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Career Exploration
Introduction to the Process		Stage 1 Assess Your Values, Skills, and Interests
Stage 2 Explore Career Options and Academic Majors		Stage 3 Build Job Search Skills
Stage 4 Gain Career Related Experiences		Stage 5 Connect with Full-Time Jobs
Freshman Year Career Planner		Sophomore Year Career Planner
Junior Year Career Planner		Senior Year Career Planner

	Introduction to the Process
	Where do I begin? Become familiar with the Career Exploration Stages. Exploration is something we all do at our own pace. Figuring out where you are in the process is your first step to success! Things we want you to know You will go through the career exploration stages at your own rate. Career Exploration encompasses Exploration of Self, Exploration of Academic Fields and Career Goals, and Exploration of the University. Typically, first-year students focus on stages 1 and 2. They will focus on stages 3 and 4 during their sophomore and junior years and begin stage 5 during their senior year. Start at the level that is most helpful to you now and get going! We have given you lists of many things to do at each stage. You do not need to complete all the tasks, do what you think will be of most benefit to you. Some of the activities are applicable to several stages and as a result you may find that similar activities are list under different stages. Your Exploration Counselor can work with you to help you create a plan for moving you along in the exploration process.
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	Stage 1: Assess Your Values, Skills, and Interests
	When you are trying to figure out what to do with your life, you must figure out what is most important to you, what you are good at, and how you like to spend your time. You should spend your whole life continually clarifying your values, skills, and interests. It is horrible to work in a setting that is not compatible with these elements. Below are some ways that you can begin that process. Academic Advising See your academic advisory to discuss all of the possible majors and the course requirements associated with those majors. Don't create a course schedule without them! Take Exploration Courses Use your general education courses or electives to explore the subjects and fields that interest you. Learn How to Effectively Study Attend a study skills, time management, or stress management presentation in Weston. Watch for flyers listing the time, date, and location of workshops or check out our on-line calendar. Get Feedback Ask family, friends, advisors, professors, or employers to help identify your skills, characteristics, and strengths. Get a part-time job or volunteer Get some hands-on experience! Getting involved in a one-time or long-term volunteer project is one way to learn about yourself and build your resume. RAs and Weston Hall Community Council will organize some one-time service activities. Use ACT Discover This program will help you assess your skills, interests and values, and match them to career and major possibilities. It is available in the Weston computer lab and in the Resource Center computers. Visit Weston's Resource Center and The Career Center Complete self-assessment and career-interest inventories and talk about the results with a career counselor. Weston has its own library with books on careers and majors that you can check out. The Career Center and Weston offer workshops which are posted on our on-line calendar.
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	Stage 2: Explore Career Options and Academic Majors
	This is the second piece of the career exploration puzzle. Once you have identified your values, skills, and interests, you must do work to identify the numerous career possibilities that match your unique style! Research Your Career Options Explore different careers. Visit the Weston Resource Center and the Campus Career Center. Go to www.careercenter.uiuc.edu to explore links to all kinds of information about careers as well as opportunities to continue assessing your interests. Meet with a Career Center Counselor Ask your career counselor how to research careers, find out about career options related to your major. Career counselors have offices in the lower level of Weston Hall. Call 4-9700 to schedule an appointment or just stop by Room 14 in Weston Hall. Attend a Job Fair Attending a job fair BEFORE you are conducting a job search is a low stress way to meet people in the professional world and to find out more about possible career options. To find out about job fairs around campus, visit www.careercenter.uiuc.edu. Attend Information Meetings Informational meetings focus on different career and major options as well as important academic information. Look for posted flyers or check out our on-line calendar for scheduled meetings, times, and locations. Conduct Information Interviews Meet with someone working in a field that you would like to learn more about and find out first-hand how individuals feel about their careers. Make personal contacts in various fields and see what a variety of organization settings are like. Develop self confidence and experience in interviewing skills. Ask your Exploration Counselor about setting up an informational interview. Participate in the Job Shadow Program Visit a local company! You will find out what a particular work environment is like and you will be able to talk with and get to know people in that field. Talk with your Exploration Counselor to arrange a job shadowing experience. Contact Professional Associations Many associations related to your career interest produce informative literature about their professions. Write them or check out their websites for more information. Get involved with Campus Organizations You can get hands-on experience by becoming ACTIVELY involved in a campus organization or committee. It provides an opportunity to gain leadership experience and to learn more about yourself. Click here to see Weston student groups.
