6.5 Occupational Wellness

Occupational wellness brings about a sense of personal satisfaction and enrichment from things you are passionate about, whether it is through work, school, or volunteering. For college students, occupational wellness is not limited to a future career—it also includes part-time jobs, internships, leadership roles, and volunteer opportunities that contribute to skill-building and personal development. When students engage in experiences that align with their values and interests, they often feel more motivated and confident, which can positively influence their academic performance. Ask yourself, how often do you experience the following⁷:

1. I feel my job allows me to make a difference in the world.
2. I am happy with the professional/personal growth provided by my job.
3. I am happy with my work/life balance.
4. The payoffs/advantages in my career field choice are consistent with my values.
5. I am happy with the amount of control I have in my work.

Stages of Career Development

Identifying a career or potential career path is an important part of goal setting for college students.  Even if you may not know the specific job or career you want, integrating career exploration into your goal setting process can be helpful in thinking about course selection, and longer term financial planning and decision making.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that the average worker currently holds ten different jobs before age forty. This number is projected to grow. A prediction from Forrester Research is that today’s youngest workers will hold twelve to fifteen jobs in their lifetime and it is estimated that people will change their career an average of 5-7 times over their lifetime.

Career development is a journey.  It is the life long process of solidifying your work identity and it begins in childhood when you first identify the various occupations that people have in order to make a living, and spans, for most people well into adulthood as you encounter challenges or make decisions about your career and job opportunities.

Career Development Resources in Your College, Community, and Beyond

Career experts say that people will change careers (not to mention jobs) five to seven times in a lifetime. So your career will likely not be a straight and narrow path. Be sure to set goals and assess your interests, skills and values often. Seek opportunities for career growth and enrichment. And take advantage of the rich set of resources available to you. Below are just a few.

Career Development Office on Campus

Whether you are a student, a graduate, or even an employer, you can obtain invaluable career development assistance at your college or university. Campus career centers can support, guide, and empower you in every step of the career development process, from initial planning to achieving lifelong career satisfaction.

Books on Career Development

Going to college is one of the best steps you can take to prepare for a career. But soon-to-be or recently graduated students are not necessarily guaranteed jobs. Staying educated about strategies for developing your career and finding new jobs will help you manage ongoing transitions. The book The Secret to Getting a Job After College: Marketing Tactics to Turn Degrees into Dollars, by Larry Chiagouris, was written specifically to help recent grads increase their chances of finding a job right after college. It speaks to students in all majors and provides tips and tactics to attract the attention of an employer and successfully compete with other candidates to get the job you want.

The following video provides an introduction to the book. You can download a transcript of the video here.

Resumes & Cover Letters

Resumes and cover letters work together to represent you in the most positive light to prospective employers. With a well-composed résumé and cover letter, you stand out—which may get you an interview and then a good shot at landing a job.

Your resume is your professional profile. It will hold you in the most professional and positive light, and it’s designed to be a quick and easy way for a prospective employer to evaluate what you might bring to a job.  When written and formatted attractively, creatively, and legibly, your resume is what will get your foot in the door. You can be proud of your accomplishments, even if they don’t seem numerous. Let your resume reflect your enthusiasm,  personal pride, and professionalism. A resume is a “living document” and will change as your experiences and skills change.

A cover letter is a letter of introduction, usually 3–4 paragraphs in length, that you attach to your resume.  It’s a way of articulating to a potential employer why you are well suited for a position. Employers may look for individualized and thoughtfully written cover letters as an initial method of screening out applicants who may lack necessary basic skills, or who may not be sufficiently interested in the position.

For tips, tricks, and support in crafting your resume and cover letters, connect with Career Services.

Interview Preparation

Every interview you participate in will be unique: The people you meet with, the interview setting, and the questions you’ll be asked will all be different from interview to interview.

The various factors that characterize any given interview can contribute to the sense of adventure and excitement you feel. But it’s also normal to feel a little nervous about what lies ahead. With so many unknowns, how can you plan to “nail the interview” no matter what comes up?

A good strategy for planning is to anticipate the type of interview you may find yourself in. There are common formats for job interviews, described in detail, below. By knowing a bit more about each type and being aware of techniques that work for each, you can plan to be on your game no matter what form your interview takes.

Review the Job Description

When you prepare for an interview, your first step will be to carefully read and reread the job posting or job description. Use the job description to identify personal and professional qualities and experiences that will enable you to be successful in the job.  Use the job description to also formulate questions. This will help you develop a clearer idea of how you meet the skills and attributes the company seeks.

