FRESHMAN YEAR

Exploring: Self Assessment and Career Planning Activities

  • Begin to identify interests, abilities, skills and personal/work values
  • Seek career counseling to discuss "choosing a major" and/or identify possible career options
  • Explore a wide variety of majors
  • Talk to academic advisors about the majors you are considering
  • Develop and practice good study, organizational, and functional skills
  • Investigate campus organizations that might interest you. This is a
    good way develop leadership, organizational, and planning skills
  • Participate in campus activities - get involved in what's happening on campus
  • Seek summer, part-time, and volunteer jobs to explore careers and gain valuable experience

Write the answers to the following four key questions

1. What do I want to do?

2. What can I do?

3. What do I need to do to develop myself further?

4. How can I get the job I want after graduation?

SOPHOMORE YEAR

Deciding: Career Exploration and Investigation Activities

  • Continue exploring your academic interests through a variety of courses
  • Learn about career options in the various majors by talking with professionals in those areas
  • "Shadow" - spend a day on the job with a career person
  • Talk with family, friends, peers, counselors, professors, etc. about your career choice
  • Meet with your academic advisor to discuss requirements and procedures for declaring your chosen field
  • Confirm your choice of an academic major
  • Investigate internships, co-ops, part-time work, summer jobs and volunteer programs to gain valuable experience
    Investigate International programs

JUNIOR YEAR

Experience: Gaining Career Experience

  • Consider options after graduation: career or graduate/professional school
  • Research career options and decide which ones are most appealing
  • Conduct information interviews in these career fields
  • Continue building practical experience through employment, volunteer work, internships, etc.
  • Seek leadership positions in school organizations to develop organizational, public speaking, writing, and other relevant skills
  • Identify and research companies of interest. Determine those attending
    VSU career fairs and establish contact with representatives
  • Begin Networking - make contacts and keep a journal on all employment
    possibilities
  • If considering graduate study, identify possible schools and send for
    admissions information. Pick up application booklet for admission exams
  • Develop an effective resume and have it critiqued by a career counselor
    Check Career Services Resume Workshop Classes to assist you in writing your resume

SENIOR YEAR

Job Seeking: Job Search/Transition to Work Activities

  • Develop your resume, register and maintain a placement file with our office
  • Actively participate in our on-campus interviews and our resume referral
    service
  • Attend campus wide CAREER/JOB FAIRS
  • Visit the Career Resource Center which contains job listings, employer
    and graduate school information and company literature
  • Identify companies who don’t interview on campus, research them, and
    network to establish contacts
  • Attend workshops or see a counselor about job search strategies,
    interviewing skills, preparing a cover letter, etc.
  • Plan and design your own effective job search strategy
  • Participate in our mock-interviewing process
  • Network...network...network…
  • Join a Professional Association (become actively involved)
  • Continue developing related work, leadership and other skills necessary for your career objective