FRESHMAN YEAR:

• Take a wide variety of classes to broaden exposure to potential career paths.

• Focus on good grades from the start.  If you fall behind, it’s difficult to recover.  But, be realistic about abilities.  Don’t panic over that B-.

• Begin career exploration through campus Testing SHN 58 and Counseling SHN 152  to find out more about how aptitudes, interests, personality, and values match with potential career paths.

• Begin to develop first college résumé.  Continue to refine it [adding content and focus] throughout  college years.

• Join a campus organization or club in an area of professional interest and attend the meetings regularly.  You will develop teamwork and leadership skills.  Contact Office of Student Development, GSC 104, 972-7021, to obtain a directory.

• Target working in industry/ occupation of interest in support/clerical position part-time during school  year and/or full-time during the summer.

• Consider obtaining hands-on experience as an intern or volunteer if PT/FT employment is not possible.

SOPHOMORE YEAR:

• Choose major based upon career planning and eventual career focus.  Then, focus course work here.

• Don’t, however, use up all elective credits too early.  It is wise to research complementary minors within or outside your department, or even your college, to strengthen marketability after graduation.

• Ask recent graduates for the names of the professors and the classes that most benefitted their career.

• Information interview with employers to better understand career field / what you can be doing now to prepare.

• Begin to build and develop personal network of contacts and potential mentors.

• Continue career planning with greater emphasis toward understanding the profession and needs of potential employers for entry-level talent.  Plan and develop work experience and classes to this profile.

• Work with on-campus career resources to prepare for work after graduation through internship or volunteer experience.

• Target a low-level co-op, internship, or research position within your chosen field part-time during the school year and/or full-time during the summer.  Attempt to secure a position close to what you would like to be doing after graduation.

JUNIOR YEAR:

• Keep up your grades–especially within major/minor.  Classes will become more difficult so continue focusing on excelling in studies.

• Develop relationships with leading professors/ department chair in your major.  They will be contributors to job search, both directly as a referral source and indirectly as interested companies inquire about the leading students in the major.

• Run for lower level offices in extracurricular activities in preparation for higher level offices next year.

• Contact professionals in chosen field for informational interviews to learn more about profession.

• Plan for final year with campus career resources to insure that your preparation is on target for potential employers.

• Target an assistant-level or professional-level co-op or internship within your chosen field part-time during school year and/or full-time during summer.  Attempt to diversify by interning in a different area from that interned previously. 

SENIOR YEAR:

• Keep your grades high.  Shift focus toward the direct applicability of your course work to your chosen profession. 

• Complete as many courses within major as possible.  Use available electives to further educational experience.

• Continue to pursue professional-level work experience part-time during school year but look only into full-time entry level work after graduation.

• If you have not yet acquired work experience in your chosen field, it is not too late for an internship or to offer your services as a volunteer. 

• Direct any special projects within your major toward your chosen field or profession.

• Fine tune résumé for graduation.

• Prepare for job search early, with all prerequisite materials (resume, transcripts, etc.) on file with appropriate campus resources within the appropriate time-frame.

• Use on-campus counseling resources to further broaden your job search.

• Activate and continue to expand personal network, enlisting all available support in job search.

• Begin interviewing as early as possible, even a semester before graduation.  Most employers are willing to wait for good talent!

• Make it your goal to have found your new job as early as possible in your final year.  Average search time is currently placed by some at nine months or estimated to be one month for each $10K you desire in salary.