Develop a Career Plan

Your professional development and career start on your first day of graduate school and evolve for the rest of your life. Don't fall behind - start the process early in your academic career. Look to the right for career timelines and other useful information.

• Clarify your career plans; it's difficult to job search without a sense of direction. Make an appointment to meet with a career advisor.

• Write your resume or CV and have it critiqued at Career Services until it is approved. Participate in at least one Mock Interview.

• Build your LinkedIn profile, completely. Clean up your digital dirt.  See if you can professionalize your digital identity.

• Build your network.  We cannot emphasize enough that if 60%-80% of the jobs are found through networking, then you need to spend 60%-80% of your job search time in networking. 

• Go to networking events, both on and off campus; practice your elevator speech. Follow up with the people you meet to build relationships. 

• Identify employers in your chosen career field and research them. Check LinkedIn to see if any alumni work there; if so, arrange some informational interviews. 

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