Four Years to Success

Freshman Year

Encourage your Freshman to:

• Register online with the Career Center's student database to access job & internship listings, and to receive targeted e-mails customized to his/her needs.
• Participate in self-assessment exercises to learn more about him/herself and career options Enroll in CAR 110 - "Career Development and Decision Making" during the spring for credit
• Attend our "Career Exploration" workshop
• Obtain a part-time job for cash and experience Attend our Job Expos - visit our homepage for dates/times
• Access online job listings for off-campus jobs through his/her Career Center account For on-campus jobs use the SOLAR system
• Volunteer for community service to explore careers and give back to the community. Stop by VCS, located in the Career Center. Access volunteer positions through his/her Career Center account.
• Become familiar with all of the resources/departments available to him/her on-campus and get to know faculty and staff Utilize his/her "Freshmen Guidebook" and "Student Handbook" Take advantage of professors' office hours
• Join a club/organization to get involved and learn leadership skills.
• Visit us and learn what the Career Center has to offer, The Career Center is located in the Melville Library (lower level) at the foot of the zebrapath.

Sophomore Year

Encourage your Sophomore to:

• Explore academic majors. Attend our "Choosing a Major" workshop
• Meet with an Academic Advisor in the Academic Advising Center - located in Room E-2360 of the Melville Library (632-7082).
• Utilize the Career Center's resource library containing books such as the "What Can I Do with a Major in ..." series.
• Pick up a copy of our "Informational Interviewing" handout at the Career Center.
• Begin learning about occupations and industries of interest and conduct informational interviews to target careers of interest.
• Access links to career research sites on the Internet partners section of our homepage.
• Connect with professionals through our Career Contact Network to ask them questions and gather information about their careers. This Network can be accessed through your son/daughter's Career Center account.
• Attend Career Center seminars to increase her/her knowledge in various areas including "Career Exploration," "Interviewing Skills," and "Job Search Techniques" See our homepage for dates/times.
• Join campus club/organization to develop leadership skills, meet new people, and build a strong resume.

Junior Year

Encourage your Junior to:

• Investigate experiences in his/her area of interest & secure an internship to build a strong resume.
• Look at sample postings on his/her Career Center account and other job listing sites.
• Consider professional associations as resources - the Occupational Outlook Handbook can help your student find associations related to his/her career field of interest.
• Network! Use family, friends, and faculty/staff as resources.
• Learn how to develop the materials s/he will need to conduct an effective job search.
• Enroll in CAR 210 - the Career Center's "Career Planning" course for credit.
• Drop by the Career Center between the hours of Monday 1PM-4PM and Tuesday-Friday 10am-12pm or 1pm-4pm (Summer Hours are Monday-Thursday 1PM-3PM) to have his/her resume/cover letter critiqued and pick up a copy of our Job/Internship Search handout.
• Register for On-Campus Recruiting (OCR) for access to internship/job opportunities. Attend company presentations to develop contacts and learn more about industries of interest. Attend one of our "On-Campus Recruiting Orientation" sessions.
• Plan ahead and arrange a practice (mock) interview with a counselor to prepare for the interview process, stop by the Career Center, or contact us at 632-6810 to schedule an appointment. Pick up a copy of our "Interviewing Skills" handout at the Career Center.
• Start a Professional Reference (Credentials) file and prepare for graduate school admissions tests if there are plans for further education Visit www.interfolio.com to start a credentials file and pick up brochures/applications for admissions tests at the Career Center.

Senior Year

Encourage your Senior to:

• Apply for graduate programs if there are plans for further education. Peterson's is an excellent site for graduate school research. Pick up a free copy of the "Graduate School Guide" located in the Career Center
• Obtain additional related experience to expand skills and increase marketability Attend our Career fairs - see website for dates/times Attend one of our "On-Campus Recruiting (OCR) Orientation" sessions - see website for dates/times
• Access job/internship listings through his/her Career Center account
• Network! Use family, friends, and faculty/staff as resources.
• Discuss the latest trends in the job market with a Career Counselor Stop by or call us at 632-6810 to schedule an appointment
• Perfect his/her portfolio, showcasing evidence of accomplishments and reflections of learning experiences he/she is proud of. Pick up a copy of our "Developing a Professional Portfolio" handout in the Career Center
• Target and research companies/organizations of interest and send out resumes! Utilize our online resources located under the Internet partners section of our homepage. Visit our career resource library and review our "Job Bank Book" series
• Join professional associations and network with professionals - the Occupational Outlook Handbook can help your student find associations related to his/her field of interest.