PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAM STUDENTS
Professional Education Program students can build expertise in specific subject areas and prepare to earn certifications through our 30+ industry-demanded non-credit programs and courses.
Our resources are crafted and selected for you as experienced students and professionals. No matter if you are short on time or in need of deep dive into a career development topic, we have the resources you need.
CAREER COACHING
Access a masters-level career counselor to provide personalized, one-on-one support for your professional needs. Appointments are available virtually or on campus. Coaching sessions will be held by Deana Andrews, Assistant Director, Career Management. Please note: CPS students enrolled in a full program are eligible for two career coaching sessions and students enrolled in a single course are eligible for one coaching session. Students enrolled as event-only registrants are not eligible for career coaching. Each coaching session may be scheduled as a 30- or 60-minute session; however, students are limited to their eligible number of sessions regardless of session length choice and must schedule all sessions before the course or program’s end date.
*VIISTA students are not eligible for career coaching until they are enrolled in the third module.
DEANA ANDREWS, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF CAREER MANAGEMENT - PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION STUDENTS
About Deana:
Deana brings over 20 years of experience in Human Resources, including executive coaching, leadership development, and mergers/acquisitions. She’s previously worked for small start-up technology companies as well as a Fortune 5 company. Prior to joining the Villanova Career Management team, she was Vice President of People Solutions for a healthcare technology company.
Deana began her career in higher education, working in Admissions at St. Joseph’s University as well as Student Services at Rosemont College. She has her undergraduate degree in Political Science and her graduate degree in Training and Organizational Development, both from St. Joseph’s University.
RESOURCES
Resume Workshop for Experienced Professionals
Has it been a while since you brushed up your resume? Learn how to think like a recruiter when updating it. Review the basic rules of resume writing, plus cover tips to customize it so each line stands out to the hiring manager. This recorded workshop, developed by Villanova’s Career Management team, will demonstrate practical suggestions to enhance your resume and review best practices for cover letter writing.
Resume Checklist
Review this Resume Checklist for Experienced Professionals and update your resume in no time!
Cover Letter Workshop
A well-written cover letter can make your application stand out from the crowd. Hear from Meredith Okenquist '96, Director of Career Management, on tips to write an effective cover letter. This session primarily covers a deep dive into resume writing; the cover letter best practices are toward the end at 41:15 minutes along.
Cover Letter Checklist
Use this Cover Letter Checklist to get your cover letter ready for your next career step!
The Nova Network is Villanova’s social and professional network and home to nearly 20,000 alumni, students, faculty and staff. CPS students may search the community by company, city, or industry of interest and directly connect for a networking meeting.
Nova Network houses on-demand workshops and checklists on best practices on resume writing, LinkedIn, interviewing, offer negotiation and more. These are tailored to the experienced professional. CPS students may also choose from 45+ groups in industry, region or experiential communities to connect with Villanovans and stay current.
Leverage LinkedIn
Did you know 90 percent of recruiters regularly use LinkedIn? Is your profile standing out to them? In a recorded webinar delivered by Director of Career Management, Meredith Okenquist ‘96, she covers best practices for building or revising a standout profile. Designed for experienced students and professionals like you, tips were shared on how to make connections, engage in groups, be found by relevant employers, and network your way to continued success on LinkedIn.
Short on time? Check out our recorded webinar.
Networking Checklist
If you’re wondering where else to make connections, how to deepen professional relationships and eager to learn best practices for engaging in impactful networking conversations, Villanova has a practical checklist for you.
Are you anticipating a career transition? There are so many resources, search engines and sources of information out there. This presentation is delivered by the Director of Career Management, Meredith Okenquist ’96, who will help you navigate your way through the job search and share Villanova’s trusted and vetted resources with you to ensure you are preparing for continued career success through an ever-changing market. Industries thriving under current conditions will be discussed for consideration.
Handshake
This mobile career management platform intuitively connects you to relevant opportunities based on your profile, interests and search activity. Through Handshake, you can apply for positions, explore companies and connections and sign up for career fairs and workshops all in one place.
Trusted External Job Search Engine
Looking for jobs in a few different locations? Want to find contact information for people who work at employers of interest? Through Villanova, you have access to search internship and job listings as well as company and people profiles from all around the web in one place with CareerShift. With CareerShift, you can:
- Search, select and store job listings from all job boards and all company job postings.
- Get up-to-date contact information, including e-mail addresses, for millions of companies.
- Create personal marketing campaigns, including unlimited resumes and cover letters easily, and save them to access, print or e-mail.
We often recommend using CareerShift in conjunction with accessing the opportunities and resources available in Handshake. Check it out and talk with a career counselor about how you can incorporate this tool into your search.
Career Planning for PhD, Post PhD students and Postdoctoral Scholars
Ph.D. Candidates: Explore a partial list of popular resources if you are seeking to launch careers outside of academia.
Explore ImaginePhD, a free online career exploration and planning tool for PhD students and postdoctoral scholars in the humanities and social sciences.
Interviewing Workshop for Experienced Professionals
So, you’ve landed the interview? Great news! Now, learn how to land the position by brushing up on your interview skills. This presentation will cover the stages of the interview which start long before the phone screen. Learn how to properly research the employer, prepare to communicate your examples and evaluate transferrable skills and resources Villanova offers you for practicing these skills. Lastly, learn about critical follow-up steps that were once deemed optional.
Prepare and Practice Interviewing Online
The Villanova University Career Center is pleased to offer a training system that features a new and innovative way to help students prepare more effectively for job interviews.
Big Interview is an online system that combines training and practice to help improve interview techniques and build confidence. Check out this demonstration to get the most from the resource.
Through Big Interview, CPS students have at their disposal a variety of tools including:
- Challenging, virtual mock interviews for all experience levels and dozens of industries
- A database of thousands of interview questions with tips on how to answer them
- The ability to rate and share interview answers for feedback
- A comprehensive video training curriculum covering all aspects of landing a job
- A step-by-step interview Answer Builder for crafting answers to behavioral questions
Interviewing Checklist
Short on time? Check out this Interviewing Checklist for Experienced Professionals for quick and easy steps to prepare for your next interview!
To Register:
- Go to villanova.biginterview.com and click "Register" in the upper right-hand corner.
- Complete the registration process using your Villanova email address. If you use another email address (Gmail, Ymail, etc.), your access will not be approved.
- After registering, you'll receive a confirmation email at your Villanova email address. Click "Verify" in the email, and you'll be able to start using Big Interview.
The final phase of a job search can be both exciting and intimidating. Both you and your new employer want to land on an agreement that is mutually beneficial and sustainable. This presentation will cover negotiation considerations for compensation, benefits, sign-on bonuses and more. In this recorded webinar presented by Director of Career Management, Meredith Okenquist ’96, we take a deep dive into all the elements of a job offer that you can consider for a negotiation with your new employer.
HELPFUL CHECKLISTS
Below are two additional resources for students to utilize.