What Does the Job Assistant Office Do?
The Job Assistance Office (JAO) assists our undergraduate, graduate and alumni population in their search for employment by providing access to full time and part time job announcements posted on boards located just outside the Office, and by maintaining a series of binders within the Office listed by category. The positions are for work in the public and private sectors, non-profit organizations, federal, state and city agencies, a variety of law enforcement positions, paid internships and volunteer work.

These opportunities are located in the five boroughs and upstate New York, the tri-state area and across the nation with some openings outside of the continental United States.The boards are updated approximately every two weeks allowing full time, part time, day, evening and weekend students access to the same announcements.

The binders include the most recent listings on the boards, and listings posted up to three weeks prior. More often than not most positions are still available.

Please note that although employers are requested to inform the JAO when a position has been filled to ensure the accuracy of the postings, they do not always adhere to this request and sometimes the positions are filled.

Please check the date stamped on the announcement; this indicates the date the announcement was received in the JAO.

Students/alumni in search of employment are expected to peruse either the boards or the binders for positions that match their qualifications or interests. However, in order to gain access to the Office's services and binders, you are expected to sign the clip board, and show some form of John Jay ID in the form of a current validated John Jay ID, old John Jay ID, alumni card*, miniaturized diploma* or current validated bursar's receipt*. (*With some other form of photo ID.)

Upon finding a match the students/alumni should take down the information provided by the employer indicating how the resume should be submitted, and then submit accordingly. The employer will contact students/alumni directly to setup an appointment for an interview.

Moreover, the JAO offers a Resume Referral Service (RRS) whereby students/alumni may have their resumes submitted on their behalf to prospective employers. Acceptance into the JAO database requires that the students/alumni submit their resumes for critique by a Career Development Resume Specialist until approval by the Resume Specialist. The resume critique takes one week from the day of submission. The length of time it takes for resumes to be approved depends on how accurately and timely students/alumni make the suggested changes. Upon approval, students/alumni are then instructed to make copies for themselves, and most importantly to make ten copies on bond/resume paper for submission into the JAO database. A brief counseling session takes place to discuss job preferences, availability of work hours, salary requirements, among other factors. Upon acceptance into the database, it is the responsibility of students/alumni to replenish the JAO files with up-to-date resumes approximately every six months and to inform the Office Manager if they are no longer interested in the service.

The JAO also dispenses literature such as employment pamphlets and brochures, LSAT/GRE application booklets, web site employment addresses and various job applications or testing forms as provided by individual agencies and organizations. In addition, the JAO arranges on campus recruitment sessions in the North Hall lobby for various employers.

The JAO refers students/alumni to the Professional Development Program (PDP) Lab. The PDP Lab offers students/alumni access to various online resume writing formats, cover letter writing samples and online Internet job searches. The PDP Lab Coordinator critiques students/alumni resumes until an approved version is ready to submit to the JAO for inclusion into the database. Lastly, the PDP Lab offers students/alumni the opportunity to fax their resumes to employers. Please note that upon signing up with the PDP Lab students/alumni are provided a disk that stays with them for the duration of their use of the Lab. Students/alumni are not allowed to take disks out of the Lab, and are forbidden to bring any foreign disks into the Lab. The Lab is located in room 3300B in North Hall. Please call (212) 237-8305/8871 to check the schedule.

The Job Assistance Office is open Monday thru Friday from 9:00am to 5:00pm on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings until 7:00pm (when classes are in session). For assistance please contact the Office Manager, Ms. Crystal Farmer at (212) 237-8754, email cfarmer@jjay.cuny.edu, or visit her in room 3138 North Hall.