The Career Services Center in Eder Hall provides several valuable services which can help you obtain employment or gain acceptance to graduate school. The placement services are free, and, once you have established a placement file, you can use it without cost for as long as you want.

To fully utilize the services of the Career Services Center, you should register at least one semester prior to receiving your degree; it is, in fact, best to register a year in advance. To establish you placement file, you need to submit a resume, unofficial transcript, release of information form, personal data sheet, and three to five letters of recommendation. A packet containing the necessary forms, together with information on how to construct your placement file, is available from the Career Services Center.

During the year, the Career Services Center conducts workshops on job hunting tips, interviewing skills, etc. There are also job fairs and other times in which potential employers are scheduled to be on campus. During your senior year, it is, therefore, advisable to stay in close contact with the Center so that you will know when these events are taking place.

In addition to the placement file, it is highly recommended that graduating students put together a resume and a portfolio to use in applying for jobs and graduate school. Portfolios are essentially collections of evidence (e.g., research papers, practicum abstracts, etc.) that show a student's background and the educational progress that he or she has made. (It is a good idea for a beginning psychology student to keep all papers so that it is easier to construct a portfolio when it is time to graduate.) There are numerous books available in the MWSU Library that deal with resume construction and portfolios.