Penn Highlands Bear Path

The Bear Path is a one-stop-shop to help you on your career path.  Whether you need help deciding on a major, job/internship, resume writing, or mock interview help, the Bear Path can guide you in the right direction.  If you have any questions, please reach out to Ben Mostoller at bmostoller2@pennhighlands.edu 

Click on the link and select "Student/Alumni" then "Single Sign On" to log in to your account:  https://pennhighlands-csm.symplicity.com/

 

App: 

Download the "Symplicity Jobs and Careers" app via the Apple or Google store.  A link is also on the main page of your Bear Path account.

 

Career Finder: 

The Career Finder can help you find out what your interests are and how they relate to a major and/or what type of careers you may want to explore. 

 

Job Search:

Job Search is an easy way to search and apply for jobs and internships.  Simply upload your resume to your Bear Path account and instantly apply to jobs or internships.

 

Mock Interview:

The Mock Interview tool is great to help you practice for your next interview.  You can record yourself answering the questions and once prepared can also send the interview to friends, family, or professors for review with feedback. 

 

Resume Builder:

Resume Builder is a great tool to help you create or update your resume.  There are multiple templates to use to help you create the perfect resume to apply to your next job or internship.  

The Employer of the Week highlights an employer every week during the 2025 Fall semester.  That employer will then be on campus the Wednesday of the given week to meet with students about employment or internship opportunities.  Each week you will find information about the employer here, so make sure to check back closer to the start of the semester!

  • National and Regional Resources

    Name Description Status Source
    High Priority Occupations (HPOs)

    The High Priority Occupations (HPOs) resource lists the jobs that are in demand by employers, have higher skill needs and provide family sustaining wages in Pennsylvania. This resource provides information on educational requirements, wage information and employment projections for the regions across the state of Pennsylvania.

    Required Copy of HPO List Southern Alleghenies Region 2020 -.xlsx Edit High Priority Occupations (HPOs) Delete High Priority Occupations (HPOs)
    Federal Occupations by College Major

    This PDF can help you identify the types of Federal career opportunities available based on your area of study.

    Required federal-occupations-by-college-major.pdf Edit Federal Occupations by College Major Delete Federal Occupations by College Major
    While focused on a reorder icon, press the Enter key or spacebar to "select" the icon. While a reorder icon is selected, pressing the up and down arrows will change the order of the selected item within the list. Pressing Enter key or spacebar again will drop the selected item at that location in the list.
While focused on a reorder icon, press the Enter key or spacebar to "select" the icon. While a reorder icon is selected, pressing the up and down arrows will change the order of the selected item within the list. Pressing Enter key or spacebar again will drop the selected item at that location in the list.
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O*NET provides important occupational information that can help:

  • Individuals seeking first jobs, new jobs, or better jobs
  • Individuals who are choosing or changing careers      

More information opens more occupational options. Using O*NET OnLine, a web-based application that provides user-friendly access to O*NET occupational information, you can:

  • find occupations to explore;
  • search for occupations that use your skills;
  • look at related occupations;
  • view Summary Reports, including the most important characteristics of the worker and requirements of the work;
  • view Detail Reports or Custom Reports, offering the user control over the type and level of information displayed;
  • use crosswalks to find corresponding occupations in other classification systems; and
  • connect to other online career information resources.

To access the online website, please click here.     

 

The O*NET Interest Profiler is a free web-based vocational interest assessment instrument. Users receive an accurate, reliable profile of their vocational interests that:

  • Helps them identify their work-related interests,
  • Focuses career search activities, and
  • Enables them to link their vocational interests to O*NET-SOC occupations.  

To access the interest profile, please visit mynextmove.org.

 

 16 Personalities assessment can help you get a concrete, accurate description of who you are and why you do things the way you do. Your profile results can help you learn how to use your strengths, increase your self-confidence, improve your relationships, and discover your ideal career and personal development paths.

To access the free assessment, please visit 16personalities.com

 

The Occupational Outlook Handbook is provided by the U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. You can find information on careers and learn about what workers do, work environments, education, training, other qualifications, pay, job outlook; information on state and area data, similar occupations and sources of additional information. 

To access the online website, please click here.

LINKEDIN PROFESSIONAL: PROFILE DEVELOPMENT TIPS

LinkedIn is a tool for students and alumni to build connections, but frequently, many don’t quite know how to maximize their digital presence online. LinkedIn is one of many tools you can use to create a digital stamp that embodies your personal and professional brand. Begin creating your profile now on one of the most highly used professional recruiting social media sites at www.linkedin.com. 

If you are curious about how to create or update your profile to make your brand statement clear and noticeable, check out these five tips to make your profile pop today!

PROFILE PHOTO -Make sure your photo is a professional headshot. No need to pay for a full photoshoot, but have a friend or colleague snap a photo of you with a solid light-colored or natural background behind you. Once you have a few that you like, crop one to include no more than your mid torso and above. If you are in education or recruiting, you can likely have a bit more fun with your choice of dress in the photo, so let your personality shine through! Profiles with fresh headshots definitely get more traffic than those without.

HEADLINE - Instead of writing a boring snippet that just includes your job title (that’s in your experience section anyway!) try thinking of a brief, but creative description of what you do or what you’re particularly adept in. Who are you, independent of your professional title? For example, if you started own your company, instead of saying “CEO of Fran’s Cupcake Company” try “Dessert aficionado with a passion for sprinkles” which will make your profile stand out. If you work in a more traditional or conservative space, however, it is also a good idea to highlight the core skill set or motivation that drives your work. For example, if you work for a creative marketing agency, you might try something like “marketing manager with a keen eye for design.”

SUMMARY - While many people think of LinkedIn as an online resume, it’s more than that. The summary section allows you to craft a (brief) statement that tells your story. What are you passionate about? What drives you? Specifically, what are you good at and how does it assist you in making things happen? Are there topics or experiences that you have that contribute to your overall value that may or may not be tied to your current position? Write about it here. LinkedIn tends to come up in the top five results when someone Googles your name, so make every word count!

VANITY URL - Like most social networks and blogs, you have the option within your profile to create a “Vanity URL” which is a shortened web address for your page that fits nicely onto a business card or e-mail signature. Vanity URLs also make your profile easier to find in online search engine results.

RECOMMENDATIONS - I like to think of recommendations as “living references,” because your personal brand is not just what you say about yourself—it includes what others have to say about you, too! Asking colleagues, clients, or former supervisors for LinkedIn recommendations can only strengthen your professional digital presence. Bonus pro tip: it is better to give than receive! If you ask someone to write a recommendation for you, offer a recommendation in return—or at least send them a thank you note. It’s only proper!

-Courtesy of the National Association of Colleges and Employers