Most people have “a job” not “the job.” What’s the difference? It’s simple.

“‘A job’ is just a paycheck; ‘the job’ is the job that you don’t dread and want to throw the alarm clock out of the window in the morning. ‘The job’ is a career,” said Ryan McNaughton,Career Services counselor.

The Career Services office and its services are available to alumni and students. The office is located in the Schwartz Center and is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. McNaughton said there are two issues when it comes to getting students to utilize its services.

“One, we’re not the easiest office to find location-wise. We’ve worked hard to improve our lighting and signage over the past year,” McNaughton said. “Second, many students simply believe they can put off career-related decisions until they’re ready to graduate.”

Lori Ahart, recent Kent State graduate, is thankful for her experience at the Career Services center.

“I went there when I didn’t know what to major in. They helped evaluate my interests and put me on the right track for what to do,” Ahart said. “It helped a lot and helped reassure me that although I might have disliked a few classes, I was where I wanted to be, and I had to stick it out.”

McNaughton said it is never too early to come visit. He said that freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors are all welcome, but the sooner you come in, the better. Career Services advises students to stop in as often as they would see their academic adviser.

“We can help students choose or change a major, get their resumes and cover letters in good shape for job and internship interviews, practice their interviewing skills, and learn how and where to network,” McNaughton said. “Our services are necessary and beneficial for each and every student on campus.”

On the Career Services website, many services are just a click away. There are resume tips, a salary calculator, a career assessment and much more.

The office is also available for drop-ins Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 to 4 p.m.

“I think everyone should go,” Ahart said. “A lot of times students pick a major because they think it will be easy or they’ll make a lot of money or someone else tells them that’s what they should do. At the end of the day, they need to do something that makes them happy and fits their personality and interests, and career services helps them do that.”

The difference between “a job” and “the job” could just be a walk to the Schwartz Center.

“One of the top answers on recent graduate surveys nationwide to the question, ‘What would you have done differently if you could go back to college?’ is always, ‘I would have gone to Career Services sooner,’” McNaughton said.

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Contact Alex Lomicka at [email protected].