Appointments

Staff at the CCD can help with a wide variety of career-related topics.

Common CCD Appointment Topics

• Making decisions about academic areas of interest and career options
• Job or internship searching, especially if you feel stuck
• Graduate school decisions and the application process
• Preparing for an interview, including mock interviews
• How to start if you feel lost or know you should use the career center but are not sure how or why
• Assessments to identify your interests, skills, values, and personality

Common Topics for Other BU Resources

• Visa compliance and work authorization (OPT/CPT): contact ISSO
• Course requirements: contact your academic advisor
• Reviewing personal statements for medical or law school admission: contact the Pre-Professional Advising Office
• Editing of personal statements for grammar and writing mechanics: contact the COM Writing Center for help and the Educational Resource Center to explore additional writing resources

Log in to Handshake using your BU credentials. Follow the prompts to select a date/time that works best for you. Complete the required questions and click the “Request” button.

Note: Due to the overwhelmingly positive and supportive experience of individual appointments, there can periods of high demand during which availability may be 3–4 weeks from when you are scheduling. If you can, we strongly encourage you to schedule your appointment in advance!

Alumni: Typically, appointments are in heavier demand by current students during the first half of each semester (September–October, late January–March). If you have some flexibility, we encourage you to schedule during the summer (May–August) or later in the semester (November–December, April).

If you don’t have a Handshake account and are eligible, you can request one. If you have additional questions, email future@bu.edu.

Preparing for your appointment can be helpful to ensure it is an effective use of your time.

• What do you most want to get out of the conversation?
• If you are wrestling with a decision, what factors are you considering?
• If you feel stuck, what issue (or issues) feel the most stressful?

Note: If you want help with how to do something (like write a resume, conduct a job search, or interview well), we recommend that you start with attending a topical presentation. Check our calendar for upcoming sessions.

Need some help with your resume or cover letter?

Drop-In Hours: No Appointment, No Problem

Starting on January 27, Drop-Ins will be held Monday – Friday from 12-2pm in 100 Bay State Rd. Rm 101 unless otherwise noted on the calendar

The CCD offers personalized feedback for resumes, cover letters, and LinkedIn profiles during Drop-Ins—no appointments needed. Drop-Ins are located on the first floor of the Yawkey Center for Student Services in Room 101 (100 Bay State Road). Don’t forget to have your documents ready. 

 

The following days have no Drop-Ins: 

• Mon, Feb 17 (Presidents’ Day) 
• Mar 8 – Mar 16 (Spring Break)
• Mon, Apr 21 (Patriots’ Day)

Scheduled Appointments: In-Person or Virtual

Want to plan ahead or need a virtual review? On-campus degree program students can book a document review appointment at the CCD through Handshake.

Anytime Resume Feedback with VMock

Boston University offers access to VMock for all current students in degree programs, either on campus or online. This online tool will analyze your resume in 30 seconds and provide an instant and detailed assessment, including specific tips for making it better. Learn more

Inventories can be useful in helping you identify your skills, interests, values, and motivations. Our career counselors offer the following assessments and will carefully go over the results with you.

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
This questionnaire is designed to measure psychological preferences in how people perceive the world and make decisions. Note: there is a fee to take the MBTI.

Strong Interest Inventory
This inventory offers insight into interests that help inform a career choice. It also measures how your interests might be similar to others. Note: there is a fee for the Strong Interest Inventory.

SkillScan
This inventory assesses your natural strengths and key transferable skills, as well as areas for improvement and development.

Values Card Sort
This inventory helps you clarify what you want in a career.

Skills Card Sort
This inventory is a quick way to identify the skills you have that are central to your career satisfaction and success.

If, after reviewing these policies, you still have questions, contact us at future@bu.edu.

Eligibility

Individual appointments with a CCD Career Coach are open to BU students in and alumni who graduated from campus-based degree programs. 

Alumni: Please visit our Alumni Career Services page for more information about our alumni policies and services.

Online degree program students: You have access to resume review feedback via VMock and Smarthinking, a platform provided by the Office of Distance Education.

Limits

In order to ensure appointment availability for as many student/alumni as possible, we ask that you only book one CCD appointment at a time. Exceptions are made for a resume or cover letter review appointment.

If, after reviewing these policies, you still have questions, contact us at future@bu.edu.

Arriving and Checking In

If your appointment is in person, please arrive 5–10 minutes early for your appointment to facilitate the check-in process. If your appointment is virtual, please join 2–5 minutes in advance so that you’re in the waiting room at the appointment start time.

Note: If you are running late, please let the staff member you scheduled with know as soon as possible or email us at future@bu.edu. If you arrive late for your appointment by 10 minutes or more, our staff will do our best to accommodate you and maximize your appointment time. However, your appointment time will likely still end at the original scheduled time so that we can accommodate other appointments.

Canceling or Rescheduling Your Appointment

If you are unable to attend your appointment, please cancel your appointment in Handshake at least 18 hours in advance so that our office may be notified and your spot may be given to another student. To cancel, go to the Handshake appointments page (via the Career Center drop-down menu). Click on the appointment you wish to cancel, then click the cancel button.

If you do not attend your appointment and do not notify us, you will be considered a no-show. If you cannot provide notice 18 hours in advance, see our Late Cancellation guidelines below. 

If you would like to reschedule your appointment, first, cancel your existing appointment. Then schedule a new appointment. If you need to reschedule but want an appointment soon, we recommend periodically checking availability in Handshake. Students/alumni do sometimes cancel appointments, which opens those slots for others to select.

Late Cancellations and No-Shows: Missing an Appointment

You have until 18 hours before the appointment start time to cancel/reschedule your appointment in Handshake. There are no consequences if you cancel and/or reschedule your appointment more than 18 hours in advance.

If you need to cancel within 18 hours of the appointment start time, please email your career advisor directly.

For both late cancellations and no-shows (not arriving at all), the CCD’s no-show policy will apply. This could result in your Handshake access being temporarily suspended, so please read the policy carefully.