The mission of Career Development Services (CDS) is to prepare students to be successful in the workplace. Our staff provide students with tools and resources to explore careers, learn about required skills and credentials, gain meaningful experience and connect to employers. 
 
Career Advisors meet with LSSC students and alumni to work on the following:

• Career readiness planning
• Career exploration and major selection
• University transfer preparation 
• Resume/cover letter writing and creating a digital career portfolio
• Interviewing skills
• Professional networking
• Job search strategies
• Internships and Workplace learning experiences

Students can schedule an appointment to meet with a Career Advisor by:

• Starfish 
• Email: careers@lssc.edu
• Call the main office: (352) 323-3603

Career Exploration

Choosing a career path starts with understanding your personal characteristics and traits, your interests, your skills and what’s important to you. Career assessments are a great way to start your exploration. Current LSSC students can access free career assessments through Pathful Explore via Canvas. After identifying career options, the next step is to conduct research to learn about general and specific job requirements, earning outcomes, job outlook and industry trends. Students are encouraged to meet with a Career Advisor to discuss the results of their career assessments and develop a career research guide. 

Gaining Relevant Experience

Career readiness involves understanding the core knowledge, skills and abilities of your chosen career field and being able to demonstrate these competencies to employers. Work-based learning is an excellent way to put into practice concepts learned in the classroom, strengthen soft skills, expand your professional network, and access future job opportunities. There are many ways to gain related experience including internships, practicums or clinical rotations, project-based learning, employment, and community volunteer work. Career Development Services can assist students identify opportunities that fit your career goals.

Job Search Resources

A productive and successful job search takes preparation. Formatting your resume to showcase your skills is important to landing an interview. You want to effectively answer interview questions to communicate your qualifications and make a great impression, that takes practice! CDS has resources and tools to help students prepare, connect to employers and tailor their job search. LSSC students and alumni are invited to participate in on-campus employer events and have access to Lakehawk Career Connect, our online career portal where you can submit a resume for critique, create an e-Portfolio, search for job opportunities and more! 
 
To learn more about Career Development Services 

• Stop by our main office located at the Leesburg Campus in Health Science Center, Suite 110
• Visit our web page at www.lssc.edu/careers
• Browse our Canvas shell
• Follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter