View suggestions from the Office of Career Development to strengthen your skills for future employment.

Freshmen

Looking Ahead...

  • Develop good study skills
  • Start to build a good GPA
  • Learn good time management skills
  • Participate in class
  • Improve interpersonal skills by meeting new people
  • Sharpen communication skills (oral and written)
  • Join campus clubs and organizations for personal development
  • Get to know your professors
  • Meet with your advisors to discuss your academic needs
  • Volunteer or get a part-time job for practical experience
  • Attend appropriate career workshops and seminars (publicized in daily announcements)
  • Begin to consider future internship opportunities
  • Participate in campus activities
  • Develop summer job search strategies
  • Attend career fairs
  • Discuss career opportunities with a Career Development representative or knowledgeable faculty member
  • Become aware of what is happening in the world—read the newspaper
  • Establish goals for the next four years

Sophomores

Striving for Success...

  • Continue to build on your respectable GPA
  • Determine what you value and start thinking about your skills and interests
  • Continue to practice good study and time management skills
  • Strengthen professional relationships with faculty and staff
  • Broaden your cultural perspective by attending/exploring:
    • Cultural events
    • Debates
    • Diverse classes
    • Art exhibits
    • Study abroad options
  • Participate in:
    • Internships
    • Volunteer work
    • Part-time employment
  • Attend appropriate career workshops and seminars (publicized in daily announcements)
  • Attend career fairs
  • Become more involved in campus activities, committee work and group projects
  • Meet with your academic advisors to discuss your class selection
  • Investigate employment possibilities with a Career Development representative
  • Utilize career resources at the Career Development Office

Juniors

Getting Ready...

  • Review your academic plan with your academic advisors
  • Take class electives in other areas to enhance qualifications, such as computer skills, public speaking, writing, etc.
  • Research career trends in relation to your interests, skills, values and goals
  • Join professional organizations
  • Conduct information interviews for career information and employer contacts
  • Decide whether employment or graduate school will follow your graduation
  • Develop a resume
  • Develop potential references:
    • Faculty/staff
    • Work supervisor
  • Meet with a career advisor to discuss job search strategies and/or graduate school planning
  • Practice your interview skills with a career advisor
  • Attend career fairs and career seminars (publicized in daily announcements)
  • Get an internship experience within your field of study and/or study abroad
  • Meet with a financial aid counselor to determine the cost of graduate/professional school and how it fits into your budget

Seniors

On the Way to Your Career...

  • Register with Career Development for employment opportunities including resume referral to prospective employers
  • Complete course requirements for POE
  • Send in graduate/professional school applications by December at the latest
  • Explore scholarships, fellowships and graduate assistantships for graduate schools
  • Maintain contact with faculty, advisors, administrators and supervisors
  • Update resume
  • Develop well-written and eye-catching cover letters
  • Participate in on-campus and off-campus interviews
  • Research company literature and prepare for interviews, begin to utilize National Association of Colleges and Employers Guides
  • Conduct mock interviews in the Office of Career Development
  • Contact companies "posting" job vacancy announcements
  • Send resumes and letters of inquiry to target employers
  • Evaluate career employment options
  • Send thank you letters to employers following interviews