Career Information

Career Advising/Exploration

One of the most important decisions students make in college is deciding upon a major and/or career. Students applying to the business school are required to indicate, on the application, which business major they plan to complete. Delaying this decision could impact four-year graduation plans.

The career planning process begins with a student's first semester at UW–Madison. Course selection, career exploration, developing relationships with faculty who can serve as employment and graduate school references, on-campus employment, and internships are all part of the process. Listed on this page are a few professional on-campus resources pre-business and business students may utilize to plan their majors and careers.

• Cross College Advising Center
• Exploration Center
• Business Career Center
• Career Collection: College Majors and Careers
• Internship Information
• Internship Credit (Gen Bus 450)

Cross-College Advising Center (CCAS)

Room 10 Ingraham Hall
608-265-5460, http://www.ccas.wisc.edu/

CCAS serves as a one-stop-shop for academic information about all possible majors and programs across campus, and provides academic advising to students researching potential majors.

Exploration Center for Majors and Careers (EC)

Room 6 Ingraham Hall
608-265-5460, www.ccas.wisc.edu/exploration.php

The Exploration Center goes further in depth in assisting students who are just beginning to search for a major or are re-thinking their current major choice. The EC also provides assistance for students considering a few potential majors and needing to narrow their choices. In addition, this office can aid students who are interested in integrating their major with potential careers.

When using the EC, you will find:

1. Info about different majors and programs of study at UW-Madison.
2. A wide variety of career information (including international careers) in the form of books, videos, vocational biographies, and career files.
3. Career guidance tools including computerized programs, inventories, print resources, etc.
4. Programs designed to assist with and educate about choosing a major, career exploration, careers in medicine, international opportunities, and careers in the helping professions.
5. Advisors, resources and information to help students navigate the career development process.

Business Career Center (BCC)

Room 3290 Grainger Hall
608-262-2550, www.bus.wisc.edu/career

The BCC is the career services office for students interested in any of the 10 School of Business majors. The BCC may help students:

1. Identify which business major to pursue.
2. Edit resumes and cover letters.
3. Identify job opportunities and internships.
4. Prepare for interviews.
5. Meet with recruiters hiring students in the BCC and network at career fairs.

The BCC hosts Business Basics Seminars focusing on career development each September/October and in January/February, plans career fairs, and coordinates on-campus interviews with prospective employers for business students.

In order to utilize the BCC, students must be registered with BCCnet. To learn more about registration for the BCC and other pertinent information, visit the website at: www.bus.wisc.edu/career/. Specific seminar information can be found at: www.bus.wisc.edu/career/events/BCAM

The BCC offers a particularly useful tool, CareerLeader™, which helps students research business majors. Using comprehensive information on 27 business careers, this web-based instrument combines your unique pattern of interests, values, and abilities to recommend specific business careers for you to research further. CareerLeader is currently free for business students registered on BCCnet (including non-business students with a business academic advisor).

The Career FAQ answers additional questions about BCC services.

Career Collection: College Majors and Careers

Helen C. White Hall
600 N. Park St.
Madison, WI 53706

http://college.library.wisc.edu/collections/career/majors.html

Over 1,000 books on writing resumes and cover letters, preparing for interviews, job hunting, and choosing and preparing for a career are contained in the College Library Career Collection. Additional career exploration resources are listed toward the end of the web page.