Now, what will you DO with what you've learned? It is never too early to start thinking about your career! Thinking about graduate school? What sorts of jobs sound interesting? There are many people at the U that can help you start looking at the places you can go!
For month-by-month tips on how to plan for your career after graduation, check out the Second Year Roadmap.
Purpose
Establish or refine your career plan
Go Back to Self-Reflection
- Reflect on why you are here and identify your goals for the year
- Considering graduate or professional school? Explore options and begin planning to meet any academic or experiential requirements and foster relationships with faculty who will be your recommenders.
Prepare
Create/prepare your resume, visit Career Services, start talking to people whose work interests you.
Establish Relationships with Faculty
- They can share insight into the major in which they teach. If you are considering graduate or professional school, you may need to ask them to write a letter of recommendation for applications someday.
Check out Online Resources
- One of our favorite sites is O*Net. It shows you which jobs are expected to experience growth soon; the search options are helpful, and it might point you to a career path you have not thought of before.
- Every career office has access to a great resource, titled: "What Can I Do With This Major?" This resource lists out careers related to each major.
Go Visit Your Career Services Office!
There's no excuse for not stopping in—your career services department is an entire office dedicated to helping YOU find the right career! Career services is the perfect place to discuss your future career plans. If you're looking to find the right career path, don't worry—they know how to help you get there.
Check out the many resources they have to offer. You can find help creating a resume, writing a cover letter, or learn about job and internship opportunities pertaining to your major.
Take advantage of the professionals on campus who are here to help you find the right path.
- Academic Advisor - Your academic advisor already knows quite a bit about you, and they can tell you about the kinds of jobs that are available for certain majors. Advisors are also a good central hub to point you in the right direction if you're looking for other career resources.
- Center for Academic Planning & Exploration (CAPE) – CAPE is a centralized advising office on campus. If you're interested in exploring your own skills and interests more deeply in order to establish what kind of career you might want to pursue, CAPE is a good touchpoint for you!
- Student Counseling Services (SCS) – Did you know that SCS offers career counseling too? If you're really interested in gaining greater self-awareness and delving deep into career exploration, this is the place to go.
Talk to Professionals with Experience
- Schedule a few informational interviews to help solidify your career goals and find out what may await you in the careers you're interested in.
Practice
Gain meaningful experience through internships/co-ops, engagement opportunities, UROP, or learning abroad.
Get an Internship
- Use Handshake to look for internships and future jobs. Even if you're not looking for a job right now, GoldPASS can give you ideas for the types of things you might want to do in the future!
Find a Mentor
- Everyone can use a mentor or guide as you explore career options. Some colleges have mentor programs with alumni. The U’s Leadership Enrichment Programs provide real world leadership training and experience and some will connect you with a mentor.
Go to Career Fairs
- Attend career fairs to explore organizations and talk to employers – recruiting for opportunities for next summer's internships start as early as August for specific industries.
Get Engaged to Get Experience
- Thinking about being a teacher? Volunteer to tutor kids. Love sports? Work at the Rec Center. By getting involved in work, student groups, internships or research, you can discover what you like and don't like. Visit the Student Engagement website to find the right option for you.