Finding Your Career

Developing a career is a process. Here are four steps to success:

Self-Assessment

• Talk with a career advisor about the self-assessment process.
• Sign up to use FOCUS, an online career guidance program used to assist you in career exploration.
• Identify your skills, interests and personality preferences and discuss them with your career advisor.
• Work with career explorer to determine possible career paths.
• Identify possible occupations to explore.
• Determine your top three occupations or career fields.

Career Research

• Discuss top three occupations or career fields with your academic advisor.
• Talk with a career advisor about the best approach to researching your choices.
• Read books, materials and websites on these choices including organizations, qualifications, job outlook, salary ranges, etc.
• Attend career events to talk with career professionals.
• Define your first choice and alternative career areas.
• Join the mentor program.

Gaining Experience

• Talk with a career advisor about gaining experience in your first-choice areas.
• Join a club or organization related to your first choice and alternatives.
• Find a related internship, part-time job or volunteer experience.
• Consider an independent study on an issue of relevance to your field.
• Continue career research.
• Begin researching employers in your field and/or appropriate graduate programs.
• Join the mentor program.
• Learn how hiring is done in your field.

Marketing Yourself For Employment

• Register with the recruiting coordinator.
• Prepare a professional résumé.
• Learn to interview effectively.
• Gather employment and academic references.
• Research companies in your field.
• Prepare a target list of employers.
• Attend on- and off-campus career events in order to network.
• Participate in on- and off-campus interviewing.