First Year: Discover

• Meet the Career Development staff: Schedule an appointment with a Career Advisor to discuss your strengths, values, interests and goals.
• Activate your Handshake account: Access campus jobs, internships, career opportunities, events and programs in your areas of interest.
• Start to build your college resume: Join student organizations that interest you, volunteer in the community and/or obtain a campus job. Use the resume guides on the Career Development Center’s mySU page or Handshake to draft a resume then have it reviewed by a Career Advisor!
• Consider your interests/discover career paths for your major: Review the academic course catalog, websites like onetonline.org and bls.gov/ooh, and the “What Can I Do With This Major” resource via mySU to identify and explore potential majors and minors.
• Develop professional relationships: Connect with your faculty who will guide your academic development. Attend first-year experience programs to learn more about campus resources and staff who can help you!
• Create your LinkedIn Profile and launch your SU LinkedIn Learning account: Gain access to our network of 15,000+ alumni, research companies, unlock learning experiences taught by real-world professionals, and apply for jobs and internships.

Sophomore Year: Explore

• Investigate your interests: Attend career programs and workshops, and our employment, internship, and graduate school fairs to learn how to  and experiences related to your interests.
• Connect with professionals, alumni, faculty and staff: Conduct informational inter views with alumni and others to learn about potential career paths. When possible, shadow a professional in your  eld of interest.
• Connect with faculty and staff who can inform you of opportunities connected to your career interests.
• Search for opportunities: Update your Handshake account and LinkedIn profile to find and apply for campus jobs and internships.
• Update your resume: Have your resume reviewed by a Career Advisor.
• Participate in Break Through career treks and on-campus events to learn from alumni working in your fields of interest.
• Engage in a LinkedIn Learning course: Learn skills, gain knowledge, and earn credentials to prepare you for internships and careers.
• Build your experience: Take an active role in a student or volunteer organization to develop and enhance your career readiness skills.
• Ensure that your social media accounts are appropriate and professional.

Junior Year: Connect

• Set career goals: Develop a career action plan in conjunction with Career Advisors and academic advisor.
• Participate: Attend recruiting events, career fairs, networking events and workshops.
• Network with alumni at Break Through events both on and off campus.
  Identify a mentor (or mentors) and complete informational inter views with professionals aligned with your career goals.
• Seek a leadership position(s) with a student organization, serve as a teaching or research assistant, obtain on-campus employment and more!
• Create or update your LinkedIn account, ask super visors for skill endorsements and complete LinkedIn Learning courses.
• Expand your knowledge: Study on-campus, complete an internship or research experience, and volunteer. Apply for experiential education funds to assist with internships and other opportunities that complement your studies.
• Graduate School Track: Research graduate schools and register to take the appropriate entrance exams. Update your resume/CV and discuss plans with faculty mentors and Career Advisors.
• Workforce Track: Update your resume and begin asking faculty and professional contacts for permission to use them as a professional reference.

Senior Year: Achieve

• Meet with a Career Advisor early in your senior year to strategize and  finalize your post graduate plans. Have Career Advisors, faculty, and mentors review your application materials.
• Engage: Attend campus workshops and events to learn more about the job search, applying to graduate school, interviewing, professional etiquette, and negotiating salary/benefits.
• Network with and inter view professionals in the industries, locations and companies that interest you by attending job fairs and other events.
• Confirm that your social media presence and LinkedIn profile are employer appropriate; show engagement with your field of interest.
• Schedule a practice job or graduate school inter view to hone your presentation skills.

Graduate School Track

• Schedule a practice job or graduate school inter view to hone your presentation skills.
• Research graduate schools and register for the appropriate entrance exams.
• Draft and revise personal statements.
• Ask professional contacts to write letters of recommendation.
• Update your resume/CV and discuss plans with faculty mentors and Career Advisors.

• Submit your graduate school applications EARLY!

Workforce Track

• Ask faculty and professional contacts for permission to use them as a professional reference.
• Update your resume, draft and revise cover letters.
• Track the applications you submit to ensure appropriate follow-up!