Monthly Tip

Climb To Your Career In Four Years!

Where will you be in four years? Will you be ready to join the work force?

Maybe you have your future planned: you know what you want to be after graduation and you have an idea of how to get there. Or, maybe you aren't even sure what you want to major inâ€”never-mind know what kind of career you want to have after college.

No matter where you stand on your futureâ€”decided or unsureâ€”if you're planning to graduate in four years and find your spot in the work force, you should start taking steps now to reach your goals. It's never too early (or too late) to start, however the earlier you start, the easier it will be to prepare!

The first thing you should do is develop the habit of stopping by the Career Development Center office on a regular basis. You need to check in a few times during your freshman year, more often during your sophomore year, frequently during your junior year, and weekly during your senior year.

Here's a timeline to guide your progress:

Every fall...

Make an appointment to talk with a Career Development Center counselor.
Check your career center's web site for a calendar of dates and times of career development and job-search workshops and seminars, career and job fairs, and company information sessions.
Update your resume and have it critiqued and proofread.
Join professional associations and become an active member to build a network of colleagues in your field. Find a student version of your professional association and take leadership roles.
Subscribe to and read professional journals in your chosen field.

Freshman year

Asking questions, exploring your options
(up to 30 hours)

Schedule an appointment at the Career Development Center to familiarize yourself with the services and resources available.
Take interest and career inventory tests at the Career Development Center office.
Start a career information file or notebook that will include records of your career development and job-search activities for the next four years.
Identify at least four skills employers want and plan how you will acquire these skills before graduation.
Scan the Occupational Outlook Handbook, a book filled with information on hundreds of occupations. Find a copy of Job Choices in your Career Development Center office and leaf through other career-search books in the career library.
Familiarize yourself with your university's career center home page and with JobWeb link to home page. Both will be excellent sources of tips and full-length articles to help you with your job search.
Take a resume writing class and explore other career planning workshops. Write your first resume.
Attend on-campus career and job fairs to gather information on potential careers and employers.
Explore your interests, abilities, and skills through required academics.
Talk to faculty, alumni, advisers, and career counselors about possible majors and careers.
Join university organizations that will offer you leadership roles in the future.
Collect information on cooperative education programs, internships, and summer jobs that are available through the Career Development Center office.
Consider volunteer positions to help build your resume.

Sophomore year

Researching options/testing paths
(up to 60 hours)

Schedule an appointment with a Career Development Center counselor to bring yourself up-to-date on what's needed in your career file.
Update your resume (with your summer activities) and have it critiqued in the Career Development Center office.
Begin a cooperative education program or consider internship, summer and school-break job opportunities that relate to your interests.
Read at least one book on career planning recommended by Career Development Center staff.
Explore at least three career options available to you through your major.
Take a cover-letter writing workshop.
Review your progress in learning four (or more) skills employers look for in new hires.
Research various occupations in Job Choices, Occupational Outlook Handbook, or other materials in the career library.
Attend on-campus career and job fairs and employer information sessions that relate to your interests.
Identify organizations and associations in your interest areas for shadowing opportunities and informational interviews.
Join at least one professional or honorary organization related to your major in order make contact with people in the professional world.
Work toward one leadership position in a university club or activity.
Begin to collect recommendations from previous and current employers.
Put together an interview outfit.

Junior year

Making decisions/plotting directions
(up to 100 hours)

Schedule an appointment with a Career Development Center counselor to have your updated resume critiqued.
Narrow your career interests.
Review your participation in a co-op program or explore internship opportunities with a Career Development Center professional.
Participate in interviewing, cover-letter writing, and other job-search workshops.
Practice your skills at mock interviews.
Review your progress in learning four (or more) skills employers look for in new hires.
Attend on-campus career and job fairs and employer information sessions that relate to your interests.
Take leadership positions in clubs and organizations.
Consider graduate school and get information on graduate entrance examinations.
Ask former employers and professors to serve as references or to write recommendations to future employers.
Complete at least five informational interviews in careers you want to explore.
Shadow several professionals in your field.
Research potential employers in the career library and talk to recent graduates in your major about the job market and potential employers.
Start your professional wardrobe.

Senior year

Searching, interviewing, accepting, success!

Update your resume and visit the Career Development Center office to have it critiqued.
Get your copy of the career center's calendar and register for on-campus interviews. Also schedule off-campus interviews.
Develop an employer prospect list with contact names and addressed from organizations you are interested in pursuing.
Gather information on realistic salary expectations. Your Career Development Center office will be able to help.
Attend local association meetings to meet potential employers.
Draft a cover letter that can be adapted for a variety of employers and have it critiqued.
Participate in interviewing workshops and practice interviews.
Read two or more professional or trade publications from your major and career field on a regular basis.
If you are planning to go to graduate school, take graduate school entrance exams and complete applications.
Follow up on all applications and keep a record of the status of each.
Go on second interviews. Evaluate job offers and accept one.
Report all job offers and your acceptance to the Career Development Center office.