Career and Counseling Center Center >
Four-Year Timeline

College is full of exciting opportunities, and your days will fill up fast. During the busy weeks use this list to check your progress with the Career Center. Don't feel your progress has to perfectly match this schedule. It's meant as a helpful guide, so personalize it to fit you!

Suggestions for the First Year

• Meet with my faculty adviser and talk about different majors and short- and long-term goals
• Take an assessment inventory: Self-Directed Search, the Strong Interest Inventory, Campbell Interest and Skills Survey, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
• Visit one-on-one with a career counselor to explore academic majors and career opportunities
• Attend a workshop on choosing a major or exploring career options
• Visit with an Undergraduate Major Mentor about his/her academic major and related career options
• Look through the Career Center library and browse the Career Center web site for information on different careers
• Use the Career Assistance Network to talk with alumni working in my areas of interest
• Attend Career Week to hear from alumni out in the workforce
• Join campus organizations to develop skills and explore personal interests

Suggestions for the Sophomore Year

• Continue talking with my adviser about my interests and appropriate majors
• Continue the career exploration activities
• Use the Career Assistance Network and shadow alumni for a half or full day
• Work part-time off or on campus to gain experience
• Volunteer in the community
• Take on active roles in campus organizations

Suggestions for the Junior Year

• Register with the Career Center by completing and uploading your on-line profile and resume
• Continue talking with my adviser to make sure I'm meeting academic requirements for graduation and discuss career options
• Talk with Career Center staff to explore internship, career and graduate school options
• Attend workshops on applying to graduate school, resume writing, preparing for the job search
• Attend "Backpack to Briefcase: Exploring Life after Wesleyan" to hear Wesleyan alumni talk about transitioning to the workplace or graduate school
• Think about taking the appropriate graduate school entrance exams this year
• Write a rough draft of my resume and have it critiqued by a Career Center staff person
• Participate in an internship to explore a career field and gain practical experience
• Assume leadership roles in campus organizations
• Continue to be involved in community-based volunteer activities

Suggestions for the Senior Year

• Update your on-line profile and resume
• Meet regularly with my adviser
• Continue the job search and graduate school exploration
• Continue meeting with Career Center staff to find an internship, prepare a credential file, target a job or apply to graduate school
• Attend senior seminars on the job search, resume writing, interviewing, and graduate school
• Complete one or more internships
• Examine employer files and graduate school directories
• In the fall, attend Career Connections, a multi-college career and graduate school fair
• Have my resume, cover letter and/or graduate school essays critiqued by Career Center staff
• Participate in on-campus interviews and consult the full-time job board
• Access employer information, graduate school resources and job vacancy boards on the World Wide Web
• Use the Career Assistance Network to research prospective employers, get tips on job hunting and information on living in different parts of the country
• Keep in touch with the Career Center and let them know how things are going!