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Career Planning Guide

Discover what to do at every stage of your college career to set yourself up for meaningful, full-time employment or graduate school upon graduation.

This is only a general guide. To customize a plan for you, schedule a meeting with your career coach.

Undergraduate Career Planning Guide

group of young people posing for a selfie

Your first year is a time to discover your interests and strengths and begin to think about possibilities for your future. Photo/Andrew Higley/UC Marketing + Brand

young person in suit sitting in front of a computer looking at someone across a table

In your second year, you learn more about possible careers by talking with people and researching on your own. Photo/Andrew Higley/UC Marketing + Brand

  • Meet with your career coach to develop your career plan and explore how you can get experience through co-ops, internships, research, service learning and more as a UC student.
  • Identify careers that seem interesting. Ask people in those careers about their work and career paths in informational interviews.
  • Update your resume to include summer jobs, extracurricular activities, etc.
  • Attend career events with employers, such as career fairs, information sessions, tabling and networking events, workshops, etc.
  • Search and apply for internships, co-ops, etc. in Handshake. Start early as you may need to apply to 30 to 100 opportunities. Also, notify your LinkedIn network that you are seeking and ask for referrals to job opportunities and people who could help you.
  • Schedule a practice interview with a career coach or conduct one virtually through Big Interview.
  • Take on leadership roles in your favorite clubs and organizations.
  • Talk to your professors and build relationships.
  • Explore study abroad and international experiential learning opportunities.
  • Schedule a career coaching appointment to discuss your career plans.
  • Update your resume to include your college experiences (high school experiences tend to drop off your resume at this point).
  • Connect with people you met through co-ops, internships and part-time jobs, as well as through clubs and classes, on LinkedIn and Bearcats Connect.
  • Use Handshake to search and apply for internships, co-ops, etc. Start early as you may need to apply to 30 to 100 openings, or even more.
  • Continue to develop skills and gain experience through leadership positions in clubs and organizations.
  • Engage in study abroad and international experiential learning opportunities.
  • If you are considering graduate school, talk with professors or meet with your career coach to discuss the process and ask questions.
  • Study for graduate school entrance exams (GRE, GMAT, etc.) and take practice tests.
young woman in suit looks at files from a filing cabinet

By the end of your third year, you should have some major-related work experience. Photo/Andrew Higley/UC Marketing + Brand

young woman in lab coat looks closely at liquid in a clear canister

UC students pick up both hard and soft skills in a wide range of work environments. Photo/Andrew Higley/UC Marketing + Brand

  • Meet with your career coach to finalize your resume and/or graduate school documents.
  • Begin applying to jobs on Handshake, LinkedIn, Indeed and individual company websites as early as possible. Expect that you may need to apply to 30 to 100 job postings, or even more, and that the hiring process can take several months from application to offer.
  • Attend career fairs and employer information sessions to meet campus recruiters. This allows you to make a strong first impression and can give you an advantage in the application process.
  • Notify your LinkedIn network of the types of opportunities you are seeking and ask for referrals to job openings or to people who could help you.
  • If pursuing graduate school, take entrance exams, secure letters of recommendation, write your personal statement and submit your application.
  • Schedule a practice interview with a career coach or conduct one virtually through Big Interview.
  • When you know what you’ll be doing after graduation, notify the people in your network and thank those who helped you along the way.
three young people around a table with laptops in a modern office

If you follow the advice in this guide, you'll be more than ready as you approach graduation. Photo/Andrew Higley/UC Marketing + Brand

two young women in business jackets pose for the camera

Take advantage of opportunities to meet potential employers when they come to campus. Photo/Joe Fuqua II

  • Regularly attend career events hosted by UC, including workshops, employer visits and career fairs.