Career Planning Timeline

Smart Women Start Planning for their Career Early!

Freshman Year

• Identify your interests, skills and values - assessments at the career center can help.
• Visit the Career Development and Internships website.
• Take a variety of courses to explore potential majors.
• Make good grades – your past can come back to haunt you.
• Get to know your professors, staff, upperclassmen - they may be able to help you with career plans – otherwise known as NETWORKING!
• Join a campus organization and strive for a leadership position.

Sophomore Year

• Research a variety of different careers online, with classes, volunteering, job shadowing
• Meet with your faculty advisor – a great ally in finding an internship!
• Attend an Internship Orientation Session
• Attend the Internship Exploration Fair
• Develop a resume and apply for Jan-terms and Internships
• Seek out alumni who can speak about their background and experiences
• Complete informational interviews to gain more insight into careers.
• Take a leadership role in a club or organization – every experience counts!
• Get a part-time job or volunteer in a career area you are interested in – experiential learning is invaluable.
• Keep in touch with people you meet so that your NETWORK remains fresh!

Junior Year

• Update your resume and create a cover letter, have them both reviewed by Career Development.
• Secure a Jan-term or internship in the area of your interest.
• Get involved in a PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION that relates to your major.
• Start narrowing down your fields of interest.
• Attend workshops and events hosted by the Career Development and Internships office.
• Considering graduate school? Take entrance tests if need be.
• Visit those potential graduate schools to look for a good fit.
• Keep up with your growing NETWORK.

Senior Year

• Pay close attention to career fairs, on-campus interviews, and other Career-related events.
• Conduct a Mock Interview.
• Attend conferences or professional meetings hosted by the organizations you belong to.
• Update your resume – have a comprehensive resume with everything on it, but be prepared to cut and paste as you target certain employers.
• Keep an updated list of contacts that you could use for potential references. You should have 3-5.
• Map out job search strategies with the help of your career counselor.
• Follow-up with previous employers.
• You have now been NETWORKING for a while. By now you have a lot of people you can reach out to… SEE HOW EASY THAT WAS!!!!!!!