Career Services for Students

CEPS CAREER SUCCESS PLAN

There are certain steps that you, as college students, should take to help you explore various career options and move forward with them.
Just like a final exam, your job and/or internship search or program selection is not something you should ‘cram’ for at the last minute.
It takes time, reflection, and different experiences that will help you define what you’d like to do.

Start exploring and learning as early as your first year. We are confident that you will be more prepared to find a career that suits your passions,values, interests, and goals.

 

FIRST YEAR: REFLECT AND EXPLORE

Nail down a system for yourself to complete courses successfully. This may include dedicating the right amount of time to study, people to study with, and places to complete coursework. Check your UWYO email regularly. This is a valuable place for you to learn about upcoming jobs and events like the UW Career Fair! Complete the Cowboy Joe Exercise (Flower Exercise). This is an effective way to reflect on your own interests, skills, and values, and do some research on the field you eventually want to get into. Join a registered student organization (RSO). Student organizations will allow you to meet other students and may even help you develop professionally and build connections in the industry. Login to Handshake and attend the UW Career Fair. Events like the UW Career Fair and company information sessions are extremely valuable for learning about opportunities and building relationships. Build (or update) your resume and meet with a Career Services Professional. In this meeting, you may talk about anything internship or professional development related, though the focus of this meeting may be to simply go over your resume, talk about job searching in general, and briefly discuss your personal 4-year plan!

SECOND YEAR: PREPARE

Meet with a Career Services Professional to talk about tailoring your resume and/or cover letter, interviewing, and start applying for internships or Research Undergraduate Experiences (REUs). Many second-year students obtain relevant summer work. This is a great time to start to use what you're learning in class in a real-world situation. If you are looking to apply, start early! Positions open and close throughout the school year, many as early as September. Dive into Suitable (SOAR) to upskill and learn more about career competencies. SOAR has information as well as lessons for you to learn about essential skills that will be helpful with entering the workforce. Dive into the career resources below. We have resources for everything from resumes to job searching links available to you. Take a look and determine what you need to be successful. Attend career events and start growing your network. Attend events like the UW Career Fair, career seminars, and company presentations  to build connections you may use as you actively apply for positions. Create a LinkedIn profile to connect with professionals. LinkedIn is a professional social media tool for networking and it can be valuable when trying to keep in touch with professionals in the field

THIRD YEAR: EXPERIENCE

Research graduate education to determine if that is right for you. Graduate school will give you a deeper understanding of your subject and will likely give you experience in research. Grad school may be a requirement for the field you are looking to get into. Get an internship or get involved in research. Start your search early and reach out to our Career Services Professionals for assistance. Take on a leadership role with your RSO. You can elaborate on this in your resume to show the skills you have gained and the initiative you have taken. Perform informational interviews with your contacts. Informational interviewing is when you ask a professional to meet in order for you to ask them a few professional questions. This can help you learn more about your career field and strengthen your connection.

FOURTH YEAR: SUCCEED

Start applying for jobs early. It can take anywhere from 3-to-12 months to get a job once you start applying. We generally recommend that seniors use multiple job searching boards and strategies and start applying for positions 3-to-7 months before they graduate. Meet with our CEPS Career Services Office to learn about salary negotiation techniques. Let your professional contacts know that you are looking for a job and let them know when you apply. This is a major benefit to having a professional network. Professionals know about available roles and may be able to help you get your foot in the door! Complete your First Destination Survey before you graduate. This information gives us a good idea about where our students are going and how much they are making.

MASTERS AND PHD STUDENTS

• Meet with a Career Services Professional to talk about your goals and experience. Our CEPS Career Services staff can help you format research experience, projects, publications and any other items that you may want to include on your resume or CV.
• Tailor your job search for positions that you are interested in and qualified for. This may look slightly different for master's students looking to get involved in research!