The four-year career plan has been developed to guide students through college life. Each year has been mapped out to allow students to carefully assess and plan their college career. This is a great way to figure out the progressive steps to take in order to gain the most out of your college experience.
action plan for students at St. Joseph’s College
Freshman Year Action Plan
Become involved with the Office of Career Development, Wellness and Disability Services as soon as possible.
Visit the office in Room E301 of O’Connor Hall on Long Island and Room 215 of Tuohy Hall in Brooklyn. Pick up a listing of our career events and workshops and get acquainted with our MySJC Portal page.
Sign up for and attend a workshop on how to choose a major.
Consult with our Career Ideas for Majors In... handouts on MySJC to learn more about majors and careers.
Schedule an appointment with a career counselor to inquire about career interest inventory testing and to identify possible career options.
Begin reading and researching about career options at St. Joseph’s College Library.
Pursue opportunities to explore different professions by speaking with your advisor and professors.
Join one or more student organizations and consider leadership roles.
Cultivate faculty and staff relationships.
Speak with your academic department and the Office of Career Development, Wellness and Disability Services about internship and volunteer opportunities.
Sophomore Year Action Plan
Get involved with on and off-campus activities. If you really feel like making a difference, start a club.
Re-evaluate your career interests and values based on your first year experiences.
Meet with the Office of Career Development, Wellness and Disability Services to help narrow your desired career paths.
Meet with your academic adviser to discuss your future coursework and career possibilities.
Explore internship and volunteer opportunities to learn about careers and to gain valuable experience. Keep in mind that some application deadlines for internships must be completed far in advance of the actual start date.
Sign up for and attend a Résumé and Cover Letter Writing workshop.
Participate in career events, fairs, speakers, etc.
Join a campus organization or activity in an area of interest and attend meetings regularly. Develop leadership, organizational and planning skills.
Use the Alumni Mentoring Program to gain advice, insight and information from alumni mentors.
Research career options with the help of sources available at St. Joseph’s College Library and the Office of Career Development, Wellness and Disability Services.
Junior Year Action Plan
Networking is a great way to meet potential employers and also a great way to land an internship in your field.
Continue to re-evaluate and narrow down your career interests.
Pick up a listing of our career events and workshops in the Office of Career Development, Wellness and Disability Services and attend career workshops of interest.
Continue to develop a network; talk with professors, alumni and employers-inform them of your goals and career plans.
Make an appointment with the Office of Career Development, Wellness and Disability Services to further explore your interests, skills and values and how they relate to your general career options. Take a career assessment.
Continue building practical experience by applying for internships, part-time jobs, student activities and volunteer work.
Learn about applying to graduate school by attending the A Guide to Graduate School workshop. In addition, attending the Graduate School Fair will give you an opportunity to meet with a graduate school representative.
Review your career goals and possible graduate school plans with a career counselor.
For law school and medical school, take the necessary entrance exams.
Have your resume critiqued by a career counselor.
Attend career fairs and participate in networking events to learn more about possible careers that match your major.
Senior Year Action Plan
Note: Make sure that you have a action plan prepared for after graduation.
Start the professional job search early-many organizations hire in the fall for the next year.
If you are planning to take a year off, develop a plan to make the most of that year.
Participate in a mock interview before you begin your job search or graduate school interviews. Visit the office to learn about how to conduct a job search and schedule a mock interview.
Attend career fairs to meet recruiters and gather first-hand information on career opportunities.
Use the Alumni Mentoring Program to gain valuable information, insight and networking skills from alumni mentors.
Prepare your resume for your job search and/or graduate school and have it critiqued by a career counselor.
Take graduate admissions exams if you did not in your junior year. Apply to graduate schools during the first semester of your senior year.
Continue to network with professors, employers and alums.
Begin requesting and gathering letters of recommendation for graduate school and employment opportunities. Do this in the beginning of your senior year by contacting your professors and employers.
Prepare for job offers and/or graduate school acceptances. Visit the Office of Career Development, Wellness and Disability Services to discuss future plans.
