If phoning McMaster's Career Planning & Employment Centre (CPEC) today, don't be surprised by the answer you get. There's a reason the greeting will be, “Career Services,” because as of today, the career resource centre has a new name.

CPEC has changed its name to Career Services to reflect the range of services it provides to students, alumni, employers and other key stakeholders.

“Students know us as the place to get a job,” says Lisa Boniface, manager of the new Career Services, “But we also have wonderful services to support students in career planning, education planning, and experiential learning.”

In the last two years, Career Services has added numerous resources, and enhanced many of its services to reflect the changing needs of McMaster students. According to career counsellor Arthur Karp, “Our services are designed to help students find who they are and what makes them unique through a self-discovery process, pinpointing their many strengths and empowering them to make career decisions.”

In addition to career counseling, students can take advantage of resume and cover letter critiques, job skills workshops, professional school information sessions, and a vast library of resources. With more than 17,000 students registered and more than 250 positions posted per month, eRecruiting, McMaster's online job posting service, provides students with the opportunity to search for internships, co-op positions, volunteer, part-time, and full-time jobs.

On Aug. 18, between 2 and 4 p.m., the centre, located in Gilmour Hall, Rm. 110, will be holding an open house inviting all McMaster staff and faculty to explore the new Career Services. “It is important for faculty and staff to know about our services so they can refer students who are looking for direction,” says Boniface. “Career Services invites you to join them in celebrating their reintroduction to the McMaster community with refreshments, presentations, and games.”