WSC Career Services can help students job-searching while still in school know where and how to look for those jobs. 

According to a government census, Wayne had 247 employer establishments in 2022. However, some college students still find it difficult to find a job while going to school in Wayne.  

“It’s different trying to coach students to be able to find jobs in Wayne compared to a bigger city like Lincoln,” Tracy Lungrin, director of Career Services and Workforce Development, said.  

Lungrin said her favorite way for Wayne students to find jobs is for them to get out of their comfort zones and make personal connections.  

“We really try to say to our students ‘you have to make some calls and go into the places and ask if they are hiring,’ It’s more of a rural community so our employers don’t post the jobs up because they want to see the initiative from people and students.” Lungrin said. 

Lungrin visits students by appointment and helps them figure out what going into businesses searching for jobs should look like. She also helps students decide which employment opportunities they would like to pursue first.  

“I am trying to teach students what transferable skills are, what they should be showcasing when talking to employers and when creating their materials.” Lungrin said. 

Lungrin said there are a couple other ways to see who is hiring in Wayne and get a job. One option is to look on job search sites such as LinkedIn and Handshake. Another option is through social media. 

 “I’ve watched some students have great luck posting their bios and experience on the Residents of Wayne Facebook page,” Lungrin said. “It’s a creative way to put yourself out there and connect with the community.” 

The skills Lungrin coaches students for career exploration are transferable to future careers, as well.  

“We really teach students how to do more strategic networking to meet people in their field to be potential mentors and employers,” Lungrin said. “We need people with connections and people to ask good questions to. I teach a method to do that, to not just ask for a job but ask for advice in a field you are serious about. There is magic that happens when people see that initiative.” 

Career Services’ main job is to help students to search and prepare for future careers after college. This includes career exploration, job and interview searching and help creating and refining career related materials such as resumes, cover letters, reference letters, job applications and graduate school applications.