Contributed by Marguerite Bourgeois, Career Counselor

As students make plans for getting into college, they should also be making plans for getting OUT of college! One reason students attend college is to improve their career opportunities and those students who match their two or four-year academic programs with career planning programs will be better prepared for the years after college.

Planning a Career Program
Assessment. This first phase involves discovering and clarifying interests, values, aptitudes and skills. This phase is critical. Self-assessment aids, vocational testing and individual counseling should be fully utilized. Students should also think about beginning to "build their resumes" by trying out different work environments.

Investigation. Phase two should include exploration and investigation of careers. Collecting information through research, informational interviewing and continuing to work with college career professionals is important. Also, sampling of new and different working experiences should continue.

Skills Development. Developing skills directly related to areas of career interest should begin in phase three. Now is the time to think about doing an internship or cooperative extension experience, which provides experience before graduation. Students are now refining their resumes, writing sample cover letters, developing interview skills, and identifying and researching potential employers.

Implementation. The final phase puts it all together as the formal job search strategies are set. Networking, prospecting, interviewing and negotiating are all part of the mix here.

Evaluating a College's Career Center


• What services are offered?
• Does the center work with all students or just those nearing graduation?
• How many professional staff does the center have?
• How many students does the staff serve?
• Does the college offer an internship or cooperative education program?
• Does the career center offer on-campus recruiting, job fairs, and other services related to the job search?
• Where are the college's recent graduates working?
• Are career services free? How long may you utilize the free services?

Good luck with your search for the right college - and the right career!

Career Exploration - Informational Interviews  ->