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Welcome to Our Resource Hub for Your Job Placement Success 

Whether you're nearing graduation from our program, looking to advance your career after some time in the field, or seeking a new opportunity, this resource is your go-to destination. Here, you can continuously explore the job market, access tools to enhance your candidacy, and discover effective strategies for successful job placement. Return to this space anytime to support your journey and achieve your career goals. Please note that most of these resources are for a job search in the United States although a few are provided for Canada. Some of them do include parameters for international searches. If you know of any great sites missing from the list, especially for our international students, please email us at csp@wiu.edu.

1. The Oshkosh Placement Exchange (OPE) is an annual career fair and networking event focused on connecting college students and recent graduates with potential employers in higher education. It primarily serves professionals seeking positions in student affairs, residence life, and related fields, providing a platform for interviews and professional development.
2. The Placement Exchange (TPE) is a job fair and networking event specifically designed for graduate students and professionals in higher education, particularly in student affairs. It connects job seekers with employers, offering opportunities for interviews, workshops, and professional development in a collaborative environment.
3. HigherEdJobs is an online job board that specializes in listings for positions in higher education, including faculty, administrative, and support roles. 
4. Careers Inside Higher Ed is a job board that focuses on employment opportunities in higher education, offering listings for academic, administrative, and professional positions. It provides resources for both job seekers and employers, including career advice, industry insights, and tools to facilitate the hiring process.
5. The Chronicle of Higher Education Jobs is a job board featuring a wide range of employment opportunities in academia, including faculty, administrative, and research positions. It serves as a key resource for job seekers and institutions, offering insights into trends in higher education and a platform for professional networking.
6. The Jobs Board: The Student Affairs Networking Group is a public group on Facebook that provides a central location for the sharing of job postings, the discussion of the Fair Labor Standards Act,  and preparing for placement conference opportunities.
7. Job Openings in Higher Education is a public group on Facebook where members share job listings and opportunities in the higher education sector, including academic, administrative, and support roles. 
8. StudentAffairs.com has one of the largest online job listing sites for college and university administrators with hundreds of position listings, thousands of unique visits each month, and a free resume posting service.
9. WIU CSP Alumni and Friends is a public group on Facebook where alumni of the CSP Program at Western Illinois University regularly post job announcements at their institutions.
10. Current students and alumni of Western can use Handshake to search for jobs. Log on to your Handshake account (alumni can request access with non-WIU emails) to schedule an appointment.
11. The ACPA Career Center is an online job board specifically designed for professionals in higher education and student affairs. It offers a range of job postings, networking opportunities, and resources tailored to those seeking to advance their careers in the field.
12. The Higher Education Recruitment Consortium (HERC) is a network that helps colleges and universities recruit diverse faculty and staff. It provides a job board and resources aimed at fostering equity and inclusion in higher education employment practices.
13. LinkedIn Jobs is a feature of the LinkedIn platform that allows users to search for job openings and connect with potential employers. It provides tools for job seekers to create profiles, showcase their skills, and apply directly to positions while enabling companies to post jobs and find qualified candidates.
14. Academic Careers is a specialized job board that focuses on employment opportunities within higher education, including faculty, administrative, and research positions at colleges and universities.

International graduate students and current professionals may have additional layers to navigate as they go through the job search process. Here are a few resources to help in that journey.

1. H1B Grader is a website that helps job seekers evaluate potential H-1B employers by analyzing their sponsorship history, visa approval rates, and salary data. It provides insights into companies' practices regarding H-1B visa sponsorship. H1B Grader also has a Chrome extension to "supercharge" users job search.
2. MyVisaJobs is an online platform that provides resources for foreign workers seeking employment in the U.S., including a comprehensive database of H-1B visa sponsors. It offers tools to explore job postings, employer histories, and salary information, helping users navigate the visa application process more effectively.
3. E-Verify is a U.S. government program that allows employers to confirm the eligibility of their employees to work in the United States by comparing information from their employment forms against government databases.
4. USCIS.gov provides comprehensive information on U.S. immigration processes, including applications for visas, green cards, and citizenship. It details information about Curricular Practical Training (CPT), which is a type of work authorization for international students on F-1 visas that allows them to engage in off-campus employment as part of their academic program such as internships. It also includes information about Optional Practical Training (OPT), which is a type of work authorization for after graduation.
5. The NACE Center for Career Development and Talent Acquisition from the National Association of Colleges and Employers has a separate section of their website devoted to hiring for international students. 

Optional Practical Training (OPT) allows CSP graduates on an F-1 visa to work in the United States for up to 12 months after completing their degree, gaining hands-on experience. Your OPT must be directly related to higher education, student affairs, or an adjacent area. You can apply for it before or after completing your degree (about 3 months either way) and ensure you have a job offer within 90 days of starting your OPT start date. This type of immigration employment provides a critical opportunity for practical experience and networking in the higher education sector. Please review more about OPT from International Admissions.

Many of our alumni are from Canada. Whether you're in your home country now or planning to return, here are a few resources that may help:

1. The Canadian Association for University Continuing Education (CAUCE) job postings list employment opportunities in the field of university continuing education, professional development, and adult learning across Canada. They connect professionals with roles in academic administration, program coordination, and student services in higher education institutions.
2. University Affairs is a Canadian magazine and online platform that focuses on news, analysis, and opinion pieces related to higher education in Canada. It provides valuable resources for university faculty, staff, and administrators, including job postings in academia, student services, and higher education administration across Canadian universities.
3. The Canadian Association of College & University Student Services (CACUSS) is a national organization that represents professionals who work in student services and student affairs at post-secondary institutions across Canada. Its Career Centre lists job postings. Leave all the fields blank and click search if you want to see the maximum amount of listings.

October is Careers in Student Affairs Month

Every October, NASPA celebrates the student affairs profession with a lineup of virtual events and resources that are complimentary to members and non-members. 

If you are not a member, you can create a free NASPA account to access these resources.

ACPA also hosts offerings for Careers in Student Affairs Month (CSAM) such as convention registration discounts and professional development opportunities.

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