Timeline for a Student's Career development
Freshman Year -> Sophomore Year -> Junior Year -> Senior Year
Freshman Year (Inquiry and Awareness)
- Consider college as preparation for your life.
- Enroll in core courses with assistance from your advisors.
- Make a tentative selection of a major.
- Learn about resources available on Campus.
- Take UBE 101 University Experience course.
- Participate in Campus activities.
- Take UBE 202, Career Planning course.
- Begin to consider possible career choices.
- Get to know faculty, counselors, and administrators.
- Obtain work experience to develop interpersonal skills, help finance your education, and build responsible work habits.
Sophomore Year (Assessment and Exploration)
- Complete intro courses in your prospective major.
- Begin self-assessment, by identifying your interests, strengths, skills, abilities, and values.
- Take advantage of career counseling.
- Learn about the world of work and explore occupations using FOCUS, a free web-based career guidance program.
- Research occupations: training needed, demand for jobs, alternatives, etc.
- Use the "Meet a Mentor" program and conduct information interviewing on your own.
- After selecting an occupational area, choose an appropriate major.
- Take UBE 202 Career Planning course (if you did not take during freshman year).
- Gain exposure to the world of work through employment or volunteer experience. Utilize these experiences to further develop your work-related skills and improve your self-confidence.
Junior Year (Testing Career Decisions)
- Study your major in-depth with several courses in your chosen career field.
- Join organizations in your chosen field.
- Gain relevant experience through an internship or co-operative educational experience
.
- Check your attitude toward your major/career; see a career counselor.
- Continue to get to know faculty, counselors, and administrators.
- Take electives in other areas to enhance your qualifications. Learn additional computer and foreign language
skills.
- Begin to investigate the role of graduate and professional school in your chosen career field, and plan your application timeline.
- Secure employment or an internship related to your career goals. Use this experience to evaluate your career decision.
Senior Year (Job Search/Graduate School Applications)
- Complete the course requirements in your major.
- Plan your job search.
- Attend Career Services' workshops to brush up on job search skills, including resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job search strategies.
- Conduct a thorough job search campaign
- Take advantage of On-Campus Interviewing and attend Employer Group Information Sessions, if applicable.
- Discuss opportunities with faculty and counselors.
- Choose the faculty, administrators, and/or employers you want to write references
- Develop a timetable for your career development after graduation.
Remember that Career Services provides lifetime career assistance to UB alumni!
