT use your campus credentials).
  4. Click "Register"
  • Portfolium is Cal State LA's ePortfolio and career readiness network. It gives you the ability to build an organized, visual record of your academic and professional story using the work you are completing both in and out of the classroom. You can upload real work samples including photos, videos, presentations and papers to showcase your coursework, projects, extracurricular activities, volunteer activities, internships and work experiences. You can also connect and collaborate with fellow classmates and club members on projects and activities. Once you've designed your Portfolium profile, you can link it to your résumé and LinkedIn profile to enhance your social/professional presence.  (Disclaimer: Do NOT use your campus credentials to register or logon.)
4: Job Searching Job Hunting icon
These tools assist you in locating jobs and companies to focus your energy on. It is very important not just to search for an open position, but to research employers to find an environment where you want to work, as well as to be able to demonstrate during an interview that you know about the employer and genuinely want to work there.
 
  • Handshake is Cal State LA's online job resource, featuring jobs and internships posted by employers seeking Cal State LA students. Note: You must either be a current student or a verified alumni of Cal State LA to have access to Handshake (see How to Create a Student or Alumni Account on Handshake, free courtesy of the Career Center). If you are no more than three quarters away from finishing your degree, a recent grad, or a graduate student, the Career Center's On-Campus Interview (OCI) program will allow you to meet and interview with employers.
  • Vault Career Insider provides a wealth of information and resources to find top-ranked employers, as well as comprehensive guides about a variety of industries. You can also create a profile (optional) and be seen by top employers and recruiters. Sign-up for job alerts and a career advice newsletter as well.

​How to Register for Vault Career Insider (free courtesy of the Career Center)

  1. Verify that the second line on the page states you are on the Cal State LA's side of Vault Career
  2. Click "Create Account"
  3. Fill out all required info (do NOT use your campus credentials).
  4. Click "Create Account"
  • LinkedIn is a social media network with hundreds of millions of professionals. This tool can help you establish your online professional profile and control the top search results of your name, build and maintain your professional network, find and reconnect with colleagues and classmates, learn about other companies and get industry insights, find other professionals in the same industry using groups, tap into the knowledge of your network, and discover new career opportunities.  (Disclaimer: Do NOT use your campus credentials to register or logon.)
  • Passport Career is an international job search tool, providing detailed, country-specific resources on all aspects of the job search. Country-specific content includes detailed guidance on local styles and expectations for résumés/CVs, interviews, salaries, work permits, business culture, best employers, and much more. International students can find info on H-1B employers in the U.S.

​How to Register for Passport Career (free courtesy of the Career Center)

  1. On the top right, click "Click Here to Register"
  2. Fill out all required info (do NOT use your campus credentials).
  3. "Registration Key": eaglesla
  4. After reading the terms and conditions, click "I agree"
  • Social Security Express allows you to get your Social Security Statement online. You can review your earnings once a year to verify the amount posted is correct, view estimated Medicare and Social Security taxes you've paid, see estimates of your future retirement, disabililty and survivor benefits, and get a benefit verification letter.  (Disclaimer: Do NOT use your campus credentials to register or logon.)
Still having login issues?
  • Are you using the links provided by the Cal State LA Career Center webpage? Make sure you are using the correct link. Many of the links provided are especially created for Cal State LA students, so you should utilize these links directly when going to these sites.
  • Is there a check box (e.g. terms and conditions) that needs to be checked? Some sites require you read and agree to the site's policies before creating an account.
  • Did you use a valid email address? Some sites will send you a confirmation email that you must open before you may log on to the site. If you did not use a valid email, you may not be able to use the site. If you have not edited your email options to receive emails from the websites, they could be marked as spam, so it would be wise to check your spam folders for confirmation emails.
If you continue having problems logging in to any of the sites, please contact us.