Career To-Do List
The Career Center has put together a four year Career To-Do List that will help you organize your time and keep your goals in sight. The plan includes tasks to complete during each of your four years at Central, but is flexible and can be customized to fit your needs.
- First year - Exploration
- Sophomore - Investigation
- Junior - Confirmation
- Senior - Implementation
First Year - EXPLORATION
- Take a variety of courses across the curriculum, including ones you like and ones about which you are curious.
- Meet with career counselor to begin career development process, explore resources, etc.
- Complete an interest and skills inventory and a personality indicator. Attend interpretations and relate information to majors and careers.
- Gather self-assessment information on computer-assisted career development programs.
- Take The Exploring Experience, a one-credit career exploration course.
- Attend majors fairs or panels to learn about majors of interest.
- Interview faculty and seniors in majors of interest.
- Become familiar with resources about majors and careers in the career library.
- Explore clubs, organizations, and professional associations in careers of interest.
- Utilize summer employment or volunteer activities to gain work experience.
Sophomore - INVESTIGATION
- Review/complete tasks from previous year.
- Search for majors and careers on computer-assisted programs.
- Attend Career Planning Day in the fall. Interview professionals about expectations in various fields.
- Attend majors fairs or panels to learn about majors of interest.
- Investigate part-time or off-campus employment for added income and work experience.
- Attend leadership development programs and serve on committees for clubs and organizations of interest.
- Use Career Center and Alumni Development Office to find a mentor in a career area of interest.
- Shadow alums or professionals in careers of interest.
- Declare major, minor, concentrations, etc.
- Utilize summer employment, volunteer activities, and/or internship to gain career experience and skills.
Junior - CONFIRMATION
- Review/complete tasks from previous years.
- Utilize internet for career information.
- Attend Career Planning Day in the fall. Interview professionals to begin to build network.
- Use Career Center and Alumni Development Office to find a mentor in a career area of interest.
- Shadow professionals in careers of interest.
- Complete practicums and/or internships during school year or summer, locally, or in Chicago, Washington D.C., or overseas.
- Attend Professional Development Series (junior and senior year):
- Resume
- Interview
- Job Search
- Dress for Success
- Dining Etiquette
- Attend leadership development programs and take active leadership role on campus.
- Explore graduate school information if interested - university programs, application procedures, GRE (Graduate Record Exam), take GRE April - June.
- Establish faculty and work references.
- Explore professional associations in careers of interest.
- Utilize internship, volunteer activities, and/or summer employment to gain career skills and experience.
Senior - IMPLEMENTATION
- Review/complete tasks from previous years.
- Utilize internet for career information.
- Attend Career Planning Day in the fall. Interview professionals to begin to build network.
- Attend Senior Seminar.
- Attend Professional Development Series (junior and senior year):
- Resume
- Interview
- Job Search
- Dress for Success
- Dining Etiquette
- Establish faculty and work references.
- Create winning resume(s) as continually evolving documents. Write cover letters and thank you notes as appropriate.
- Participate in mock interviews, on-campus interviews, and off-campus interviews arranged through consortium.
- Complete practicums and/or internships.
- Proceed with graduate school exploration, review and take GRE if necessary. Apply to graduate schools fall semester.
- Become very familiar with Career Center and Career Library:
- Daily job listings
- Job hunting via the internet
- Research prospective companies
- Resources for resume writing, interviewing, job search, and more.
- Attend leadership development programs and take active leadership role on campus.
- Attend career fairs and related events at other locations as scheduled.
- Join professional associations in careers of interest.