Research the Company or Organization

Researching the company will give you a wider view of what the company is looking for and how well you might fit in. Your prospective employer may ask you what you know about the company. Being prepared to answer this question shows that you took time and effort to prepare for the interview and that you have a genuine interest in the organization. It shows good care and good planning—soft skills you will surely need on the job.

Practice Answering Common Questions

Most interviewees find that practicing for the interview in advance with a family member, a friend, or a colleague eases possible nerves during the actual interview. It also creates greater confidence when you walk through the interview door.

Be Confident

Above all, interviewees should be confident and “courageous.” By doing so you make a strong first impression. As the saying goes, “There is never a second chance to make a first impression.”

Strategies for Networking

In the context of career development, networking is the process by which people build relationships with one another for the purpose of helping one another achieve professional goals. Networking is a powerful tool in the job search process; experts estimate that 70-85% of jobs are filled through networking.2

Networking can occur anywhere and at any time. In fact, your network expands with each new relationship you establish. And the networking strategies you can employ are nearly limitless. With imagination and ingenuity, your networking can be highly successful.

Once you acknowledge the value of networking, the challenge is figuring out how to do it. What is your first step? Whom do you contact? What do you say? How long will it take? Where do you concentrate your efforts? How do you know if your investments will pay off?

Your college or university offers many opportunities for career development and exploring job opportunities starting with your classroom experience. Getting to know your professors and communicating with instructors is a valuable way to learn about a career and also get letters of reference if and when needed for a job. Professors can also give you leads on job openings, internships, and research possibilities. Most instructors will readily share information and insights with you.

In addition to faculty and instructors, classmates and alumni are valuable parts of your network. Classmates may or may not share your major, but many of them may have leads that could help you. Joining an on campus club can be a way to connect with others who have similar personal and career interests. If you don’t find an existing club, consider starting one. You could be just one conversation away from a good lead.  Reach out to your alumni office. You may find that some alumni are affiliated with your field of interest and can give you the “inside scoop.”

If you are currently employed and interested in exploring and expanding future job opportunities consider joining professional organizations.  You can meet many influential people at local and national meetings and events of professional and volunteer organizations. Learn about these organizations. See if they have membership discounts for students, or student chapters. Once you are a member, you may have access to membership lists, which can give you prospective access to many new people to network with.

If you don’t currently have a job or do not have a job in a field that you would like to have a long term career in, consider volunteering or finding an internship.  Volunteering is an excellent way to meet new people who can help you develop your career, even if the organization you are volunteering with is not in your field. By working alongside others and working toward common goals, you build relationships that may later serve you in unforeseen and helpful ways. Many organizations offer internship positions to college students. Some of these positions are paid, but often they are not. Paid or not, you gain experience relevant to your career, and you potentially make many new contacts.

Working full-time may be your ultimate goal, but you may want to fill in some cracks or crevices by working in a part-time job. Invariably you will meet people who can feasibly help with your networking goals. And you can gain good experience along the way, which can also be noted on your résumé. Check your college career center website. Many have online job boards for full and part-time employment.

Finally, don’t underestimate the power of informational interviews.  Informational interviews are a way to initiate contact with people in your chosen field who can tell you about their experiences of entering the field and thriving in it. Many websites have guidance on how to plan and conduct these interviews.

Citations

1. Networking. Provided by: Lumen Learning. Located at: https://courses.lumenlearning.com/collegesuccess-lumen/chapter/networking-2/. License: CC BY: Attribution.
2. Belli, G. (2017, April 06). How Many Jobs Are Found Through Networking, Really? Retrieved from https://www.payscale.com/career-news/2017/04/many-jobs-found-networking
3. Dillon, Dave. Blueprint for Success in College and Career. OER Commons. https://press.rebus.community/blueprint2/. CC BY 4.0.
4. Career Development. Provided by: Lumen Learning. Located at: https://courses.lumenlearning.com/collegesuccess-lumen/chapter/career-development-2/. License: CC BY: Attribution.
5. Resumes and Cover Letters. Provided by: Lumen Learning. Located at: https://courses.lumenlearning.com/collegesuccess-lumen/chapter/resumes-and-cover-letters/. License: CC BY: Attribution.
6. Interviewing. Provided by: Lumen Learning. Located at: https://courses.lumenlearning.com/collegesuccess-lumen/chapter/interviewing-2/. License: CC BY: Attribution.
7. Wellness Services. (2025, May 15). Dimensions of Wellness. Wellness Services. https://www.boisestate.edu/wellness/dimensions/