Year 1: Questions and Research
- Complete a Career Services Center Application: online , or in person at DUC A-230
- Arrange for a conference with a counselor in the Career Services Center to:
- Confirm your interests, values and abilities
- Discuss current academic and career interests
- Become familiar with the Career Resources Library
- Obtain guidance on how to best utilize the career services during the next two years at Western.
- Develop a list of career possibilities to explore
- Investigate various campus organizations and join one related to your major in order to begin building a professional network
- Talk to faculty, alumni, advisors and administrative personnel regarding your interests, values and abilities, and the possible careers that match
- Participate in career planning and job search workshops, and familiarize yourself with Career Services and the job search related resources available in person and online
- Contact Career Services to get help with preparing a resume and planning your job search
- Review current job descriptions that are similar to the type of job for which you might apply and determine the primary skills required for each
- Pursue co-op, part-time, summer and school break job opportunities that are related to your career field in order to gain career related experience
- Start early in your second semester to identify appropriate employment opportunities in your hometown, neighboring communities, cities, etc.
- Check with the Career Services Center concerning various summer, part-time and other employment listings that have been received
- Begin to collect recommendations from current and past employers
- Begin to assemble your interview outfit and work on your interviewing skills
Year 2: Job Search, Career Change or Transfer to a Four Year School
- Continue to pursue co-op, part-time, summer and school break job opportunities that are related to your career field in order to gain career related experience
- Prepare a rough draft of cover letter that you can adapt for a variety of employers and visit the Career Services Center to have it reviewed by a career counselor
- Visit the Career Services Center to have your updated resume and your cover letter reviewed by a career counselor, then list your resume on HIRS and file a hard copy with Career Services
- Find out about upcoming on-campus interviews and register for interviews that are related to your career choice
- Develop a list of prospective employers that includes contact names, mailing address, e-mail address, web address and ideas for collecting information on each company
- Gather information on current salary offers and determine your salary and fringe benefit requirements for each type of job for which you might apply
- Attend local professional association meetings to meet potential employers and to develop your professional network further
- Continue to collect recommendations from current and past employers, and from your professors in your career field - or - ask permission to list them as a reference on your resume or job application
- Target your resume /application to specific employers and begin applying for positions
- Send out resumes to your list of employers, attend job fairs, and keep a record of all applications and resume submissions
- Follow up on all applications and resumes sent out
- Interview with potential employers and write thank-you letters
- Evaluate job offers and prepare letters of acceptance or rejection
- Review information from the Career Services Center or talk with a Career Services counselor about how to succeed on the job
- If you're considering working on a four year degree, choose your college or university and complete all necessary admissions requirements
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