Career Exploration

This page offers links to websites to:

• Take career interest tests
• Learn about the RTC library resources for job searching
• Book appointments with Career Services to discuss your career interests and find jobs
• Learn about upcoming events and workshops

Career Assessment

• Washington Career Bridge
  • The website provides information about jobs in the state. Take a career quiz about what you like to do and explore careers based on your interests, learn about job trends, or find schools and programs to get trained.
• CareerOneStop

  • A career exploration, training, and jobs site sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.

  • On this site, you can find videos about different careers, explore career descriptions, search for jobs and find schools and programs for your training. 

• WOIS/The Career Information System

  • WOIS is only available to RTC students, staff, and faculty.

  • The site provides information about career trends, wages, education and training, job tasks, and related careers. Take a quiz to find out careers that match your preferences and interests.

• O*Netonline.org

  • The site has sections to find occupations by  industry or by Bright Outlook, those careers expected to grow rapidly in the next several years, among other categories. O*Net has an interest Profiler, a quiz that helps students find out what their interests are and what they like to do in relation to work. The quiz is available in Spanish, too.

Career Exploration and Job Search Library Resources

The Career Exploration and Library Resources page is a guide that will help you with career information. Career information topics include career descriptions, salary information, and descriptions of tasks performed for careers. It also has resources on where to look for jobs.

On this page, you can find the following: 

• Job search sites:
  • Current job openings (RTC students only): The canvas page collects information from urgently hiring companies. 
  • Job openings on Handshake (RTC students only): With thousands of jobs and internships for students on Handshake, you will receive personalized job recommendations after you create your Handshake profile. Visit the Getting Started page on Canvas to sign-up. 
  • The Seattle King County WorkSource Centers: The center can help RTC students find jobs, and with career planning. Students can sign up to talk to a real person directly on the website. RTC is a Connection Site for WorkSource Seattle-King County with a site on our campus.
• Resumes, cover letters, and interviews
  • Need help writing your resume or cover letter? Visit the Canvas RTC Job Search Toolkit 
• Occupational and career information
• Hospital job websites
• Professional organizations

Handshake

Handshake is known as the nation's top college-to-career network. Handshake has been used widely by well-known colleges and universities; it has been created specifically to connect students and alumni directly to employers.

RTC Career Services has implemented Handshake for posting jobs, hosting career events, and scheduling appointments, our goal is to ensure a better job search experience.

RTC students can sign-up on Handshake with their RTC student email to explore more on the platform.

• Visit the Getting Started with Handshake page
• Go to Handshake login page
• Type Renton Technical College on the text box under Student & Alumni – Please select your school to sign in.
• Click on Next
• Type your RTC student email
• Start creating your profile and exploring Handshake

Booking One-on-One Appointments

Career Services appointments allow you to discuss your career interests and find employers who offer jobs in those fields. In addition, a Career Services team member can also review your resume and cover letter and offer suggestions. It is also possible to schedule appointments on job search techniques and practice for job interviews.

How to schedule an appointment on Handshake?

1. Activate your account on Handshake by visiting joinhandshake.com
2. Click on Renton Technical College Career Center
3. Click on Appointment
4. Click Schedule a new appointment
5. Choose an appointment category
6. Fill out the required information

Appointment Policy

Missing an appointment without providing RTC Career Services sufficient notice prevents other RTC students and alums from meeting with us at that time. You can cancel or reschedule your appointment through Handshake or by contacting us at 425-235-6617. 

You can cancel your appointment up to one hour before the scheduled time. If Handshake does not allow you to cancel online, call us at 425-235-6617. Please note if the cancellation is within one hour of your appointment, you will be marked as a no-show. 

No Show Policy

Mock Interviews (seasonal) at the Career Center are in high demand. It is a professional courtesy to follow through on scheduled appointments, be on time, and cancel with plenty of notice if you cannot attend.

You will be considered a no-show if any of the following happens:

• You fail to cancel the appointment less than one hour before the start of your appointment, or
• You are more than 15 minutes late

Events and Workshops

The RTC Career Services team empowers our students and alums to search for, prepare for, and secure real employment opportunities by hosting career-related events and workshops throughout the year, ranging from online and in-person job fairs to interview and resume preparation workshops.

Note: some workshops or events will be only available for RTC’s students. Please check the details of each event. Check the News and Events calendar.