Career Services, located in Hazelrigg Student Union, provides professional advice and resources for candidates seeking jobs in teaching. The office is immediately down the hall to the left as you enter Hazelrigg, under the clock tower. It is open from 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. After hours services are available by appointment and the director will work to accommodate schedules of student teachers.
Staff includes
- Director, Kim Graviette, 402-461-7387, kgraviette@hastings.edu, and
- Administrative Assistant, Laura Matthias, 402-461-7400, lmatthias@hastings.edu.
The office address and fax number is:
Career Services
Hastings College
710 N Turner AvenueHastings, NE 68901
FAX 402-461-7474
- Resources in Career Services – Securing employment as a teacher is no easy task, but with assistance from Career Services you can be prepared and manage an effective job search campaign.
- PRAXIS (Pre-Professional Skills Test) www.ets.org/praxis – All students in the teacher education program need to take the PRAXIS I – PPST in Reading, Writing, and Mathematics. Prospective teachers in elementary education, special education, and early childhood education also take the PRAXIS II – Elementary Education Curriculum Instruction and Assessment in the final year.
The PRAXIS exams are offered at Hastings College on five Saturdays each year (September, November, January, March & April). Computer-based Examinations for PPST are by appointment. The nearest testing center is in Kearney. There are additional computer-based centers in Nebraska and across the nation which are open during the week and sometimes on Saturdays.
Career Services is a good source from which to obtain registration information and test preparation materials. - Credential Services – School districts expect applicants for teaching positions to provide written letters of recommendation and unofficial transcripts to the districts as part of the screening process. Some districts will require applicants to upload recommendations to an online application; other districts receive recommendations through the mail. Recommendations and transcripts are often referred to as credentials. Applications requirements vary from district to district. It is essential to thoroughly read and follow directions and seek assistance from Career Services as you have questions.
Career Services assists beginning teachers in securing written recommendations and also coaches candidates in how to present the recommendations as part of their “credentials” to school districts. The goal for Career Services is to make sure that new teachers have at least three written letters of recommendation as they leave Hastings College.
To establish a credential file, candidates must complete and submit Career Services’ Release Waiver Form. Candidates download the Reference Recommendation Sheet document, save it to their computer, make recommendation forms for each reference writer, and submit those forms to Career Services.
Registration on JobZone is also recommended. Since credentials are unique to the field of education, Career Services recommends that candidates schedule an appointment to discuss credentials and their education job search.
Please view and download information and forms related to credentials below:
Steps for Establishing a Credential FileJob Search Tips and Considerations
Credential File Recommendation Sheet
JobZone Registration Guide
- Tips for Closed Credentials and Online Applications – Download suggestions for managing online applications when you have a closed credential file. Alumni seeking advice about applying to school districts that have an online application may also contact Career Services.
- Individual Appointments – Visit Career Services or call 461-7400 to schedule an appointment to receive an orientation about the education job search. You will learn more about registration, credential files, and receive advice on how to get started.
- Resumes and Interviews – Check out Career Services’ Resume and Interviewing Resources to get helpful advice in these areas. Career Services is available to assist you with resume and letter writing and will critique your materials for you. You may schedule an appointment to bring in a Word formatted draft of your resume and cover letter or you can email your resume to the office. The director is also available to do practice interview sessions.
- JobZone – The JobZone is an online portal to education vacancies listed with Career Services. It also serves as an administrative tool for Career Services to review and critique resumes, communicate with students, and compile data for its annual report. Access to the JobZone requires that you complete a VERY SHORT registration. Once your registration is approved you will be able to upload documents to be reviewed by Career Service and explore teaching vacancies. JobZone registration is required when establishing a credential file. Download the JobZone/Career Services Registration Guide.
- Internet Resources – The Internet hosts many job vacancy sites for teachers. Unfortunately, a comprehensive nationwide source does not exist. Nearly every state hosts its own vacancy website, and some states partner for regional offerings. See HC Career Services web page Employment Resources for resource links outside of the teaching profession.
- Selected Links to Education Job Links by State
- Teach in Colorado
- Iowa Regional Education Applicant Placement System
- Teach Iowa
- Kansas Educational Employment Board
- Teach in Nebraska
- Nebraska School Employment Network (15 disticts)
- Metro Omaha Education Consortium (links to members)
- Omaha World Herald Marketplace Jobs
- South Dakota Teaching Jobs
- Wyoming Teaching Jobs
- Federal Education Job Sites
- Selected Additional Education Job Links
- International Teaching Job Listings and Information





