Career Development Office - Counseling

THE FOUR YEAR GUIDE TO CAREER EXPLORATION

The following information is made available to serve as a guide. We encourage you to think of this as a framework to view your career exploration process through. The Career Development Office (CDO) is always here to assist you, whether you are just beginning or continuing to think about your career goals.

First Year - Self Assessment

  • Begin the self assessment process: focus on skills, interests, and values.
  • Get involved in extracurricular activities and gain valuable experience.
  • Get to know the CDO.
  • Attend workshops and programs conducted by CDO.
  • Get oriented to OCEAN, CDO's Online Career Exploration And Networking system.
  • Complete your "Profile" in OCEAN.
  • Read the CDO Compass, the office newsletter.
  • Participate in the Extern Program, Career Information Days and other related programs.
  • Talk with faculty, peers and advisors to begin focusing on academic interests.
  • In the Spring, attend "NFP in Boston", "NFP in Philadelphia" and "NFP in NYC", career fairs to learn about the not-for-profit/public service sectors.
  • Meet with a Career Counselor.

Sophomore Year - Exploring Options

  • Update your "Profile" in OCEAN.
  • Explore career fields by talking with family, friends, alumni/ae and the counselors at CDO. Schedule an informational interview.
  • Visit the Career Libraries located in the CDO and learn more about careers by reading books, articles, and magazines.
  • Choose a major after talking with faculty, your advisor and students in that major.
  • Talk with a Career Counselor.
  • Continue to read the CDO newsletter and attend workshops and programs.
  • Begin to clarify interests and skills.
  • Participate in the Extern Program.
  • Attend the Career Information Days.
  • In the Spring, attend "NFP in Boston", "NFP in Philadelphia" and "NFP in NYC", career fairs to learn about the not-for-profit/public service sectors.
  • Think about junior year abroad, and about internship opportunities.

Junior Year - Gaining Experience

  • Update your "Profile" in OCEAN.
  • Begin to meet on a regular basis with a career counselor to clarify thinking and focus on specific career fields.
  • Investigate graduate and professional school requirements to determine that your academic record will be complete. Attend programs and speakers: "Considering Graduate/Professional School" orientation and other special programs.
  • Prepare a resume that can be carefully revised during senior year. Have a Career Advisor do the initial critique.
  • Gain firsthand career experience through an internship, using the CDO internship database.
  • Build job search skills, by attending CDO Workshops.
  • Continue to clarify goals.
  • Continue talking with a Career Counselor to establish a working relationship.
  • Begin to gather letters of recommendation from faculty, internship sponsors and summer employers.
  • Attend Career Panels and "Conversations on Careers" to hear alumni/ae speak about their careers.
  • Participate in the Extern Program.
  • Contact alumni/ae to ask them for career advice and information. Attend the Career Information Days.
  • In the Spring, attend "NFP in Boston", "NFP in Philadelphia" and "NFP in NYC", career fairs for opportunities in the not-for-profit/public service sectors.
  • Continue to read the CDO Compass, and attend as many workshops and programs as possible.
  • If studying abroad, prepare for job or grad school search before, during and after your return.
  • Do a mock interview.

Senior Year - The Job / Graduate School Search

  • Update your "Profile" in OCEAN.
  • Meet with a career counselor as soon as possible to begin planning your job search strategy or graduate school application process.
  • Continue to clarify goals.
  • Visit CDO frequently.
  • Do extensive research on specific organizations and on the career field or fields of interest. Tap into varied job resources.
  • If applying to graduate or professional schools, take appropriate tests, meet with faculty and advisors, and prepare applications, meeting all deadlines. Attend the relevant programs.
  • Participate in an Orientation to the Recruiting Program.
  • Conduct information interviews with alumni/ae and other professionals.
  • Write a resume that is targeted to desired career fields. Have your resume reviewed by CDO (by a counselor, at Resume Express, and/or by a peer Career Advisor)
  • Participate in the Mock Interview Day.
  • Open a credentials file and make sure that your letters of recommendation are included.
  • Read the CDO Compass thoroughly and do not miss any of the important workshops, programs, and Career Panels.
  • Interview for positions in chosen field(s) with organizations on and off campus. Utilize the formal Recruiting Program and Career Fairs. In addition, conduct an independent job search.