How I’m starting my career planning as a college junior

I’ve been wondering what type of job I’ll have someday for as long as I can remember. In first grade, I wanted to be an astronomer. 五年级时，我变成了作家 八年级的时候成为了一名研究员. By high school, I had discovered so many options 我无法选择.  

My “dream job” is always evolving, and I imagine it always will. 

Coming to 火博体育大学 has only accelerated the options … and the questions. 值得庆幸的是, 一路走来我学到了很多.

As I’m in the midst of this process, I thought I’d share a few of the actions I’m taking and relay the tips my Skidmore support system has shared with me.

从我自己开始

I’ve learned that 网络ing and career advice conversations can be a lot more effective if you’ve done a little personal reflection first. “我的激情是什么?是一个问题 我想到了这个. But truthfully, it’s a little daunting. 所以，我在工作 火博体育我对这些问题的回答:  

• 是什么让我对生活感到兴奋? 
• How do I see work fitting into the kind of life I picture for myself? 
• Am I willing to pursue extra education or intensive training? 
• What do I desire most — income, influence, inspiration?

做我的网上调查

火博体育的 Career Development Center (CDC)是一个资源丰富的地方. Early in the process, they pointed me to a few online 我发现这些工具非常有用.  

• 文理生活 is an exclusive Skidmore tool (accessed by Skidmore logins) that has helped me answer the question “What can I do with a major in …?以火博体育校友为例. 火博体育的 创造性思维工作 website is a similar but public tool I’ve used as well. 
• 我可以用这个专业做什么? is a public resource that may even be helpful when you’re choosing a major, not just 拿它怎么办.  
• LinkedIn — I had heard how helpful LinkedIn can be, but I found it incredibly intimidating 起初. I started by myself, stumbling my way through making a profile. 但后来 I brought it to our CDC and the staff there helped me make it even better.  

和我的教授交谈

I’ve been so humbled by how genuinely my want me to succeed in defining my goals and 他们愿意和我一起工作吗. Whether it’s forwarding job and internship opportunities they learn about from the CDC, introducing me to former students of theirs, or just spending some extra individual time with me to listen to my ideas, they’re always 等着我.

When it comes to my post-grad planning, a few ways I’ve utilized my professors so 目前包括:  

• Using sessions with my advisor to talk not only about my classes, but also my aspirations.
• Picking their brains about industries, options and opportunities. 
• Asking them where other students they’ve taught have gone and whether they’re willing 帮助做介绍. 
• Letting them know I’m interested in internships and taking advantage of their recommendations 和想法.
• Using them as references and reviewers. They really are fantastic advocates for students 精通文科的.  

利用火博体育的疾病控制中心

I’ve already mentioned that the CDC was helpful early in my process, but truly they’ve 陪我走过人生的每一步.

Here’s what I’ve been up to this year thanks to the CDC’s advice:  

• 安排与某人的约会 特定于行业的顾问. I was able to get one within a couple days after making a request, and together we reviewed my research and the skills and experience I’ve gained in previous internships.
• Working with my CDC adviser on refining my resume and LinkedIn profile as well as preparing responses for internships I’m interested in applying for this summer.
• 联系校友通过 火博体育职业顾问网络 and utilizing tools like Handshake to keep an eye out for opportunities.
• 参加一些 Skidmore-exclusive events hosted by the CDC, including Career Jam, a Graduate and Professional School Expo and the Career and Internship 连接ions (CIC) consortium in New York City.  

保持我的选择余地

Since I’ve been at Skidmore, I’ve had three internships and two work-study and research 有机会提高我的技能. Each experience came to fruition thanks to my Skidmore 网络.

Over the course of this process I’ve met confusion and dead ends, but there have also been major successes and moments to celebrate.

No matter what happens, there’s someone to support me here at Skidmore. 

我下一个会在哪里? 请继续关注. 我迫不及待地想知道.