Career Exploration (Tips & Resources)
I believe it is never too early to start exploring career options and to start figuring out which ones match your V.I.P.S. (values, interests, personality traits and skills). Your campus career center can be a tremendous resource for helping you to discover the world of career options and to identifying those that may be the best fit for you based on your V.I.P.S. and other factors. I strongly recommend using your career center early and often - this will increase the odds of you getting on the path to your dream career sooner and on purpose.
Below are several ways that your college career center can be of value to you and also a few websites and articles to kick start your career journey (whether it be towards sports or towards another career field).
How Your College Career Center Can Support You
One of the
most valuable college campus resources is the career center. It is designed to
equip students with opportunities, skills and contacts to make the transition
into a full-time job easier and more successful. It is also a critical resource
for meeting and impressing potential employers.
Using the career center can be the difference between multiple job offers or no job offer at all upon graduation. Below are the services and value that the career center can provide students.
Counseling
Services
§
Self-Assessment: Help with
determining your career interests, skills, personality traits and values
through in-depth conversations and administering of career interest
assessments.
§
Career Identification:
Recommendation of careers that may fit you based on your interests, values,
skills, goals and personality traits.
§
Internship and Job Search:
Assistance with domestic and international employment.
§
Resume Writing: Help with
constructing and developing resumes that will highlight your qualities and make
a favorable impression on employers and graduate schools.
§
Graduate School Applications:
Assistance with crafting personal statements and managing other pieces of the
graduate school application process.
§
Interview Preparation:
Assistance with preparing for a variety of interviews, and sharpening of
interviewing skills to help impress employers and graduate school admissions
staff.
§
Networking: Support with networking
and building relationships with industry professionals.
§
Salary Negotiation:
Assistance with negotiating job offers.
Other
Services
§
Internship & Job Listings: Employment
opportunities posted online.
§
Workshops: Topics such as resume
writing, interviewing, networking and job search.
Connections
To Employers
§
Career Fairs: Opportunity to interact
with a number of employers in a variety of industries.
§
Career/Industry Panels & Speaker Events: Coverage
of various career topics and fields.
Articles
Career Planning
14 Career Advice Tips For College Students
Click here to view.
What Every College Student Should Be Doing For Career Success
Click here to view.
Informational Interviewing
Informational interviewing is simply spending 20-30 minutes or more talking to people who are working in career fields and at organizations that you are interested in. It is a fantastic way to gain hidden career and industry insights. Your career center can help you with conducting informational interviews.
3 Steps to a Perfect Informational Interview
Click here to view.
30 Questions To Ask In An Informational Interview
Click here to view.
Informational Interviewing Tips
Click here to view.
Websites
Mapping Your Future
My Next Move
Occupational Outlook Handbook
ONET (Occupational Information Network)
Real Life 101
Roadtrip Nation
