Career Planning

Career Plan IconPlanning for your future career is exciting—but it also can be scary. One way is to begin with the end in mind by asking yourself: "What goal should I pursue?" or "How do I know I’m heading in the right direction?" Following the guidance below can fuel your excitement, calm your nerves, and prepare you for success in whatever career you choose.   

Investigate each element and complete the essential activity icon essential activities. If you are looking to do more investigation into an area, explore the deeper dive icon deeper dive activities to get more in-depth with the subject.

                                       For guidance with how to save your MyPlan activities, please visit MyPlan Technical Support.

 

Know Yourself

A good place to start is to articulate your interests, skills, and values. What do you enjoy doing? What do you excel at? What things come easily for you? On the other end of the spectrum, what types of projects or activities do you detest? What types of things do you not want to spend your time doing? To discover these answers, consider your past academic, work, and personal experiences. When you choose a career related to who you are, your aptitudes, strengths, and passions, you’re more likely to look forward to your work.

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Career Awareness

Most students are not aware of the large range of career possibilities. Focus on exploring career paths that align with your interests, skills and values.

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Relationship Building & Networking

Many students don’t like the term “networking,” so think of it as building relationships. How do you do this? To learn more about a potential career path, connect with and have conversations with professionals, employers and our campus community. Develop your own personal network to help you gather information, perspective and advice about careers, helpful resources and experiences, internships, and jobs.

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Work-based Learning

Improves your career opportunities by participating in an internship, practicum or clinical. These experiences help you gain relevant work experience, on-the-job training, employability skills and connection to professional networks while you’re still in school. Whether or not it is required for your program of study, make the time to take this essential step in clarifying career choices that are the best fit for you.

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 Job Search Strategies

Developing a clear strategy for your job search will increase your success at landing a job that’s a good fit for you. The activities and resources included in this section will help you identify, develop, practice, and improve your employability skills. In the long term, these activities can ensure that you will be well equipped to manage your career over a lifetime.

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Professional Readiness Competencies

While you’re still in school, you can develop your professional skills—including problem solving, communication and teamwork. You can develop these skills everywhere—in a group project, in a student club, in a classroom presentation. By attaining these skills, you become a more valuable employee.

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  • Revisit your Professional Readiness Self-Assessment each term and create new action steps
  • Add these competencies to your resume
  • Actively participate in class, gain employment experience and engage with campus activities