Saint Louis University Career Services is here to help you begin a process of self-exploration that can help you better make decisions about majors and careers. At SLU, we are committed to delivering excellent career counseling and content, related to your professional and vocational development.
Mission Statement: We facilitate career-related interactions to prepare Saint Louis University students and alumni for life-long success.
Vision Statement: Assist all Saint Louis University students in discovering their higher purpose for the greater good.
Career counselors are available for virtual appointments covering any career-related topic (mock interviews, resume and cover letter review, career counseling, career planning, job or internship search, and much more).
Make a Career Counseling/One-on-One Appointment
Current students should schedule an appointment on Navigate360 and note their preferred modality in the appointment comments.
Current students can schedule with one of the following methods:
- Phone Appointment: Provide the 10-digit phone number you will be using. When necessary, phone appointments will be conducted via Zoom, but students can call in using their cell phone or landline.
- Zoom Meeting (voice or video): The career counselor will email you with a link to the Zoom meeting.
Alumni can request an appointment through Handshake.
For alumni Handshake account requests, please email handshake@slu.edu including your full name, graduation year, and program of study in your message.
For appointments covering document review, please email your documents to the career counselor before the meeting.
Job Search
Career counselors are available to assist you in your plans for the future and all of the steps along the way. Schedule an appointment on Navigate360 to meet with a career counselor six to 12 months before graduation to create your plan of action:
- Develop a resume and cover letter
- Create a job search plan
- Participate in a mock interview
- Learn salary negotiation skills and other job search techniques
- Gain experience networking with employers
You can also learn how to access reciprocal career services available from colleges and universities in parts of the country where you are interested in finding a job.
Internship Search
Career counselors are available to help you as you search to gain experience through internships. Schedule an appointment on Navigate360 with a career counselor to help you:
- Discuss an experience that fits with your career goals
- Develop a resume and cover letter
- Learn how to conduct an effective search for available internships
- Learn about the interviewing process and participate in a mock interview
Career Services staff will review resumes, cover letters, and other professional documents virtually. Feedback might take up to 72 business hours. Receive feedback through any of these options:
- Upload your document to Handshake and receive feedback via Handshake message and document review status updates.
- Schedule a virtual appointment and receive live feedback from a career counselor.
- Attend virtual drop-ins.
Make a Resume and Cover Letter Review Appointment
Email your documents to career_services@slu.edu and a staff member will email feedback.
Career assessments can help you learn about yourself so that you can make more informed career decisions. The results of your assessment will not make the decision for you or tell you what career is right for you but can provide additional guidance. All assessments will be interpreted by your career counselor based on your individual situation.
SLU Career Services offers the following assessments:
- Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI): This personality assessment can help you understand your individual personality type and can point you in some possible career directions.
- Strong Interest Survey: This assessment can help you identify interest areas to see how they align with individuals working in various career fields.
- StrengthsQuest: This assessment can help you discover, understand and maximize your strengths.
Learn More About Career Assessments
Call our office at 314-977-2828 if you are interested in taking an assessment. An appointment is required.
On-Campus Student Employment
How do I know if I am Federal Work-Study eligible?
- Check with Student Financial Services for instructions on completing your FAFSA. Once approved, your eligibility will be listed in Banner.
Am I guaranteed a job if I am Federal Work-Study eligible?
- Not necessarily. Many departments do prefer or require positions be filled with students in the Federal Work-Study Program, but you still need to apply and interview.
Can I still apply for on-campus jobs if I am not Federal Work-Study eligible?
- Yes, but you should be aware that there are fewer campus jobs available for noneligible students.
What should I do if I haven’t heard back from a hiring department?
- We recommend following up with a department within one week of applying. Ask if there is a time frame in which you can expect to hear back from the department contact. Be assertive but not overly aggressive.
Success Stories
Lauren Favell
by Noah Jones on 9/26/24
Lauren Favell graduated from Saint Louis University with a bachelor’s in medical sciences. Favell is pursuing a master’s in biomedical engineering from Southern Illinois University Carbondale, and she recently worked as a biologics analytical research and development intern at Merck. Through this internship, Favell has been offered a full-time position as a scientist after graduation.
At SLU, Favell volunteered and held various roles in her sorority, Kappa Delta, and she was the vice president of the recruitment team for the Panhellenic Executive Board. In this role, she led training sessions for recruitment counselors. This experience helped her grow her organizational leadership skills and provided her with experience in a teamwork setting. At SIUC, she is staying just as involved as a graduate assistant and a volunteer in a neuroengineering research lab that studies mechanosensitive ion channels on cell membranes. This volunteering opportunity led her to acquire the technical lab skills required for her internship. Favell explained that while technical skills are important, employers also want to know that you work well with other people.
