Career Plan
Senior Year
You are not alone if you do not have a clear career or graduate/professional school path by your senior year, many others do not as well. However, now is definitely the time to keep moving.
Priorities
- Commit to your best option after graduation, and come up with one or two backup plans
- Finalize your resume—targeting appropriate job goals, or finalize C.V for graduate school
- Attend the Career Fair to meet with potential employers
- Get experience to build transferable skills
- Seek full-time employment, research employers, and learn how to conduct an effective job search
- Prepare to present yourself to employers as someone who is ready to transition out of college
- Brush up on professional etiquette, hone the resume, and learn to interview successfully
- If pursuing graduate school, make sure to create a timeline and plan for the application process
- Attend alumni special events on campus to bolster your networks
- Apply for graduation
Junior year
Priorities
Begin narrowing down career/work options and focus on the few you are seriously considering. Start by:
- Becoming immersed in your academic major, i.e. get to know your professors & classmates/future colleagues; seek out research opportunities, know your degree requirements for timely graduation, etc.
- Fine tune your career and educational goals by reevaluating your interests, skills, strengths and values at this point in your academic career
- Start developing a network and learning about potential employers in fields of interest
- Revise your resume; begin to create C.V. if you are considering graduate school
- Find ways to gain meaningful experiences and take on leadership roles
- Investigate possible post-graduate education or professional schools to understand expected outcomes, admissions requirements, timelines and procedures
- Visit Career Services to find out more about internships and our job search tools
- Attend the Career Fair to network with employers
Sopohomore Year
Priorities
- Confirm your choice of major
- Start taking required classes in your major
Recommended Next Steps
- Revisit your career assessment results and findings with new eyes, and don’t be afraid to retake the assessment
- Gather information about careers of interest
- Start thinking about if an advanced degree is in your future
- If professional school (ex. Medical School, Law School, etc.) is in your future, start gaining relevant experience and learning about the application process and timeline
- Start networking with faculty in order to get future recommendation letters for graduate or professional school
- Gain work experience that builds transferable skills, such as leadership, coordinating, or communication skills
- Create a resume or update an existing one
- Join student organizations related to your major and professional associations related to your intended career field
Optional
-
Talk to your advisor about your academic progress and evaluate if your academic performance is in line with the major you have chosen
-
Actively explore career options with informational interviews or shadowing
-
Follow up with a Major & Career Counselor to discuss your career plan progress
-
Attend the Majors Fair in the Spring to network with faculty and discuss career possibilities with your chosen major
Freshman Year
First things First
- Get to know your University and its resources
- Learn how to balance school, work and life
Recommended Next Steps
- Explore major options and potential for a good fit
- Take a career assessment to learn more about your interests, skills, strengths and values
- Meet with a Major & Career Counselor
- Discover what makes you, YOU, and get involved on campus
- Make connections with classmates and people on campus that interest you
Optional
- Start thinking about potential careers that may be attractive to you
- Pursue work experience opportunities, such as part-time jobs, summer jobs or volunteering
- Attend the Majors Fair in the Spring to learn more about University majors and minors from faculty all in one location