For more than 30 years, the Career Center has provided thousands of students and alumni with the resources necessary to embark on their lives after graduating from St. John’s.

From its home on the first floor of Marillac, the Career Center advisers help students one-on-one with all aspects of career planning: finding a career that is right for them, writing resumes, preparing for interviews and job placement.

“Our big focus is to help students understand themselves enough to know what their skills, interests, and values are, to know if they made the right choice in career,” said Stefanie Zizzo, associate director of employment at the Career Center.

“We also stress the importance of learning and research, so [students] know what career they are getting into and what they can get out of it,” Zizzo said. One of the most popular programs is the Dining Etiquette Seminar. This seminar, which takes place five times per year, consists of a four-course meal and instruction on how to eat, dress and act during a business dinner.

“We started doing this because many of our students are faced with second or third interviews that take place during a meal,” Zizzo said. “We felt that it’s very important for students to understand how to conduct themselves appropriately during a meal in a business setting.”

Students can also take advantage of the Career Center Website, at www.stjohns.edu/libraries/services/career_center, which posts information about the center’s services and provides links to other job search sites. “We added the links to help students more easily navigate the vast amount of job search information that is out there on the Web,” said Zizzo. Searching for these jobs over the Internet became easier this past September when the Career Center joined forces with JOBTRAK.com. JOBTRAK provides a database of full time jobs that students and alumni can search to seek employment and gain information about companies. Along with JOBTRAK is InterviewTRAK, which is available to all seniors and allows them to post resumes and register for on-campus interviews.

“I went to the Career Center to have them look over my resume,” said Gloria Keum, a senior computer science major. “The adviser I spoke with suggested I put my resume on JOBTRAK. It helped me realize what recruiters were really looking for so I was able to revise my resume accordingly.”

The Career Center also provides workshops and seminars that students and alumni can attend. “Employers Tell All: How to Survive After College,” taking place on March 31, is among the programs that Zizzo is looking forward to. The keynote speaker will be Andrea Barone, a graduate of St. John’s, who is now national sales manager for radio stations Jammin105 and Lite106.7 FM. Barone will discuss the importance of researching and preparing for a career and what to do once a student finds a job. The event also will feature a panel discussion with representatives from Time Inc., Philip Morris U.S.A., and other corporations.

The Career Center is planning another Job Fair next Wednesday which will feature more than 35 employers from various business fields, including Time-Warner, MTV Networks, Macy’s East, Estee Lauder and Signa Healthcare.

For more information about the Career Center or to sign up for “Employers Tell All,” call ext. 6375 or stop by Marillac Room 132.