The Office of Career Services      

Chart Your Course

 

CAREER PLANNING CHECKLIST*

Freshman Year:  Know Thyself

• Get to know yourself.  What does that mean?  Basically, think about what you enjoy doing (your interests); what you’re good at doing (your skills); what’s important to you in a future career (your work values); and what makes you unique (your personality)

• There are lots of ways to go about this task:  Take a few career interest Self-Assessment tests in the Career Services Office; talk with a Career Counselor; Ask other people in your life (e.g. family and friends) to help you identify your pertinent career related traits

Sophomore Year:  Explore What’s Out There

• In sophomore year, start investigating major and career possibilities by reading the academic bulletin, talking to faculty, meeting with your Academic Advisor, and scheduling time to talk with a career counselor to learn about the types of careers various major might lead to

• Talk to people who are working in careers that intrigue you.  Learn how they prepared, both academically and experientially, for their jobs.  What advice do they have for you?

• Get a part-time job or pursue a volunteer experience that relates to a field that interests you

Junior Year:  Get Experience

• This is the time to get experience in your major area of interest through an internship or part-time job.

• This is also the time to develop a resume and cover letter and learn how to tailor each document to the specific needs of specific employers
  
  

• Start researching companies or organizations you may like to work for someday.

• Attend college job fairs to get a sense of what the job market and process is like
  
  

• Try to develop alternative career options to give you some choices

• Attend Career Skill Building Workshops

Senior Year:  Search and Transition

• Continue getting experience through an Internship, Volunteer Program, and/or part-time job

• Attend Career Skill Building Workshops

• Use the College’s Career Services Office, Web sites, newspapers, and your networks to find job openings

• Refine your resume

• Attend job fairs

• Research companies and organizations you’ll be interviewing with and prepare thoroughly for those interviews

 

 

* Adapted from an article by Peter Vogt “MonsterTRAK Career Coach” 
(http://content.ncaacareercoach.monster.com/career_development/goals)