Success Stories: Rachel

How have you benefited from using the Career Center services?

The Career Center offered an immeasurable amount of support while looking for internships and jobs. Not only did they inform us when applications are opening, they helped us with essay review and editing, interview preparation, and so much support through the process. Each Career Consultant took time to get to know us to help us figure out what job and career path is best for us and help put us in a position to flourish.

How did working with the Career Center impact your internship/job search?

The Career Center 110% impacted the summer externship I accepted as well as my current job. They helped me with every process along the way; from the application process to the interview prep, to dealing with rejection to dealing with a decision. I know I would not have a job on the most prestigious unit of the entire hospital system without the help of the Career Center. My Career Consultant was always available to me, even if I did not have an appointment via phone, email, and text.

I also know that I have a center to return to when I am ready to switch jobs or apply to grad school.

What was the most helpful advice given to you by the Career Center?

Probably the most helpful advice the Career Center gave me was to stay true to myself. For example, in essays I spoke about my childhood of hospitalizations and how much those nurses impacted me and my life; something personal and could be taken the wrong way. That advise was not only for essays and interviews but also with deciding on a job and where to apply. My Career Consultant did not want me to settle, she wanted me to have the job of my dreams.

What challenges were you facing and how did the Career Center help you solve them or motivate you to solve them?

Some of the challenges I faced was deciding where to apply and what job I really wanted. They helped me realize what I really wanted in a job and how to decide which was going to be best for me and my life-long goals. For example, when I was offered a job and I was not sure if it was going to be best for me, my Career Consultant recommended I ask if I can see the unit and speak to the nurses and then decide. That was one of the best decisions of my life. I got to speak to the nurses who went through the same training that I was going to be doing and see what patient population I was going to have the privilege of taking care of.

What advice would you give others facing the same challenges you did?

Even though the Career Consultants are tough, meaning they ask difficult questions and give you advice you sometimes don’t want to hear, they use tough love and want their students to succeed. They give you advise for a reason; like if you need to redo over half of your essay don’t hate the Career Consultant, there is probably a reason. The job search is hard, there is nothing easy about it, but the Career Center is there to help you and make the difficult process as easy as possible. If you utilize them, you will not be disappointed.

Were there any specific events you went to that were beneficial? If so which one and why was it helpful?

The most helpful event the Career Center held was the Nursing Job Fair. They invited all the local hospitals to come and get to know the TCU nursing students and place a face with the name on the application.