Career Services
COA students are provided a number of services to assist them in the career planning and job search from course work on writing a resume to a free online job board through College Central. Students who are pursuing Associate in Applied Science and or diploma programs are encouraged to participate in Cooperative Education to enhance their training and job search. COA has a good reputation among employers in the Albemarle area and Hampton Roads. The college's Fact Book contains a Graduate Follow-up Survey that demonstrats the success of COA graduates. To view this survey Click here.
Career Planning
Career planning involves learning about yourself, exploring different careers, and understanding how to use tools and resources that can help you find your "Niche," the best career fit for your unique talents, abilities, skills, personality, interests, and values. A career counselor will assist you with this process by providing career education activities from assessment to networking. Career planning is a multiple-step process that takes varying amounts of time for different people. The extra time and effort you take now could pay off in a life-time of job satisfaction and income later.
If you are undecided about your major, your future, or you are making a career change, contact one of our career counselors and or use the links below to begin your career search. Your career search should include a complete assessment of your personality, interest, values, accomplishments, and skills; exploration of careers and the job market; a plan to achieve your career goals; and the appropriate and targeted promotion of yourself to employers. The college also maintains career centers on Elizabeth City (AE 125) and Dare Campus (DC 226) with resources to assist you in your career search.
Career Search Links
Assess your personality, interests, values, abilities, and skills
Choices Planner CT provides a free comprehensive career-planning site that matches your personality, interests, values, and abilities with over 900 careers. Create a Career Portfolio to help with career planning. This site provides career assessment, exploration, planning, and promotion activities and allows you to save results in your portfolio. Students will need to establish an account and log in. Contact a counselor if you need assistance.
Keirsey Temperament Sorter (KTS-II) is a free assessment that provides personality/temperament analysis through a wide spectrum of analysis reports, providing insight for students about careers, relationships, learning styles, and personality. Contact a counselor for a code to access and print a Temperament Discovery Report. For information about the KTS II go to www.keirsey.com
Explore careers and the job market and Plan to achieve your career goals
CareerOneStop is your source for employment information and inspiration. Tools to help job seekers, students, businesses, and career professionals Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor. With links to ONET and the Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Choosing a major – If you are transferring and you are not sure of what you might major in you may want to explore this link to learn more about the careers different majors prepare you for.
DisabilityInfo.gov covers a variety of topics related to employment of people with disabilities.
NC Careers is the North Carolina Career site that has great career resources. Browse over 800 occupations in North Carolina and view the award winning "Career Choices in North Carolina".
Reference USA is the No. 1 source of information on businesses and people for researchers, students and job seekers.
Vocational Biographies provide career biographies of over a 1,000 different careers.
Promote yourself to employers @ collegecentral.com
CollegeCentral.com is one of the most visited entry-level job sites on the Internet. It provides both students and alumni with the ability to search their respective colleges' or universities' secure jobs databases, plus CCN's Jobs Central national job board, with millions of jobs posted to date. Alumni and students can also develop and post their resumes, even develop an online portfolio. College Central provides job search-specific documents and videos. Below are some resources you can use now. Create an account today it's free!
-- Why A Cover Letter? - Cover letters are your first opportunity to sell yourself as the product;
-- Resumes: The Basics - Proof you have the "right stuff" for the job;
-- Resumes: Know the No-No's - Mistakes to avoid for winning results;
-- Interviews: The Art of the Interview - Where credentials, credibility, and confidence create career success;
-- Interviews: To-Do Tips - Interview tips to help you stand out from the competition;
-- Interviews: Taboos - Don't undermine your hiring chances by overlooking what NOT to do;
-- Dress for Success: Women - Clothing is non-verbal communication, so dress to impress for an interview;
-- Dress for Success: Men - When interviewing, dress for the position you want, not for the one you have.
Cooperative Education
Co-Op Education at College of the Albemarle is the best way to get experience in your field of study and earn college credit.
Other Career Resources
North Carolina Employment Security Commission provides a great link to job opportunities in the local Albemarle area
NC State Summer Internships gain essential work experience, improve your résumé, and get paid!
USA Government Jobs is your one stop source for federal jobs and employment information. Hampton Roads employs over 50,000 government workers. Make sure you use this excellent resource, How to Get a Federal Government Job
Career Services Contacts
Elizabeth City Campus
Carter, Keith
Director, Cooperative Education and Job Placement
Office: FC205 Phone: (252)335-0821 ext 2373
Email: ckcarter@albemarle.edu
John M. Wells
Director of Counseling and Career Development
Office: AE-124 Phone: 252-335-0821, ext. 2243
Fax: 252-335-2011
Email: jmwells@albemarle.edu
Dare County Campus
Laura Katz
Counselor
Office: DCC 228
Phone: 252-473-2264, ext. 227
Fax: 252-473-1024
Email: lekatz@albemarle.edu