CoLA Career Development

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Last Updated: Mar 25, 2025, 01:28 PM

CoLA is dedicated to providing career development opportunities for students. Please view the resources below. If you have any questions, reach out to Rachel Wolters, Coordinator for Recruitment and Retention.

SIU's Career Development Center has numerous resources for students. They host employment events; have information on internships, externships, and experiential education; have lists of job search links; help students develop professional skills such as creating resumes/CVs and cover letters; host interview opportunities; and offer a professional clothing closet.

 Image of man in a suit in a busy city.

Focus 2

CoLA students have access to the Focus 2 career development platform. This resource uses self-assessments to bridge a student's interests, major, and career paths.

  • CoLA Majors: Use the platform to identify your skill set and strengths. View potential careers with your major, and view current occupational information including average salaries and job outlooks.
  • CoLA Undecided Students: Use the platform to identify your skill set and strengths. Consider majors at SIU that match your interests, and view potential careers for those majors. View current occupational information including average salaries and job outlooks. 

Login through the Focus 2 Career Link. 

CREATING AN ACCOUNT AND LOGIN
All new users must create an account by clicking on the “REGISTER” button on the above Link and fill out the "Create Your Focus 2 Career Account" form. An access code is required to submit the form. If you have not been given the access code, please email Rachel Wolters (rachelw@siu.edu) for the code and further login instructions.

Focus 2 has 4 main sub-areas on the home page.

  • Career Planning Foundations: Three assessments to begin career planning that analyze your current place in the process.
  • Self-Assessment: Five assessments that evaluate your interests and personality. Students most often choose to do Work Interest, Values, Personality, and Skills. Highest priority is the Work Interest assessment.
  • Explore the Possibilities: This section ties majors and occupations together.
    • The section titled "What Can I Do with a Major in...Offered at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale" shows career options for all majors at SIU. 
    • "What Can I Do if I Majored In..." groups majors by categories.
    • "Explore Any Occupation" and "Explore Occupations by Job Family" allows students to view information and data for specific jobs. This section can be especially useful for CoLA majors.
    • "Compare 2 Occupations Side by Side" allows students visually compare occupations that might be similar to help them choose a specific career path.
  • Take Action: This section allows students to input information related to their Education and Professional Development. This is a good place to start organizing information and materials that you will need for the job market.