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Your Four Year Career
Plan
 Freshman Year: Self
Evaluation & Career Planning
As you begin your college education, it's perfectly okay not to
know what you want to do later in life. Take time now to learn as
much as you can about your skills, personality, lifestyle
preferences, interests and values. This information will help you
choose a major and begin to explore the exciting world of career
possibilities awaiting you!
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Develop your interests and skills
through student organizations, sports, classes, volunteer
organizations and extracurricular activities. |
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Get to know faculty, staff and advisors. |
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Explore courses and talk to advisors about options
you are considering. |
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Establish good time management and
study skills. |
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Take FOCUS, an online career guidance tool. Obtain
information in Career Services Office. |
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Explore majors and career options at the Career
Services Office. |
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Browse through library books and internet
resources. |
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Talk about your career interests with parents,
friends, professors and other individuals already employed. Also,
talk with McMurry career services staff. |
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Acquire computer skills by familiarizing yourself
with word processing and various types of software. |
Summer Vacation |
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Get a summer job in a related field you are
considering for a career |
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Work hard to pay your own expenses |
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Develop a strong work ethic |
Sophomore Year: Career Exploration
& Investigation
Continue to explore and gather information about career fields.
The best resources are people who work in the career fields that
interest you. Internships, summer jobs, and volunteer activities
can also provide first-hand insights.
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Expand your knowledge of career
options. Make a list of the ones which sound interesting. |
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Attend career fairs and other career-related
programs to increase your knowledge of the full range of jobs that
people perform. |
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Conduct informational interviews with people who
work in career fields of interest to you. Spend a day on the job
with a professional (job shadowing). |
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Pursue internships, part-time and summer jobs and
volunteer activities to gain work experience and to learn more
about your work preferences. |
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Assume a responsible role in activities on
campus. |
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Register with the Career Services Office and
discover how they can assist you in the following: researching
careers, writing a resume and cover letter, networking, job
searching techniques, and interviewing. |
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Begin writing your resume. |
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Compile references for future use. |
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Improve communication skills. |
Summer Vacation |
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Get a summer job related to the career you are
pursing. |
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Pay all expenses, build work reputation and
establish professional references. |
Junior Year: Gaining Career
Experience
Internships and summer employment will help you acquire new
skills, learn more about careers and develop a network of contacts.
Aim for outstanding academic performance, especially in your major.
Now's the time to go back and once again ask and answer the
questions "Who am I?" and "What do I want?"
Seek leadership responsibilities in extracurricular
activities.
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Update your resume after each work
experience or on-campus leadership activity. |
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Make an appointment to have your resume critiqued
by the Career Services staff. |
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Continue to build practical experience through
internships, co-ops, and student activities. |
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Establish relationships with those professors and
supervisors from which you want to obtain recommendations. |
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Register with the Career Services Office. |
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Identify career options that match your major and
interests:
Take Interest Inventories. |
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Research careers. |
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Discuss career opportunities in your major with
faculty, professionals, advisors, and Career Services staff.
Attend job fairs and on campus interviews. |
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Attend workshops and seminars on campus. |
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Begin networking with professionals already in the
field. |
Summer Vacation |
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Get an internship or job in your field. |
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Continue to develop computer and job related
skills and knowledge of the workplace. |
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Compile an inventory of interests and skills. |
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Compile reference letters, awards, commendations,
etc. |
Senior Year: Job Search &
Transition Into The Workplace
Plan ahead and set reasonable career goals for yourself. By now
you are facing a transition from college to graduate school or a
career position. Graduate school applications, letters of reference
and test scores must be submitted early. Identify prospective
employers and career positions.
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Assume responsibility for finding
employment. |
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Look for Job listings at the Career Services
Office. |
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Participate in Career Services on-campus
interviews. |
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Look for additional jobs via internet searches
using the Career Services website. |
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Use your contacts to identify job opportunities
and get referrals. |
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Attend Career Fairs. |
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Confirm your remaining degree requirements at the
beginning of the year so there are no "surprises" when it comes
time to graduate. |
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Participate in another Internship to make your
resume incredibly impressive to employers. |
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Prepare for your first job. Talk with McMurry
alumni about their first year on the job and some of the challenges
you can expect.
Continue to update your resume and cover letter and have them
reviewed by career services. |
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Write to and join professional associations. |
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Network, network, network. |
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Organize your job search, prepare a placement
file, and send out resumes. |
McMurry Career Services is here to
assist you throughout and beyond each step of the way!
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