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	Stage 3: Build Job Search Skills
	To find and obtain a good job, you have to have good job search skills. The next step in the Exploration process is to learn how to research available jobs, write a good resume, conduct an interview successfully, and much more. Learn about Job Search Planning Attend one of the Weston or campus workshops or check out books on resume and cover letter writing, interview preparation, networking, and more. All are available in the Weston Resource Center and at the Career Center on campus. Gain Valuable Job Search and Interview Experience Getting a part-time job or internship is a great way to fine-tune your skills. Keep a record of your work experience, responsibilities, skills, and accomplishments. To find out more about internships, meet with a career counselor. Call 4-9700 to schedule an appointment. Write a Draft of your Resume and Cover Letter A resume is a tool for obtaining employment and it is an effective way to explore your past experiences. You can use a resume to determine your interest and skill areas that can be built with additional work experience. Check out a book from the Weston Exploration Library to help you begin writing a resume. Schedule a Mock Interview A mock interview provides the opportunity to determine how to sell your skills, interests and abilities and get feedback on your interview style in a safe setting. Call the Career Center at 3-0820 to find out more about mock interviews. Attend an Educational Program Gathering information is an important part of making decisions about majors and careers. Programs sponsored by the Career Center. LAS General Curriculum Advisors and RAs will give you an opportunity to find out information about majors and careers.
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	Stage 4: Gain Career Related Experience
	One of the best ways to make yourself stand out among the field of applicants is to have experience that is related to the field in which you are applying for jobs. Career related experience also gives you a low-risk way of determining if the field you've chosen truly fits with your values, skills, and interests. Explore Undergraduate Research Opportunities This is a great way to gain experience, learn valuable skills, and get to know a professor in your field of study. Talk to your academic advisor or one of the professors in your field about research opportunities in your college. Get a Career Related Part-Time Job or Internship Begin building a network that will aid in your professional job search and gain experience that will make you stand out in a pool of candidates. Call 4-9700 to schedule an appointment with a career counselor to find out about getting an internship. Join a Professional Association Get more information about professional associations on the internet or in the Career Center resource library. Membership gives you access to information about job opportunities and an immediate connection with professionals in the field. Attend Job Fairs Speak with employers about internship opportunities with their organizations. See the Career Center website for dates and locations of job fairs: www.careercenter.uiuc.edu. Get Involved! You can get hands-on experience by becoming actively involved in a campus organization or committee. It provides an opportunity to gain leadership experience and to learn more about yourself. Volunteering is another way to gain valuable experience while learning about yourself. Find a Mentor Mentors can help by sharing their knowledge to help you make your way in a career. Make a point to get to know a professor or professional in a field that interests you. For more information about how to find a mentor, talk to a career counselor. Call 4-9700 to schedule an appointment.
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	Stage 5: Connect With Full Time Jobs
	Time to find that job or go to graduate school! It is intimidating but by following the Career Exploration process to this point, you are head of the game! Use the tips below to make navigating this process a little easier. Attend Job Fairs Get an interview, network with employers, and learn about career opportunities with their organizations. The schedule is available through the Career Center: www.careercenter.uiuc.edu. Sign Up for On-Campus Interviews Check with the Career Center in your college about the on-campus interview schedule and system. It is an easy way to interview with multiple organizations and companies. Identify Job Vacancies and Research Potential Employers Use the internet, your personal contacts, and publications in the Career Center to find job opportunities of interest to you and to research employers to prepare for interviews. Attend Professional Association Meetings This is a great way to find out about opportunities and to begin forming a network in a field. Make an appointment with your career counselor to find out if this would be applicable to your career. Call 4-9700 to schedule a meeting with a career counselor.
	. . . Or Prepare for Graduate School
	Review Graduate School Directories Go to the campus Career Center to find out about requirements and import traits of graduate programs. Attend the Graduate School Information Fair Sponsored by the Career Center, this fair has representatives from various graduate programs. It's a great way to find out what opportunities exist and to get information about those programs. Pick Up a Schedule of Graduate School Qualifying Exams Find out which standardized test to take for your program, the testing schedule, and about practice tests and courses that help prepare for these exams through the Career Center. Review Graduate School Catalogs Review the catalogs to find out what kind of classes you'll be required to take, what kind of practical experience you'll get, and what the school is like in general. This information will help you choose your graduate program. Prepare for Your Graduate School Interviews Make an appointment for a mock interview. Read information on the graduate program, the school, and field into which you plan to go.
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