Meet Deanna Goddard, the associate director of the Warrior Success Center (WSC). Deanna has a Bachelor of Arts in English and Psychology from Winona State University and a Master’s in Counseling and Student Personnel from Minnesota State University, Mankato. She has worked at the WSC for a little over 8 years, since July of 2010.
Her Campus (HC): Let’s start off with an easy question: tell us a little about yourself!
Deanna Goddard (DG): I currently work in the Warrior Success Center at Winona State University as the Associate Director for Career Services. I received my Bachelors degree at Winona State University and am a proud first-generation WSU Alum. I received my Masters in Counseling and Student Personnel from Minnesota State University, Mankato. I was born and raised in Minnesota, and I enjoy living and working in Winona.
HC: As Associate Director of the WSC, what are some of your responsibilities/ what do you do in your position?
DG: I oversee the programs, services and resources relating to career development on campus. I meet with students to talk about exploring careers and majors, locating jobs and internships, preparing for grad school applications and the job search process, and general career advice. I am certified in administering the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) assessment, the Strong Interest Inventory (SII) assessment, and am a Gallup-certified Strengths Coach. I share the results of these assessments with students to help them with their career choices. I present in classrooms and at club meetings on a wide array of career development topics. I organize career development programming, which includes Resume Rush and Mock Interview Mondays. And, I oversee our recruiting program on campus which includes our WSU Part-time Job Fair and Warrior Jobs Expo, as well as employer Meet & Greets and company interviews. I also maintain relations with employers and represent Winona State University at consortium fairs, for example the MN Government and Nonprofit Career Fair coming up on October 19.
HC: The WSC offers four primary services: Advising, Career, Access, and Tutoring. What are some of the most common services used by students? What else can students make appointments for and/or learn more about in the department?
DG: Some of the most common reasons students schedule career appointments for are resume and cover letter reviews, exploring majors and careers, graduate school application support, and career assessments (MBTI, SII, Strengths). We are seeing more students coming in to learn how to create a LinkedIn account or have their LinkedIn profile reviewed. Students can also make appointments to create a job or internship search strategy, learn about the current trends in specific careers, and locate career resources.
HC: Students appear not take full advantage of the WSC’s services or often have barely heard of it. Why should students take advantage of the services provided in this department? Are they able to utilize the services after they graduate from Winona State?
DG: Often students will come to the Warrior Success Center when there is an immediate need for career support. Sometimes that support is with changing a major before registration week or needing assistance with writing a resume a day or two before a job application deadline. The approach is reactionary. This often happens when a student is balancing school work, college life, maybe a part-time job, and a job/internship search. Deadlines can quickly approach with little notice. I would recommend that students take a proactive approach and schedule an appointment to get organized, particularly when it comes to their job search. A career advisor can help a student create a job search strategy and then coach and support them throughout their search, even after they graduate.
Career Services offers a full recruiting program where employers come to campus to meet students and interview them for positions. One aspect of the recruiting program is Meet & Greets. Meet & Greets are drop in meetings where students can come and pick up materials, learn about the career opportunities with a company or the graduate programs with a university, and ask questions. Attendance at them is often low. Sometimes this is due to the time of the event; however, I wonder if meeting a representative in person is a little intimidating for some. After all, what do you say to a total stranger? This is where a career advisor can help. A career advisor can help you practice how to introduce yourself.
Most career services provided by the Warrior Success Center are free. We only charge for one off-campus fair, which is set by the colleges and universities who organize the event. If a student were to reach out for assistance outside of the university, it would most likely cost a fee to utilize similar services.
Recent graduates are also welcome to utilize our services free of charge; including attending our fairs, using online career and job search tools, and meeting with career advisors via phone/Skype or in person.
HC: On Oct.10 from 10:00a-2:00pm in East Room, the WSC is hosting its annual Warrior Jobs Expo. Can you explain what this is about? How can student get involved?
DG: The Warrior Jobs Expo is primarily a career fair with over 50 employers from a wide array of industries and several graduate programs. Each year career services has been adding additional features to the Expo. In the past, we added an option to have a professional photo taken. This year we are adding three workshops to help students learn about programs and receive advice about life after college. We have also given WSU alumni who are recruiting at the fair 2 purple tickets to give to students as guests at the WSU Alumni Social at 2:00pm that day. We will continue to grow and look to students to help us in determining what else we can provide that will be useful for them in their career journey. Students should send their ideas to career@winona.edu
Warrior Jobs Expo
Employer Booths – East Room Kryzsko Commons – 10:00 – 2:00pm
Professional Photos – Room B7, Phelps Hall – 10:00 – 1:00pm
LinkedIn Workshop – Dining Room B, Kryzsko Commons – 10:00 – 10:45am
Engage with the Warrior Network – Dining Room C&D, Kryzsko Commons – 11:00 – 11:45am
Finances After Graduation – Dining Room C&D, Kryzsko Commons – 12:00 – 12:45pm
WSU Alumni Social – Solarium, Kryzsko Commons – 2:00 – 3:30pm
HC: Do you have any tips or suggestions for the Jobs Expo? How should a student prepare for any job fair?
DG: I recommend stopping by the Warrior Success Center (Maxwell 314) for Resume Rush. We will review your resume so that it is polished for the Expo. Resume Rush is from 10am-3pm on Monday, Oct 8th and Tuesday, Oct. 9th. I would then print off a minimum of 10 resumes, twenty would be better. Plan to dress professionally and practice introducing yourself to employers. Research the companies and their positions ahead of time. Follow the Career Services Facebook page (www.facebook.com/WinonaCareer) or log into Warrior Jobs to see who is coming.
HC: What other events does the WSC sponsor, either on or off campus? Where can students find this information?
DG: I’ve already mentioned the MN Government & Nonprofit Career Fair which is on October 19th. We provide free round trip transportation. Students must sign up in Warrior Jobs if they want to travel with us.
We also host programming throughout the year. More information is always posted in Warrior Jobs and on our Facebook page. We are also starting to list events in WSU Connect on the Warrior Success and Career Services calendar. Feel free to follow us.
HC: Finally, what motivates you?
DG: That’s easy. Students. Nothing makes me more fulfilled in my job then to hear that a student was hired at the company of their choice or that a student who applied to their “reach” graduate school got accepted. When a student smiles because they realize they chose the right major or when they share that they had a positive experience practicing interview questions during Mock Interview Mondays, it brings me joy. Students are my motivation, always.
Be sure to take full advantage of these resources on campus to help you excel during your time here at Winona State and post-graduation to help you land your dream job! Also, take time to check out the Warrior Job Expo this week to get connected with companies and professionals—you never know what can come out of it!
WSU Warrior Jobs Expo
WHEN: October 10, 2018 from 10:00a- 2:00p
WHERE: East Room, Kryzsko Commons
Warrior Success Center
Click here for the WSC website
Maxwell 314
507.457.5878
warrior_success_center@winona.edu