Career Development Plan First Year Students - Self AssessmentIdentify your interests, skills, and values. Some assessments from the CDC may help. Take a variety of TDS courses to see what piques your interest. Develop academic and career goals. Explore a variety of majors by talking to staff, faculty, students, employers, friends, adviser and parents. Sophomore Students - Exploration Choose a major consistent with your interest, abilities and goals. Build relationships with faculty and instructors. You may find a mentor as you work with them. Get involved in career-related activities such as workshops, summer employment, the etiquette dinner, recruiters on campus. Start to look for internship sites to use during your junior and senior years. Talk to people about your career plans. Counselors, faculty, advisors and employers can provide great feedback. Join professional organizations related to your major. Work towards leadership positions on campus. Be an RA. Be a club president. Junior Students - Preperation Start to think about your plans after graduation. Grad school? Work? Narrow down your career path. Update your resume. Attend career fairs, meet with on campus recruiters and on campus grad school representatives. Start networking with alumnae/i, business people, the College. Complete an internship. Take graduate or professional school exams. Establish a list of references and get their approval to serve as such. Be a campus leader. Senior Students - Implementation Begin the job search process as you begin your senior year. Commit yourself to a thorough search. Identify the skills and abilities you have developed throughout college. Be ready to share them with employers. Finalize your resume. Meet with the Director of the Career Development Center to discuss job searching, interviewing or graduate school. Participate in job fairs and on campus recruitment. Apply for positions of interest and prepare to interview. Keep networking!!! Consider and review job offers. Send thank you letters to all prospective employers. Attend financial literacy workshops to prepare you for being on your own. *Adapted from Indiana University-Fort Wayne-2007