Are you unsure of the next step in your career? Daniel is a BSBA student who worked as a server for a large hotel chain. He was interested in management, but was unsure of how to get his foot in the door. Although he applied for numerous positions, he was not selected for interviews. After attending the Career Services session during an Undergraduate Connection Day event and working with us through several career advising appointments, Daniel landed a hotel management position with a large hotel chain where he now supervises up to 50 people.

What strategies contributed to Daniel’s transformation? Here are a few highlights of how Daniel applied the Career Management process to achieve career success:

• Self-Assessment: He worked with Career Services to clearly define his career goals. Through this process, Daniel realized that he enjoyed fast-paced, client-focused environments and had many transferable skills to contribute to the hotel industry.

• Research: He researched hotel chains for potential opportunities and reviewed job postings to identify transferable skills he could highlight on his materials.

• Resume and Cover Letter: He worked with Career Services to improve his application materials by re-organizing past experiences and re-structuring the format.

• Networking: He contacted friends and former co-workers who work at large hotels. Through his networking efforts, he was offered several positions but they were not the right fit. Finally, he reached out to a former boss, who currently works at a large hotel chain, and clearly articulated his career goals. His former boss told him, “We can use your unique skills over here,” and contacted him when a manager position opened up.

• Interviewing: Daniel utilized resources on the Career Services Center website to prepare for his interview, including watching the Interviewing archived webinar: http://careercenter.waldenu.edu/921.htm
He aced his interview with professional attire, confidence due to his thorough preparation, a strong introduction, ability to articulate his management style, and the following bold statement at the end that surprised his interviewer, “So, when do I start work?”

Daniel said that Career Services helped him focus on his goals and build confidence to impress employers. He said, “Walden’s Career Services Center has all the materials to advance my career; all I had to do is my homework.” He encourages other students to take initiative and start working with us to achieve their goals.

We wish Daniel the best as he continues to build his management skills, inspire other employees, and make his customers happy!

Written by Career Services Advisor Dina Bergren