EXPERIENCE
(Becoming Marketable)
Self-Assessment and Exploration present you with expanded knowledge about yourself, career fields and academic programs. After weighing information and evaluating options, you should now be working on an academic program with some career goals in mind. It is useful to further prepare for the job market by gaining experience beyond those encountered in your major program. Before completing your degree, strive to complement your education with "real life" experiences. Gaining experience benefits your marketability in that it…
Lets you "try out" components of a career in advance to doing a job search
Remember those people you spoke with for informational interviews in the Exploration stage? Now would be a good time to update them on the value of their information, the progress you have made, and discuss ways to develop direct experience.
CONSIDER:
Can you receive academic credit for an internship? …contact your department
major
Target summer jobs and volunteer opportunities to broaden your experience
Get involved with campus clubs and activities…don’t just attend meetings; run
for an office or help with events to profile your leadership skills
CAREER CENTER RESOURCES THAT CAN BE HELPFUL:
Career Counselors – Make an appointment to meet and discuss your goals and strategies.
Workshops – Attend sessions which overview internships, résumés, cover letters, and interview techniques.
Recruitment Activities – Watch for internship and summer job options on the recruitment schedule. Additionally, visit companies at special events such as Career Fairs.
Internships – View notices posted to the Career Center web site. Sign up online for e-mail notification of internships.
A Guide for Developing an Internship – This resource takes you through steps of developing prospects, making contacts, and creating a learning contract.
Alumni Surveys – Identify where previous graduates have done internships.
Career Center Library – Suggested additional resources from the reference library include: