Yearly Planner

Click on one of the links below for suggested activities you can do each year you are at Cal to help solidify your plans for the future.

First Year
Second Year
Third Year
Fourth Year

First Year

Explore your major options. For tips on choosing a major, review What should I major in?
Seek interesting activities or student organizations on campus and get involved. Ask your friends, resident advisor, peer advisors or the Campus Life & Leadership office for recommendations of organizations to investigate.
Review this website, including the Services for Students page to get acquainted with the breadth of services offered by the Career Center.
Set up a Callisto account for easy access to almost all Career Center services and event signups.
Use the Calendar to find career information and job search events of interest to you.
If you are considering graduate or professional school, read these web sections:
- For med school - Human Medicine - Freshmen Getting Started
- For law school - Preparing for Law School
- For other health professional schools - Health Careers
- For other graduate school programs - Exploring Graduate School
Learn about internships. Explore internships.berkeley.edu.
Login to Callisto to sign up for CareerMail to receive announcements about jobs, internships or events related to your career or educational goals.
Continue developing the qualities that brought you to Berkeley such as leadership, analytical thinking, communication and interpersonal skills. Employers look for similar skills.

Reality Check

As a first year student, your priority is to adjust to campus life. Learn how to balance academic requirements with campus activities and a social life. Don't worry about your career before you've had the chance to get comfortable being a college student.

Second Year

If you have not already chosen a major, make this a priority now. For tips on choosing a major, review What should I major in?
Utilize self-assessment tools to clarify your interests, skills, personality type and values, and begin thinking about career options or advanced degrees that you want to explore in greater depth.
Begin to Research Your Options to become better informed about careers you are considering.
Login to Callisto to sign up for CareerMail to receive announcements about jobs, internships or events related to your career or educational goals.
If you are planning to go to medical school after graduation, read Human Medicine - Sophomores and Juniors for tips on getting prepared to apply.
Read the Graduate School and Law School web sections to learn more about preparing for those avenues. Attend the Graduate School Fair and the Law School Fair in the Fall semester.
Begin developing relationships with faculty to ensure you will be able to get solid recommendation letters for graduate or professional school.
Login to Callisto to use the Calendar to find career information and job search events of interest to you.
Create or update your resume. Attend a resume workshop or use the Job & Internship Guide to help you prepare an effective resume. Have it critiqued by a Career Counselor or Peer Advisor.
Register for Callisto to access CalJobs and begin looking for volunteer opportunities, part-time jobs or internships.
Consider pursuing leadership opportunities within clubs or student organizations.

Reality Check

Your second year at Cal is a good time to learn more about career options. Make a long list of options you'd consider and start obtaining information about those career fields. Most students change their career plans repeatedly while in college, so don't be concerned about feeling like you lack focus. Most sophomores have plenty of time to decide.

Third Year

See a Counselor to ensure you are on target to achieve your career and educational goals.
Utilize self-assessment tools to clarify your interests, skills, personality style and values, and begin thinking about career options or advanced degrees that you want to explore in greater depth.
Continue to Research Your Options to become better informed about options you are considering.
Thoroughly investigate your favorite career options. Begin to Make Connections and Get Experience to verify your interests and make sure you are on track.
Login to Callisto and use CalJobs for on-campus recruiting to find a summer internship.
Attend Employer Information Sessions and Career Fairs to meet representatives from potential employers.
Login to Callisto to use the Calendar to find career information and job search events of interest to you.
Update your resume.
Login to Callisto to sign up for CareerMail to receive announcements about jobs, internships or events related to your career or educational goals.
Attend the Graduate School Fair or the Law School Fair to make sure you understand admissions requirements and procedures for the schools you are targeting.
Read the Graduate School, Law School and Health Careers web sections to make sure you are familiar with timelines and admissions requirements. Students planning to begin medical school the Fall following graduation should prepare for and take the MCAT no later than April of their junior year and begin applying in June.

Reality Check

When you're two years away from graduating, it's a good idea to focus on a handful of options you'd like to pursue. Review your activities and experiences during the last couple of years and see where you need to obtain additional experiences to prepare for the careers you are considering.

Fourth Year

See a Counselor to ensure you are on target to achieve your career and educational goals.
If you have not started yet, Get Experience to build transferable skills applicable to your chosen career field, and Make Connections so you can start building your professional network.
Make Decisions about your best option after graduation, and come up with one or two backup plans just in case.
Attend Career Fairs and Employer Information Sessions to meet potential employers in person.
Research employers and learn about different job search techniques to plan an effective job search strategy.
Login to Callisto to sign up for CareerMail to receive announcements about jobs, internships or events related to your career or educational goals.
Review the Graduate School Timeline, Applying to Law School, or the Health Careers web section to make sure you are on time with your graduate or professional school applications.
Medical school applicants should review the Current Applicants webpage to make sure you are on target.

Reality Check

A lot of students approach graduation with anxiety stemming from not having made a firm decision about career or graduate school plans. It's normal to feel this way. If you're feeling stuck or lost, See A Counselor to get some advice and support. And take advantage of the Career Center's numerous resources to help you clarify your direction.

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