Suggested Career Planning Timeline
FRESHMAN
- Learn more about yourself. Identify personal interests, values and skills.
- Familiarize yourself with various majors. Talk to faculty and upper-classmen.
- Participate in activities and clubs to explore interests.
- Begin to identify careers that might be compatible with your personality.
- Visit Career Services. Use FOCUS and become familiar with other resources.
SOPHOMORE
- Select a major and develop a tentative curriculum.
- Become aware of general career trends and future employment needs.
- Conduct informational interviews and spend a day shadowing someone in your field of interest.
- Participate in volunteer service related to your career interests.
- Analyze self-assessment and career information collected. Evaluate career alternatives.
JUNIOR
- Learn more about career opportunities related to your major.
- Consider a minor to complement your major.
- Begin to think about options after graduation.
- If considering graduate school, begin researching potential schools.
- Develop your resume.
- Acquire skills in your chosen field through an internship, summer job or other work experience.
SENIOR
- Complete course requirements in major.
- Establish contacts in chosen field.
- Apply to graduate schools and register to take necessary exams.
- Identify and research potential employers.
- Update resume, collect references and establish credential file
- Develop interview skills.
- Develop a professional portfolio.
- Attend job fairs.
- Review job vacancies in Career Services and on the Internet.
- Set up your profile on LinkedIn.
