If you have declared a major, get a part-time job on or off campus that relates to your career field or that will help you to develop essential skills.
If you have not yet declared a major, visit the Career Services Office. Seek career counseling and testing to begin the process of exploring career paths and selecting a major.
Visit faculty during office hours. Get to know as many faculty members as possible. This will come in handy your senior year.
Make a commitment to spend time on career development.
Do research in bookstores and career centers. Knowing more about differnet industries, companies, and jobs will help you make a better career choice!
Join at least one club or participate in a career related activity.
Volunteer at an organization related to your interests.
Connect assignments, papers, speeches and projects to your career interests.
Visit Career Services for assistance in developing a resume. Begin building your resume now. Update it at the end of over semester, do not try and remember everything you have done!
Get a summer job or internship in your field.
Attend Career Services Workshops. Gather insight and advice on topics such as researching a career, resume writing, interviews, salary negotiations, and applying for grad school, law school, or medical school.
Register a profile on www.mountcareernetwork.com and schedule an appointment with a career counselor. Meeting with a counselor and submitting your resume will you on file with the Career Center, so we can keep an eye out for relevant opportunities.
Sophomore Year
Visit your faculty advisor and/or a career counselor for help with choosing a major, minor, concentration, or emphasis that will complement your career goals.
You should have joined at least one club or organization (related to your major or career field if possible) your freshman year...during your sophomore year join a second! Being involved demonstrates to employers that you have well-developed social skills and can work collaboratively and cooperatively.
Continue demonstrating your commitment to your community by participating in another volunteer activity or service learning experience.
Contact three people for Field Research. By interviewing people in positions you are interested in, you gain insight and often internships. Leads can be obtained in teh career center.
Schedule a mock interview with a career counselor.
Get a summer job or internship in your field of interest that will provide training in and opportunities to develop essential skills.
Find out if the career that interests you requires a Masters or Doctorate degree.
If you are considering graduate school, begin researching the schools that offer graduate programs. Visit the websites of these universities for their admission requirements. Work with your faculty advisor and career counselors to choose classes and co-curricular activities that will help make you a competitive applicant! Keep your GPA up!
Decide and finalize your major and continue to commit time to career development.
Junior Year
Research companies, non-profits, government agencies, schools and colleges to see where your passion is.
Develop new or advanced skills through job and volunteer experience.
Look at job listings to know the skills and background needed to eventually reach your goals.
Step up your involvement in the organizations you are a part of by running for office or get involved in the national organization. Experiment with different roles, develop strong relationships.
Get to know faculty on campus (you will need their recommendationsfor jobs and graduate school).
At this point you should be narrowing down career options to reach a job target and industry to pursue.
Prepare for your job search.
If you are considering graduate school, start applying now! Find out what admissions test are necessary and start studying well in advance. Be aware of application deadlines and start collecting application material such as letters of recommendation and transcripts.
Talk to more people doing jobs you are considering. To improve your impression, pick up the Field Research booklet from Career Services.
Treat the job search like a class. It takes study, know-how, and preparation!
Senior Year
Do another internship! Building your resume while you are in school will you experience to go along with your degree making you more marketable upon graduation.
Attend a workshop or schedule an appointment with a career counselor for assistance with salaray negotiations.
Get letters of recommendation from professors, employers, advisors, counselors, and others now, while they still remember you. Ask for permission to include them as a reference on job applications.
Seek out people in your field of interest who would be willing to act as mentors or advisors. Network with alumni in your field, and people your professors have recommended.
Make time to do a real job search! It is a good idea to think of getting a job as a "job". It takes time and effort to find a position that pays well.
Develop and customize a job search strategy.
Participate in the On-Campus Interviewing.
Start collecting application materials for grad school such as letters of recommendation.
Make sure your profile on www.mountcareernetwork.com is up to date and that you have submitted a resume to Career Services. This will keep you on file with Career Services and continue your services as an alumnae.
