Welcome to the planning of your future career! We’ve outlined some important steps you should take to get started.
First-Year
- Enroll in core courses with the help of your First-Year Advisor.
- Study university catalogs to learn rules and regulations for on-time graduation.
- Get involved on campus. Look into clubs, teams, or committees.
- Start thinking about your major. Explore career options, take aptitude surveys, and work with FOCUS, Career and Educational Planning Solutions.
- Review curriculum charts for the major(s) you are interested in. Speak with professors in that department.
- Undeclared? Utilize office resources right away to start exploring majors.
- Utilize spring and summer breaks to obtain a job. Begin developing an employment history.
- Attend workshops such as Choosing a Major and Obtaining a Summer Job.
Sophomore Year
- Find out who your department advisor is early in the year. Seek his/her advice in choosing courses and careers.
- Continue exploring your major by taking introductory courses and speaking with department members.
- Begin to prepare for in-depth study of your major.
- Speak with professors of your major regarding internships for next year. Increasing numbers of students are obtaining positions after graduation through internships.
- Speak with the cooperative education department about obtaining paid work experience in your field.
- Still undeclared? You’ll need to declare by the end of sophomore year. Intensify your exploration early to avoid taking courses that may not fit with your major.
- Continue building employment skills through summer jobs, extra-curricular activities, and volunteer experiences.
Junior Year
- Focus on your major with upper-level coursework.
- Gain experience through co-op, internships, study abroad, volunteer and community service, or experiential coursework.
- Are you starting to feel career-ready? Are you making life decisions? Do you have alternate career plans? Do you know your strengths and weaknesses?
- Get to know faculty members in your major well. They bring career-related experiences to campus.
- Consider a minor in an area of interest.
- Take electives to enhance your marketability.
- Take Career Search (LC300), a one-credit course that will guide you in preparing resumes, researching companies, interviewing, etc.
- Continue to find summer employment, but try to obtain a position related to your chosen field.
- Considering graduate school? Visit the CSS or your Faculty Advisor for help in getting organized for school selection and applying.
Senior Year
- Complete course requirements in your major/minor.
- Apply for graduation early to be sure all requirements have been met.
- Organize your job search early! See the Career Development Office for help in getting started.
- Take Career Search (see Junior Year).
- Seek advice from the Career Development Office and your Faculty Advisor in preparing your resume, targeting potential employers, etc.
- Attend the fall and spring job fairs sponsored by the Career Development Office.
- Choose faculty and administrators to serve as references.