C areer S earch I nvestigation: Building a strong case during your college experience Derek L. Thatcher Director of Career Development & Experiential Learning

A Four-Year Approach Consider your post college goals and options Think of your career development as a four-year investigation full of leads to explore and clues to uncover As a result you will attain those universal ingredients sought by employers and admissions committees

Considering Your Post-OSU Goals Past behavior is the single best predictor of future behavior. You will be evaluated on your past behaviors and accomplishments. The following information summarizes the “universal ingredients” sought by employers and admissions committees alike.

Education Grade trends, cumulative GPA, and GPA within major Breath of coursework; possible academic minor that complements major Well-rounded general studies and wise use of electives

Career-Related Experience Internship or co-op experiences Career-related summer jobs Volunteer experiences and job shadowing Class projects or assignments within a field of interest

Leadership Involvement in campus or community organizations and activities (roles you held within them, contributions you made, etc.) Volunteer experiences (within the university or local community, as part of organization or as an individual)

First Year Your first priority is to adjust to campus life. Learn how to balance academic demands, possible work, and campus activities and social life Get to know your faculty, advisors, Student Life staff, and University administrators Seek the assistance of the Office of Career Development to identify your interests, strengths, and values and how these relate to various post college options Explore your academic major options. With the assistance of an academic advisor choose GECs that will help you to explore different majors

First Year cont. Become actively involved with camps activities and organizations in order to develop your soft skills Enroll in EDU PAES 270 Talk to alumni and others who either majored in what you plan to pursue or work in that field Participate in the Career Fair and attend the Columbus campus Transition Fair Seek an internship, part-time or summer job that will provide knowledge about an occupation in which you are interested Ask yourself is my digital profile what I want to project to the world?

Second Year Narrow your choices for major and possible minor. Reflect on how electives fit into your major Develop short-term and long-range educational and co-curricular goals with a career development professional or your academic advisor Ask yourself what skills do you want to develop through academics and co-curricular pursuits? Attend career development, departmental, and job fair events throughout the year (here or at the Columbus campus)

Second Year cont. Create or update your resume and have it reviewed by a career development counselor Learn how to successfully interview successfully and how to write a really good cover letter Start collecting letters of recommendation Investigate or obtain an internship or co-op experience; develop you networking skills and use holidays and academic breaks to speak with contacts

Third Year Meet with a career development professional to ensure you are on target to achieve your career and educational goals Research opportunities within chosen career fields. Ask yourself if you are attainting the skills and experiences to enter the field Continue to obtain experience that will position you well for graduate school or employment after graduation, such as volunteer work, part-time jobs, internships, and leadership positions within student organizations. Join a professional organization and attend Job Fairs Attend Employer Information sessions in your field of interest. Begin to do in-depth research into companies and organizations you will target for full-time employment next year.

Third Year cont. If you plan to attend graduate or professional school after graduation: –Continue identifying graduate schools programs that are compatible with your educational and career goals. –Begin obtaining letters of recommendation from faculty and student life professionals for your graduate schools applications –Attend Graduate & Professional School Expo during the Autumn quarter –Become familiar with admissions procedures. Find out if you will need to take a standardized test for admission and plan to take it at an optimal time

Entering Your Four Year Ask yourself: how is your career search investigation going thus far? What gaps in your case currently exist and what will you do in order to fill them? Ask yourself: What role to you want work to play in your life?

Four Year Polish your resume, job search letters, and interview skills by meeting with a career development counselor. Have your resume and cover letters critiqued and conduct mock interviews Obtain a copy of a job search guide from your career development office and review it thoroughly. Attend a networking & etiquette workshop Meet with a career development counselor to determine which strategies would be optimal for you and to learn more about career resources you can use during your search If you need to obtain experience in your chosen field, search for internships or part-time jobs through the campus web resource. As you get closer to graduation, search the full-time job listings

Four Year cont. If you plan to attend graduate or professional school determine if you have met all of the necessary requirements for admission Regardless of your graduation quarter, be ready to conduct your full- time job search during fall quarter. Companies conduct approximately 75% of all full-time jobs recruiting in fall quarter alone Go to Career Fairs held throughout the year, attend Employer Information Sessions and participate in interview opportunities Participate in on-campus recruiting and network with potential employers as much as possible your final year at OSU

For Assistance: Derek L. Thatcher Director of Career Development & Experiential Learning Services Warner