Favell’s interest in biomedical engineering began when she decided to take some engineering courses during her senior year at SLU. She was very interested and had natural talent in these classes. Biomedical engineering, then, seemed like a natural way to combine her medical science background with her newfound interest. She also discussed her experience with Career Services during her time at SLU and explained that they assisted with formatting her resume. She also attended career fairs that allowed her to connect with recruiters and employers in the area.
Favell’s advice to new SLU students is to seek out research and internship opportunities early in their college journeys, explaining that these opportunities are beneficial no matter what one’s career goals are. She said this because “the job market can be very competitive, and any type of experience can give you a leg up compared to other applicants if you know how to leverage it on your resume and in an interview.”
Brittany Sowards
by Noah Jones on 8/29/24
Brittany Sowards graduated from SLU with a bachelor's, then a master's degree in occupational therapy, and a minor in interprofessional experience. Since 2021, Sowards has been working at Cornerstone Pediatric Therapy, a home health company that provides occupational, physical, and speech therapy across the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex.
Sowards is currently a pediatric occupational therapist, lead occupational therapist, graduate school liaison, lead expansion liaison, and is part of the hiring team. Some of her responsibilities include evaluating patients, validating documentation, recruiting and interviewing therapists, assisting with the onboarding of new therapists in her county, organizing fieldwork experiences, and working with students and universities to form relationships with students and alumni in the field.
While Sowards was in school, she received many awards, including the Spirit of The Billiken Award and the Professional Excellence in Leadership Award. She was also part of Alpha Eta Society, Omicron Delta Kappa Leadership Honor Society, Order of Omega Honor Society, and the National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS). She also completed many internships, the vast majority in the field of pediatrics.
Sowards explained that Career Services “opened many doors” for her and helped her showcase her experience and skills. She frequently came to Career Services for assistance and even visited for resume revisions after she had graduated.
Sowards' advice to new students at SLU is to “take yourself seriously” because those around will do the same. She also explains that people can find the right position by “doing, exploring, and learning.”
Lindsey Debosik
by Noah Jones on 7/31/24
Lindsey Debosik, a 2021 graduate, double majored in public health and health management, with minors in social work and urban poverty studies, during her time at SLU.
Currently, Debosik is a Presidential Management Fellow at the U.S. Department of Justice. pmf.gov describes this opportunity as “the Federal Government's premier leadership development program for advanced degree holders across all academic disciplines.” She is also a Financial Consultant at Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, a volunteer at Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC), and a hospital accompaniment volunteer at Doorways for those who have experienced sexual assault or domestic violence.
Debosik explained that, as a first-generation student, she relied heavily on Career Services at SLU. Career Services assisted her in deciding her majors and minors, assisted with her resume, and helped her gather job application resources. She also shared that Career Services helped her gain practical tools and confidence to develop professionally.
Debosik’s best advice for students at SLU is to “utilize all of the resources at your disposal. There is always room for improvement; I still, today, ask several peers and mentors to review my resume, assist with mock interviews, and provide information on my professional pursuits.”
Mónica Bates
by Noah Jones on 7/3/24
Mónica Bates, a Spring 2024 graduate, received her Master of Public Health - M.P.H., Maternal/Child Health and Global Health, and has recently accepted a position with the City of St. Louis Department of Health. Last month, she joined the communicable disease team as a program representative!
Bates’ best piece of advice to new college students is to network early, and she spent much of her time at SLU doing just that.
Bates belonged to the Maternal and Child Health Student Interest Group (MCH SIG), the Student Outbreak Response Team (SORT), and the Student Association for Public Health (SAPH), where she connected with many other Master of Public Health students.
Bates also participated in many research projects, which included several external projects. Two of the organizations she collaborated with were the St. Louis Area Diaper Bank, an organization focused on increasing access to basic hygiene items, and International HELP, an organization with the goal of ending death from preventable diseases.
She described the skills and connections she made through these experiences as invaluable and explained that they allowed her to gain valuable insights and opportunities.
Akash Shah
by Noah Jones on 5/31/24
Akash Shah, M.H.S.A., a newly promoted senior consultant at Deloitte, is a proud alumnus of Saint Louis University, where he earned a degree in health management and policy and minored in public health and biology.
At Deloitte, Shah focuses on large-scale operations and technology transformations, partnering with health care providers and health plans to improve efficiency, reduce cost, and enhance the quality of care given. SLU provided Shah with the foundational knowledge that prepared him for his previous experiences, including his time as a clinical technician, the master's program he pursued after, and his current role. He recounted that one class, Health Management and Policy 1300 with Kevin Syberg, had an especially profound impact on his career trajectory. HMP 1300 introduces students to the challenges faced in health care systems, the inner workings of private and public systems, the operations of hospitals and clinics, and the role professionals play. Learning about all of this opened Shah's eyes to the state of the U.S. healthcare system as a whole, and inspired him to do his part in creating more equity, affordability and accessibility for patients.
