Lined with colorful flyers announcing various job openings, the Job Placement Center, located on the second floor of the San Rafael building, has resources to help students and alumni find jobs and suitable internships and prepare resumes.

The Job Placement Center helps students find jobs on and off campus. On average, 800 students work off and on campus through the center. Just walking by, students can notice and read flyers for job positions such as police officer trainees, retail store sales associates, and even tutors.

When looking for off-campus jobs, students can come in and give their ID number, which grants them free access to MonsterTrack, a search engine that is geared specifically towards GCC students and is part of www.monster.com. Employers call and post job opportunities on the site.

Students can also learn to create their own profile, resume and cover letter, and even receive career tips. They can also look through a binder that lists openings and positions. Many employers such as the Gap and Home Depot send recruiters on campus to find students who are interested in working with them. Alumni can also come in and are assisted with getting a job off campus.

For students looking for on- campus work, it is more difficult. On-campus jobs are in high demand and most students that are currently employed at the college are in places such as the planetarium, the student store, the library and the biology lab.

According to Kathy Kostjal, who helps students and alumni find jobs, “it’s gotten to the point where I can say yes or no to a student on the spot.” But many students still have a chance. “The more often you come in, the better,” Kostjal added.

Students are given on-campus jobs depending on their qualifications and department preferences. Tereza Shiroyan, who works in the admissions office answering phones, filing and making copies, said, “It would have been more difficult to find a job if the center had not helped.” She found out about the position, scheduled an interview and was hired.

Once a student gets the job, he or she has to fill out the necessary paperwork so they can begin receiving payment. The college pays the student’s wages; they may also be paid through grants.

Students can also find work through the English, ESL and Math Collaborative Learning Program, which allows college students to visit schools in the Glendale Unified School District and tutor students who need the extra help.

Students looking for internships must first be enrolled in Internship 105. The student receives college credits and pays tuition for the internship. They come to the Job Placement Center and tell the counselor what discipline they want credit in. Some of the courses with internships available include media arts, education, and journalism, with jobs that can range from working at the Jet Propulsion lab to a magazine.

The student’s work is overseen by a work supervisor who keeps track of the number of hours the student works.

“Students also have faculty advisors to help the student at the internship site and make sure they’re doing valid work for their major,” said program director Andra Verstraete.

At the end of the internship, there is a final project depending on the student’s workplace. For instance, students working at JPL, who are mostly from the physics department, do actual research and make a presentation to the scientists there. One student who had an internship with the Glendale News-Press put together a portfolio of all her published work as her final project.

There is also an employment program available for students who need financial aid. The Federal Work Study Program, also known as the FWSP, is part of the financial aid program and helps students find jobs on campus to help pay for tuition and other costs.

A student’s ability to qualify for this program is determined by their FAFSA and other financial aid information. Any student seeking employment may find a job by visiting the center.

For more information, call 240-1000 ext. 5194 or visit www.glendale.edu/jobplace.