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4-year Career Timeline

Here are some suggestions for yearly career goals you can set to prepare for your graduation and post-graduation plans. There is no order to these goals and they can be completed in every year. Remember you can always check-in with a Center for Career Readiness professional for support!

  • Year 1
    • testing.
    • Research different majors: course catalog, major to career guides, , professional associations, government information sites and job boards by major/industry.
    • Take a career assessment, such as the Strong Interest Inventory to learn more about your areas of interest.
    • Meet with your advisor.
    • Meet with a Career Counselor.
    • Meet with a faculty member in your area of interest. 
    • Join a Â鶹´«Ã½ club or organization related to your major or area of interest.
    • Do an informational interview with a professional who has your dream job/area of interest.
    • Job shadow a professional in your area of interest.
    • Document your experiences in a resume. Have your resume critiqued by a Career Counselor.
    • Access , Â鶹´«Ã½'s job and internship bank, to learn about potential jobs and internships and become aware of career-related events and fairs.
    • Attend a job fair or networking night to connect with future employers.
  • Year 2
    • Declare your major.
    • : OOH, , Informational interviews
    • Attend a job fair or networking night to connect with future employers.
      • Center for Career Readiness provides a job and internship during both Fall and Spring semesters, as well as Teacher Employment Day Fair.
      • Center for Career Readiness offers workshops on "How to Work a Job Fair" to teach students how to successfully attend a job fair.
      • Center for Career Readiness and Alumni Relations have teamed up to provide Success Looks Like Me, an event series designed as an opportunity for current Â鶹´«Ã½ students to learn from the experiences and challenges alumni have faced in the professional world.
    • Update your resume and have it critiqued by a Career Counselor.
    • Identify potential internship opportunities.
    • Explore study abroad opportunities.
    • Have coffee or lunch with an advanced student in your program of study. It is a nice opportunity to network and find out the best classes to take and what to expect in your third or fourth year.
  • Year 3
    • Join a professional organization related to your major as a student member.
    • Gain a leadership position in a student organization.
    • Buy interview clothing.
      • Many local retailers offer discounts to Â鶹´«Ã½ students - check out Bear Biz for more information.
      • Not sure what to wear to an interview? Check out Center for Career Readiness' Pinterest boards for interview attire as well as tips on work wear on a budget.
    • Practice interviewing skills during a practice interview with a Career Counselor.
    • Explore current job and internship openings by industry and major on .
    • Update your resume and have it critiqued by a Career Counselor.
    • Learn how to write a cover letter.
    • Meet with a Career Counselor to develop a career plan for your final year(s) to prepare for graduation.
    • Explore graduate school programs if you are interested. Review application process deadlines.  Think about tests you may need to take to apply to graduate school: GRE, LSAT, MCAT, etc.
    • If you are thinking about graduate school, see if you can assist a professor with research.
    • Network with friends, family, and employers.
  • Year 4