Many students don’t start planning or thinking about a job search until their Senior year of College. And many more don’t start thinking about a true career until 3-5 years after they’ve graduated. They just find “a job” with no thought for the future beyond it.

But you can do better – here’s how: follow along with the below guide for each year of your college experience and you’ll be miles ahead of your competition.

Freshman Year

  1. Create a resume.
  2. Create a LinkedIn profile.
  3. Develop your elevator pitch.
  4. Visit the Career Development Advisor.
  5. Schedule a Mock Interview.
  6. Look at internships and co-ops for sophomore year (start your search in September).
  7. Join some on campus Engineering Student Organizations.
  8. Get tutoring for any subjects you’re not proficient in. You want to stay above 3.0 GPA.
  9. Research the chosen jobs and career paths for your major. Start identifying industries you’d be interested in working in. Our General Career Resources page can help.

Sophomore Year

  1. Continue to update your Resume and LinkedIn profile.
  2. Add to and practice your elevator pitch.
  3. Search for an internship or co-op.
  4. Attend some networking events.
  5. Schedule at least one Mock Interview. More practice is always better.
  6. Join other on campus Student Organizations that can help develop your soft skills.
  7. Tutoring for any subjects that weigh down your GPA. Try to maintain 3.0 or higher.
  8. Visit your Career Development Advisor for a yearly Career Check-Up.
  9. Schedule some job shadowing opportunities for industries/jobs you have interest in. It’s both good experience and a networking opportunity.

Junior Year

  1. Continue to update your Resume and LinkedIn profile.
  2. Add to and practice your elevator pitch.
  3. Search for another internship or co-op (having more than one is very helpful).
  4. Attend more networking events.
  5. Stay engaged with your chosen Student Organizations by volunteering or working in a leadership role.
  6. Tutoring for any subjects that weigh down your GPA. Try to maintain 3.0 or higher.
  7. Schedule some informational interviews. This is a great way to learn more about a company, job, industry, etc. and to network with people in your area of interest.
  8. Schedule at least one Mock Interview. More practice is always better.
  9. Visit your Career Development Advisor for a yearly Career Check-Up.
  10. Start thinking about if you plan to go to Graduate School or seek full time employment post-graduation. If Graduate School is your choice, start identifying programs and find out more about their application processes. Then talk to Academic Advising to find out more about how to get into a Graduate program.

Senior Year

  1. Continue to update your Resume and LinkedIn profile.
  2. Add to and practice your elevator pitch.
  3. Search for full time employment. This will take more time than your internship searches. Start applying in the Fall.
  4. Create business cards.
  5. Attend as many networking events as you can. This is crucial to your job search.
  6. Schedule at least 2 Mock Interviews. This is a phase where you cannot practice too much.
  7. Continue to develop your leadership, soft skills, and/or engagement within Student Organizations.
  8. Tutoring for any subjects that weigh down your GPA. Try to end with a 3.0 or higher.
  9. Visit your Career Development Advisor to ensure you’re on track to have a full time job prior to graduation.

Advice For All Years

Even if your college experience lasts longer than 4 years, the below are still important for any year you’re in college.

  1. Update your resume and LinkedIn.
  2. Search for internships, co-ops, or full time jobs.
  3. Engage with at least one Student Organization.
  4. Develop some leadership skills through volunteer work or Student Organizations.
  5. Keep your GPA above 3.0. The Tutoring Center can help. Many companies require a 3.0.
  6. Visit your Career Development Advisor.
  7. Conduct Mock Interviews. At least one per year. More is always better.
  8. Practice your elevator pitch.

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