Center forCareer and Professional Advising
Career Action Plan
The CCPA's Career Action Plan enables students to design their path and plan a course for the future. Our office helps students to explore options, prepare for opportunities, gain experience through summer and campus involvement, and launch for post-Haverford.
Explore
Actively gather information to gain knowledge about potential fields of interest through self-exploration, identifying values, interests, and strengths. Typically during your first year and sophomore year.
- Get to know CCPA by following us on Instagram.
- Attend Career Events.
- Complete your Handshake Profile, including potential career interests.
- Explore potential majors, by using resources including What Can I Do With This Major?, Beyond Haverford (a visualization of alumni outcomes), First Destination Report, talking to professors, and attending Sophomore departmental Advising Meetings.
- Talk with your pre-major advisor / major faculty advisor about your interests; bring your resume to share all of your experiences.
- Meet with a career advisor during Drop-In Hours or career advising appointment.
- Visit Firsthand (access via our Online Subscription Sites) and read their Career Guides to gain foundational knowledge about fields.
Prepare
Whether you need feedback on your resume, tips on interviewing, advice on preparing for fellowships, or how to make alumni connections, CCPA can help. Typically during your sophomore and junior years.
- Connect with alumni for advice and informational purposes using Haverford Connect.
- Learn about industries and fields through online CCPA resources, tapping into the alumni network, and attending events offered by the Alumni Affinity Groups.
- Create a resume and submit it to the CCPA for review and feedback.
- Prepare a Cover Letter.
- Practice interviews through Haverford Connect or with a CCPA advisor.
- Participate in workshops, trainings, and/or the "Steps for Career Success" physical education course.
- Develop and enhance your professional skills and career readiness
- Expand competencies through trainings, on and off campus, and online on your own.
- Learn how to connect departmental learning goals to transferable skills.
- Create a LinkedIn Profile and complete your Handshake profile.
Experience
Participate in varied experiences to gain insights, enhance skills, and make connections to make informed career decisions. Consider internships, externships, summer jobs, activities, campus jobs, and skill building seminars. Typically during your sophomore and junior years.
- Get involved in extracurricular activities and gain valuable experience.
- Focus on developing your transferable skills and discuss with CCPA, Student Engagement & Leadership, Deans, faculty, and others.
- Volunteering and/or interning with local organizations is a great way to gain experience. Explore the Commnity Engagement Organizations to search for places Haverford has worked with in the past!
- Participate in co-curricular volunteer opportunities through the Office of Service.
- Participate in the Externship Program.
- Consider studying abroad.
- Gain summer experiences and internships.
- Use Career Resources including: CCPA Blog, Career Resources by Field, Online Subscription Sites, and Handshake.
- Seek out career advice, especially from alumni, using Haverford Connect and LinkedIn.
Launch
Determine your post-graduation plans and design your search around your priorities. Take advantage of our resources for making employer connections and finding fellowship and graduate school opportunities. Typically during your junior and senior years.
- Participate in Employer Connections, including but not limited to:
- Employer Recruiting Program for interviews and information sessions
- Tri-Co Career Fair and Recruiting Day (Late January)
- Tri-Co STEM Career Fair and Recruiting Day (Late January)
- Selective Liberal Arts Consortium NY and DC (Early January) Recruiting Days, and Video Interview Days (September and February)
- Nonprofit Meetups and Social Impact Virtual Fair (Spring semester)
- Your own proactive outreach
- Search jobs from alumni in Haverford Connect and Handshake.
- Attend Career Events like employer information sessions and professional development workshops.
- Make sure you have your professional LinkedIn profile.
- Prepare Graduate or Professional School applications or research ideas.
- Consider fellowships and other gap year programs.
- Check Handshake often for new job postings.
- Use the job listing resources in our Online Subscription Sites.