The final years of college often come with an unspoken pressure: figuring out life after graduation. At Concordia, the Career Center helps ease the uncertainty by helping students prepare early, explore their options, and develop the skills necessary to succeed beyond college. 

Mariah Lucas, Director of Career Development & Vocation, said, “The Career Center’s approach to advising is grounded in openness, curiosity and optimism.” Rather than pressuring students to have a clear path from the start, advisors encourage students to explore, reassuring them that uncertainty is a normal part of the process. 

“We help students explore their options with curiosity while reassuring them they’re on the right track and will figure things out,” Lucas said. She added that the Career Center takes a holistic approach, considering the personal and life circumstances students may be navigating when making career decisions. 

One of the biggest challenges Lucas sees among students is waiting until senior year to gain professional experience. While coursework is important, delaying internships or work opportunities can put students at a disadvantage when entering the workforce. 

“Ideally, students should have one to two years of experience before graduating,” Lucas said. The Career Center supports this goal by encouraging students to pursue internships, part-time jobs and other experiential learning opportunities early in their college career. 

Career support is tailored to students across all majors through close collaboration with the staff members. Lucas explained that the Career Center works with academic departments to understand which skills employers in each field seek. She explained how they “reverse engineer” employer expectations so students are better prepared for the workforce. 

A growing focus of the Career Center is helping students understand the importance of professionalism and first impressions. According to Lucas, employers are reporting that some students may struggle with basics such as eye contact, small talk, professional demeanor and phone usage during interviews. These factors can significantly affect students when making hiring decisions. 

“First impressions are difficult to undo,” Lucas said. She noted that some employers have shared examples of interviews ending early due to unprofessional behavior, such as wearing AirPods or using a phone during the interview. 

Lucas added that these concerns reflect broader national conversations about workplace readiness. She noted that Forbes highlighted that 75% of companies find that their Gen Z hires may lack professionalism, motivation, organizational skills and communication skills. To combat these preconceptions, the Career Center offers mock interviews, workshops, one-on-one coaching, job search strategies and access to AI-powered tools such as Hiration. 

Throughout the year, the Career Center hosts a wide range of events and workshops to prepare students for life after college. These events include resume and LinkedIn reviews, major exploration workshops, summer experience fairs, open house, and employer panels. The Career Center’s next event, “What Can I Do With This Major?” is on Thurs, Jan. 29, at 2 p.m. 

“I really enjoy getting the email of  ‘Got the job!’ or ‘I got accepted into grad school!’ Most of them make me cry,” said Lucas, “Because I am rooting for our students… they come in and share that they are nervous or anxious about applying, and we go through the resume reviews and mock interviews for it to all pay off and for them… it’s really special.” 

By encouraging early preparation, professionalism and exploration, the Career Center continues to support students as they transition from college to their future careers. Learn more about the Career Center and the services available at cui.edu/studentlife/career-services.

Tags: Careers and Vocation, graduation

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