The Four Year Career Plan

The information on this page was adapted from NACE Job Choices, 2001.

Exploring

Collect, analyze, and evaluate information about yourself to aid in obtaining possible career paths.
Visit your Career Coordinator in Business Career Services to familiarize yourself with the services available.
Talk to your faculty, advisors, counselors, and friends about possible majors and careers. Solidify your major and choose a second major or minor.
Start a job tracking form to manage contacts and activities over the next four years.
Familiarize yourself with Business Career Services on the Internet. (www.business.iastate.edu/careers)
Visit ISU CMS to familiarize yourself with the resources available.
Attend a resume writing workshop and develop your resume.
Join university organizations that will offer you leadership roles in the future.
Collect information on internships, cooperative (co-op) education opportunities, summer jobs and volunteer positions.
Attend Fall and Spring Career Fairs to gather information on potential careers.
Begin to build your professional wardrobe.

Research

Update your resume and have it critiqued by your Career Coordinator
Consider CareerLeader-College to help identify your interests, motivators, skills and strengths (provided by Business Career Services).
Visit with your Career Coordinator about internship opportunities.
Apply to internships, co-ops or summer jobs related to your interests.
Check ISU CMS regularly for internship/co-op listings and companies interviewing on campus for internships/co-ops.
Work with your Career Coordinator to explore at least three career options available to you through your major.
Attend career fairs and employer information sessions that relate to your interests.
Write a cover-letter and have it critiqued by your Career Coordinator.
Get a part-time job or volunteer at a business related to your career plans or major.
Join at least one professional or honorary organization related to your major such as the American Marketing Association or the Society of Human Resource Management. This will help you learn more about the profession and make contacts with people in the profession.
Work toward one leadership position in a university club or activity and continue your involvement in other extracurricular activities.
Identify job shadowing opportunities and informational interviews. Business Career Services can assist in the identification of alumni.
Read at least one book on career planning. Ask for a recommendation from Business Career Services.

Decisions

Update your resume and have it critiqued by your Career Coordinator.
Check with job listings and on-campus interviewing on ISU CMS early and regularly.
Narrow your career interest areas.
Continue to explore and participate in cooperative education opportunities and internships in your field.
Participate in interviewing, cover letter writing, and other job-search workshops. Practice your skills in a mock interview with a Business Career Services Career Coordinator.
Plan your job search campaign to start early in the fall term.
Attend on-campus career fairs and employer information sessions related to your interests and follow up with employers you meet.
Using your job search tracking sheet, develop an employer prospect list with contact names and addresses from organizations your are interested in pursuing.
Take leadership positions in clubs and organizations.
Ask former employers and professors to serve as references.
Research potential employers on-line and talk to recent graduates in your major about the job market and potential employers.
Build your professional wardrobe.
Network! Network! Network!

Job Search

Check the job listings and on-campus interviewing on ISU CMS early and regularly.
Apply for jobs and participate in as many interviews as possible.
Update your resume and keep it updated.
Using your job search tracking sheet, develop an employer prospect list with contact names and addresses from organizations your are interested in pursuing.
Attend on-campus career fairs and employer information sessions related to your interests and follow up with employers you meet.
Discuss career opportunities with faculty and counselors, friends and acquaintances. Network! Network! Network!
Attend workshops on resumes, cover letters, interviewing, networking, and conducting a job search. Practice your interviewing skills.
Track your interview results and assess your performance after each interview.
Be positive and stay alert to opportunities.
Gather information on realistic salary expectations.
Attend a workshop on Salary and Offer Negotiation.
Draft an acceptance and decline letter that can be adapted for a variety of employers and have it critiqued.
Read two or more professional or trade publications from your major and career field on a regular basis.
Evaluate job offers and visit with your Career Coordinator to discuss options.
Accept the job that best fits your career and professional needs.
Report your job/salary offers and acceptances to Business Career Services.

Career Services