The following information contains suggested activities and timelines to follow for each year of your college experience. In doing the activities you will be more informed and prepared for success and happiness with your major and the careers you will find in the world of work.

If you know what you want to major in and have passed the TASP, meet with an academic advisor to discuss tentative academic & career goals. On the other hand, if you are undecided about your major or career plans, make an appointment with a counselor in Career and Counseling Services to explore your options for an academic major. Undecided majors and students who have not passed the TASP receive academic advising through the STARR Center.

Identify personal interests, skills, and values to begin conceptualizing your career goals. Career & Counseling Services offers the PinPoint assessment to assist with self assessment.

Participate in the Career EXPOs which are held early in the fall and spring semesters. Also, you can visit Educator's EXPO if you are interested in being a teacher, coach, or any related occupation in the education field or check out the Health Career Fair if you are interested in any health related field.

Research careers that are of interest to you at Career & Counseling Services library and the University library.

Explore Financial Aid options.

Visit Student Employment Services (SES) for part time jobs, volunteer, summer camp job opportunities.

Inquire about Experiential Education in Career & Counseling Services. Join organizations on campus to start building your résumé.

Conduct informational interviews

There are several things you can do during your sophomore year to prepare for your career:

1. Review, revise and reaffirm your career goals
2. Select an academic major that is consistent with your self-appraisal conducted in career counseling
3. Continue career exploration
4. Join major related organizations
5. Job shadowing & informational interviews
6. Get set up in the Experiential Education Program
7. Obtain experience through SES by volunteering, finding a part-time job or through the Experiential Education Program
8. Draw up a tentative degree plan
9. Begin developing your résumé and other skills by going to workshops
10. Attend Career EXPOs / Educators' EXPO Health Care Careers Job Fair
11. Develop your short-term and long term career goals
12. Take career assessments by making an appointment with a counselor
13. Establish relationships with faculty, career services staff, and community members that can help in your future job search (also known as NETWORKING).

1. Get your experiential education now before it is too late
2. File a degree plan with your College's Dean's office
3. Explore what opportunities might be available to you after graduation (vacancy list, career portfolio, on-campus interviewing)
4. Look ahead to what a Senior needs to be doing
5. Take a leadership role in organizations that you are involved in
6. Become familiar with job descriptions, work setting, job titles, salary ranges
7. Increase your networking
8. Add to your résumé, remember assistance is available in Career & Counseling Services
9. Learn what skills employers are looking for in employees by attending interviewing workshops
10. Attend Career EXPOs / Educator's EXPO / Health Care Career Fair
11. Research your major and occupational interest more in depth to learn what skills will make you marketable. Check out what you can do with your major.
12. Research graduate schools and find out requirements, costs and opportunities. Attend the Graduate School Fair in the fall
13. Check with an advisor to make sure you are on the right track for graduation
14. Informational Interviewing & Job Shadowing
15. Decide firmly on a major
16. Practice interviewing by participating in a mock interview

1. Last chance to do an Internship, hands on experience is one of the things that employers are looking for
2. Apply for and take the necessary examinations for graduate studies, professional school, etc.
3. Attend all workshops offered by Career & Counseling Services
4. Register with Career & Counseling Services and set up your career portfolio
5. Refine and finalize your résumé to fit your background and goals
6. Research company information through Career & Counseling Services and the Internet
7. Network, network, network
8. Attend Career EXPOs / Educator's EXPO and the Health Care Career Fair
9. Have your résumé critiqued
10. On campus interviewing
11. Write letters of inquiry, visit with employers, send follow up letters
12. Make sure you have fulfilled all requirements for graduation

• Attend all Career & Counseling Services workshops
• Register with Career & Counseling Services and set up a career portfolio
• Define career goals clearly by determining specifics about your desired job geographical location preference etc. remember the clearer the goal the clearer the path
• Continue your Internship assignment
• Practice interviewing by participating in a mock interview
• Stay involved in organizations and the community. Network!

• Begin to identify references and ask their permission
• Continue your Internship assignment

• Check to see if you're on active status at Career & Counseling Services
• Revise your résumé and cover letter
• Begin networking heavily by contacting friends, faculty members, and professionals in the field with whom you have developed relationships, to inform them of your career plans and to get assistance from them
• Assemble appropriate job search kit
• Continue your Internship assignment

• Use resources available in Career & Counseling Services, in Cornette Library and on the internet to research companies
• Inquire about on campus recruiting and the proper procedure for interviewing on campus
• Make sure all your information on your career portfolio & résumé are current
• Research salary information in your field of study
• Begin monitoring job vacancy lists and additional resources on the web
• Maintain communication with your network of contacts
• Continue your Internship assignment

• Continue to stay up to date with job vacancies and on campus interview schedules
• Network
• Continue your Internship assignment

• Research companies that you are interviewing with
• Interview on & off campus and follow up with thank you letters
• Network
• Continue your Internship assignment

• Continue the above
• Revise résumé and cover letters if necessary
• Start considering job offers
• Accept a job, let Career & Counseling Services know so we can make your file inactive

• Keep trying. Don't give up or get discouraged. Remember the national average to find a job in your field of study is 18 months
• You may want to look at areas not directly related to your field
• Take a good look at how you are marketing yourself
• Fine tune your interviewing, set up a mock interview with Career & Counseling Services
• Revise résumé
• Get some type of work experience; some is better than none
• Seek out a career counselor if you are having a hard time identifying the problem
• Network, network, network
• Join professional or civic clubs
• Sign up with a temporary agency
• Keep in close contact with Career & Counseling Services
• Keep your file active and updated
• Participate in all activities available to you through Career & Counseling Services