Career Planning for Seniors
Identifying Career Options
- Make an individual appointment with one of the career counselors
- Use FOCUS 2 to explore job/career fields
- Log-in to VikingWeb. Go to the Plan4ward tab. Click on Plan4Experience menu button
- Continue to research potential employers in your area of interest
- Explore the Alumni Career Network for career and employer information
- Log-in to VikingWeb. Go to the Plan4ward tab. Click on Plan4Experience menu button
- Conduct informational interviews with alumni, family and friends
- Network with professionals in your chosen field of study
- Talk with the Career Center about internship resources, process and paperwork
- Work with faculty members to develop an academic internship
- Attend academic departmental Career Conversation programs to learn about job search suggestions from recent alumni
- Explore this resource guide on researching career options
- Utilize “What Can I Do with a Major In….?" to connect your major to your career.
Getting Experience
- Develop your resume and have it reviewed by a Career Center counselor
- Apply for appropriate undergraduate and graduate Scholarships and Fellowships
- Attend Career Center workshops on job search topics
- Take on leadership and supervisory roles in on-campus & off-campus work as well as student and professional organizations
- Participate in an internship that is related to your major.
- Participate in a student professional organization, attend a conference
- Sign up for a Mock Interview and attend the Etiquette Dinner
- Attend on- and off-campus career fairs to talk to employers about the types of jobs they offer
Job Search
- Make an individual appointment with one of the career counselors
- Revise resume and draft a cover letter to be critiqued by a Career Center counselor
- Use the Berry Career Central to manage your job search
- Use the Career Library, Career Center home page links and other resources to identify career options
- Develop an employer prospect list with company contact names and addresses and send them your resume and a cover letter
- Network! (use the Alumni Career Network)
- Conduct informational interviews
- Build your professional wardrobe
- Participate in Mock interviews, Etiquette Dinner and other Career Center programming
- Check Career Center for dates of career fairs and on campus interviews
- Research employers prior to career fairs and interviews
- Attend on & off-campus career fairs; follow-up with a letter and resume to employers that interest you or online applications
- Participate in on-campus interviewing
- Send thank-you note after interviews
Graduate/Professional School Search
- Revise resume and draft a cover letter to be critiqued by a Career Center counselor
- Participate in a Kaplan Test drive
- Attend a Graduate/Professional school workshop
- Talk with faculty members about graduate programs within your academic field and ask for letters of recommendation
- Begin the Graduate/Professional application process early
- Have several people read your statement of purpose
- Visit graduate school programs and schedule interviews
- Apply for appropriate graduate Scholarships and Fellowships
- Apply for financial aid
- Build your professional wardrobe