Shah was also very involved on campus during his time at SLU. He served as president and VP of finance for Alpha Iota Omicron, and belonged to the SLU Lions Club and the Indian Student Association.
Shah's advice to new students is to make the most of every opportunity, as no two days in college are the same. He also encourages students to enjoy and cherish their free time and moments with friends “because four years of college will fly by in a blink of an eye.”
Ashlee K. Roberts, Ph.D.
by Noah Jones on 4/18/24
Here is the story of higher-education professional Ashlee K. Roberts, Ph.D., executive director of Student affairs, strategic planning, and initiatives at Stockton University in New Jersey. She leads the division’s planning, resource-allocation, and communication strategies to demonstrate their impact on student learning and success. Roberts also previously worked at the University of Missouri–Saint Louis (UMSL) as associate director for the Office of Student Involvement, at the University of South Carolina as a graduate assistant, and volunteered as a mentor/personal development coach at Mission: St. Louis for over eight years.
Roberts received her Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education/Higher Education Administration from Saint Louis University in 2018 and was part of the Alpha Sigma Nu-Jesuit Honor Society.
Roberts explained how mentors and supportive supervisors positively impacted her professional journey. She also mentioned her positive experiences with and deep appreciation for college career service departments, including setting the foundation for her resume in undergrad, doing a practicum with the office during her master's program, and even serving as acting director for Stockton's Office of Career Education and Development. Robert's advice for students pursuing or thinking about pursuing a Ph.D. specifically is to know the journey "is as much of a learning process as any other part of your education. You are not expected to know everything. Be open to and trust the process.”
Theresa Martin
by Noah Jones on 2/1/24
Theresa Martin is a technical accounting manager at Edward Jones. In this position, Theresa establishes controls and defines processes for ESG rules and regulations, communicates accounting guidance to stakeholders, ensures accuracy in the interpretation of the firm's accounting policy, and more.
During Martin's time at SLU, she received her Master of Accounting from the Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business at Saint Louis University. She also interned with CliftonLarsonAllen, a firm where she worked on tax returns and assisted with audit engagements.
Martin provided two pieces of advice that led to her success. Firstly, one must tailor their communication to who they are working with. Martin shared an anecdote explaining that she “worked with one principal that preferred phone calls... so if [she] needed something, [she] better pick up the phone.” The second piece of advice is that people should be “anticipating questions and coming up with solutions before the questions can be asked.”
Career Services strives to help students find internships, build resumes, and more in hopes of creating similar success, and Martin herself encourages “students to use any and all resources available!”
Medtronic
by Noah Jones on 3/5/24
Career Services has a strong relationship with Medtronic, a medical device company known for its revolutionary cardiac devices, such as battery-powered and miniature pacemakers. In the photo below, ordered from left to right, are Clinical Specialists Mallory Grote, Kelly Buescher, Jack Bessey, Intern Cati Welby, and Associate Clinical Specialist Michael Nickerson, who are all SLU graduates and Medtronic employees.
This photo was taken when Medtronic's team came to Career Services to interview students in the biomedical engineering (BME) program for their ACE Summer Associate Program. This is a field-based program designed to provide participants with real-world experiences around the delivery of medical technology to clinicians and patients. This program enables students to work alongside professionals who support implant procedures, provide device troubleshooting, launch products, and more. The program is structured so that student participants can gain formal training for the clinical specialist role. Many times, interns become full-time employees through the program, and from these interviews, two students were selected and will begin working with Medtronic in the summer of 2024.
Career Services chatted with Welby, who is doing her internship at Medtronic through the ACE Program, about her experience at SLU and with Career Services. “My time here at SLU has taught me more than I could have imagined: how to work hard and persevere, how to use my resources, how to be confident in who I am, how to be a leader, how to set priorities, how to network, and much more.” Also, during her freshman year, she worked with Career Services to create and edit her resume. She uses “the exact same resume template" she made with Career Services, to this day.
Medtronic is a strong supporter of SLU Career Services. Tom Puszkar, a district service manager at Medtronic, said “we’re approaching our sixth year of this summer internship and it has naturally blossomed into a symbiotic relationship that has us wondering each year what type of talent our new interns will bring to Medtronic.”
On top of providing the ACE Summer Associate Program, Medtronic also gives presentations to members of SLU's Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) and participates in Biomedical Engineering Day during National Engineers Week.
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