Students, including Chelsea Gardner (left) and Robert Slotnick (right), in a workshop designed to help identify purpose and passion during Senior Situation 2012. Photo by Mary Knox Merrill.

Recent graduates know there’s more to job-hunting than writing a good cover letter, preparing for an interview and accepting a new position. Way more.

To help seniors prepare to navigate the job market, Northeastern’s Career Services office held its annual Senior Situation on Tuesday in the Stearns Center. The all-day event featured representatives from more than 20 businesses – including John Hancock, Nokia, IBM and AT&T – who ran information sessions, fielded questions and gave students one-on-one tips for resumes, cover letters and interviews.

“It’s a lot of information I wish I knew when I was graduating,” said David Sullivan, a project manager at John Hancock. “There’s the emphasis on getting the job, but once you have it you have to navigate all of what comes next.”

Maria Stein, director of Career Servies, called the event a “one-stop shop” for seniors to take advantage of the many resources available to them on campus and get one-on-one face time with employers to ask questions and network.

In one workshop with a career services staff member, students Chelsea Gardner and Robert Slotnick discussed their interests and professional strengths and then thought of ways to apply their talent to potential careers. “This is great opportunity to step back for a minute and reflect on the best sorts of jobs to consider as I get ready to graduate,” Gardner said.

Diane Ciarletta, the senior associate director of Career Services, agreed.  As she put it, “It’s all about knowing your passions and your skills, then choosing a career that fits those and leaves you fulfilled.”

Future Career Services events scheduled for this semester include an internship fair on Feb. 1, held in the Curry Student Center Ballroom from 1 to 4 p.m. and the Spring Career Fair on Feb. 8, from 2 to 6 p.m., which will bring more than 130 employers to the Cabot fieldhouse.