Haverhill and Lawrence, MA – When it comes to networking, Sandy Rochon of Amesbury, Northern Essex Community College’s new director of career services, practices what she preaches. The 1996 Northern Essex business grad was volunteering at one of the college’s mobile food markets when she heard that Ashley Moore, director of career services, was leaving for a new position. “At first I thought, that’s terrible,” she says. “Then I thought, but wait, I’d love to have that job.”

Rochon applied and with her years of experience in career services and her close connections to Northern Essex—she’s served on the Alumni Advisory Board for the past five years—she emerged as the top candidate for the position.

Most recently, Rochon was employed as the assistant director of career services at Salem State University, where she provided career development, career counseling, and support to students and alumni through both individual appointments and group presentations. She has also worked in career services for MassHire, Clark University, and the State Department of Training and Development and served as the coordinator of alumni relations at North Shore Community College.

In addition to offering workshops on networking, interviewing, cover letters, LinkedIn profiles, and more, Career Services staff at Northern Essex can help students explore and identify careers and set goals, Rochon says. All students and alumni have access to Handshake, the college’s online career network, which connects students with jobs and internships.

Rochon can relate to students who aren’t sure about their career paths. When she enrolled at Northern Essex, she didn’t know what she wanted to major in and “wandered into business.”

After receiving her associate degree she transferred to Salem State where she earned her bachelor’s in psychology with a minor in business.

Luckily, it was a good fit. A job in human services helping people with disabilities to connect with employers led to interest in the field of career services and employer relations. “I found I loved helping people find work that felt important and meaningful,” she says.

One Northern Essex student, who will likely be visiting Career Services, is Rochon’s daughter Samantha, who is currently studying liberal arts at Northern Essex. A recent graduate of Amesbury High School, she participated in the Early College Program, and transferred her credits to Northern Essex.

Rochon is eager to connect with students, local employers, and campus faculty and staff. She can be reached at srochon@necc.mass.edu.

Northern Essex Community College has campuses in both Haverhill and Lawrence. It offers approximately 60 associate degree and certificate programs as well as hundreds of noncredit courses designed for personal enrichment and career growth.  Each year, 6,000 students are enrolled in credit associate degree and certificate programs on the Haverhill and Lawrence campuses; and another 2,000 take noncredit workforce development and community education classes on campus, and at businesses and community sites across the Merrimack Valley.  For more information, visit the website at www.necc.mass.edu or call 978-556-3700.