The COVE Career Center Parent & Alumni Resources

Choosing a college is a monumental decision. Now that your son or daughter is at Westmont, know that that our rigorous academics and robust community life will equip and encourage them on every level. That includes helping them evaluate their next big decision -- choosing which major(s) to pursue during the middle of their Sophomore year.

For some students, choosing a major is clear and straight forward while other students deliberate until the very last minute. No matter where your student falls on this spectrum, we can help them evaluate majors in context to their interests, abilities and future goals. We offer multiple assessments and will meet one-on-one with your student.  View our Choosing a Major handout.

As you begin to talk with your student about majors or the road ahead, consider asking open ended questions to spur a conversation.  Here are a few suggestions: Where do you think your strengths are?  What are you drawn to or passionate about? How much additional schooling do you want to commit to? What kind of work interests you? What kind of life do you want to lead?

The good news is that the value of a Westmont liberal arts degree gives your student the building blocks to pursue just about any career regardless of major. In fact, a recent survey found that 90% of students are confident that the education they receive at Westmont will equip them to compete in the job market. And yet, when your conversations turn to pragmatic topics, encourage your student to explore the kinds of careers that are typically associated with various majors. Visit WhatCanIDoWithThisMajor.com for examples of careers for a specific major.

For a quick overview of where Westmont graduates work, what they do, what they studied at Westmont, and where they live, visit the Westmont alumni page on LinkedIn.

There are multiple employment opportunities on campus including work-study jobs. Visit the Student Employment page for more information on what students need to do to get a job on campus.

All students are encouraged to complete at least one internship during their time at Westmont (we advise students to wait until after they've completed their first year at Westmont). Internships are a great way for students to "test drive" a career and for organizations to size up prospective employees.  Many students are able to receive academic credit for internships.  A 2019 Student Survey from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), noted “ 57.5 percent of students who had an internship received a job offer.”

Google, Apple, Facebook. Yep, Westmont alums work there.  They are also gainfully employed at for-profit and non-profit organizations throughout the United States and across the globe. Our most recent study found that 96.7% of graduates are either employed or pursuing graduate school within six months of commencement.

Employers come to campus just about every month during the academic year. These "Career Cafe" events provide multiple employers (between five and eight employers per event) with direct access to students to talk about internships and careers. We also organize dedicated events with large employers to help our students learn about the wide variety of different jobs available with in one industry or organization. Contact  Janay Marshall for more details or call 805-565-6263

Whether your company is based in Santa Barbara or elsewhere around the globe, there may be a Westmont intern or new employee that is only a few clicks away.

Local (Santa Barbara area) internships and jobs:  It's best to post internships before the start of a new semester when students are looking for these opportunities.

Out of the area internships and jobs: The vast majority of Westmont students head home at the end of the academic year, and summer internships are a great way to help them gain experience.  While the majority of Westmont students are from west of the Rockies, there are students from across the country and globe. Use LinkedIn to see if current students are from your area. Be sure to set the "Start Year' to reflect current students (ie: start year = 2014, etc)

To post an internship or job, please go to Handshake (our online jobs portal- see instructions below).  To recruit on campus contact Janay Marshall, Employer Relations 

Handshake is user-friendly, can connect you directly with talented Westmont students and recent alum .and will enable you to manage the critical elements of your engagement with Westmont. Please visit the Handshake Resource Center for useful articles on Getting Started, Managing User Settings, Understanding Privacy Settings, Posting a Job, and much more! 

Instructions for Registering on Handshake
Go to Handshake

1. REGISTER: Fill out the Registration form and “Sign Up”. You will be asked to enter your recruiting interests and alma mater, agree to the Employer Guidelines, Terms of Service, and Privacy Policy.
2. VERIFY: Handshake will send you a verification email to the email you provided. Verify your account by clicking “Confirm Email” upon receiving it.
3. CONNECT WITH YOUR COMPANY: After confirming your email, if your company already exists, Handshake should prompt you to connect with your organization. You can also use a search bar to find your company, or click the “Create New Company” button.
4. CONNECT WITH WESTMONT: Use the search bar to find "Westmont College" and click the “+” to connect with us!
5. CONFIRMATION: Your connection will be reviewed by The COVE Career Center staff. Once reviewed, you will receive a confirmation email notifying you that you are now connected with Westmont College.

Instructions for Posting a Job on Handshake

1. POST A JOB: Log in to Handshake and click " Post a Job" on your home dashboard. You will be asked to provide information in regards to the job basics, job details, and job preferences.
2. SCHOOL SELECTION: On the left side of the screen, you will be able to add schools. Click the "+" next to "Westmont College" to add Westmont!
3. CREATE: Choose "Create" on the bottom navigation to create and review your job. 
4. CONFIRMATION: Your job posting will be reviewed by The COVE Career Center staff. Once reviewed, you will receive a confirmation email notifying you that the position will be posted and available to Westmont students and alumni.

Please consider connecting your company or organization's Human Resources department with our office. Our Employer Relations Specialist recruit@westmont.edu can help in providing resources to promote your opportunities, and develop ways to make your organization known among the Westmont community. 

The Alumni and Parent Relations office is a great resource on finding ways to connect with other Westmont alumni. We are currently in the process of developing a more user friendly Westmont Alumni directory. In the interim visit Westmont alumni page   via Linkedin is a great alternative to stay in touch with classmates.