Cal has many opportunities and resources to help you identify your career-related goals and take steps in the right direction. Although there is not a strict “timeline” for success, the suggestions below will get you started. Following a timeline such as this usually helps students make sure they are career ready and mitigates the feeling of being unprepared or not knowing what to do after graduation.
First Year
- Acclimate to campus life
- Learn how to balance academics and social activities
- Learn about the many student services departments on campus; see a Peer Advisor
- Seek out opportunities to get involved in student organizations or activities
- Set up a Handshake account and profile; review upcoming career-related events
- Explore majors via Major Mapping
- Understand the professional competencies that employers look for in new hires
Sophomore
- Investigate career options – try some self assessment activities to gain clarity
- Visit the resources on our Connecting Majors to Careers webpage
Learn about graduate and professional school (including pre-med/pre-health) - Meet with a career counselor to discuss your options and goals
- Develop your networking and communication skills
- Learn about internships and other short-term opportunities to build skills
- Pursue an externship – shadow an alum in a profession that interests you
- Attend Berkeley Career Engagement programs such as workshops and Career Fairs
Junior
- Develop strong relationships with faculty
- Attend the Graduate and Law School Fair, if you are interested in further education
- Learn about career fields that interest you
- Regularly utilize Handshake – become familiar with On-Campus Interviewing
- Create or update your resume and your LinkedIn profile
- Build teamwork and leadership skills in your extracurricular activities
- Assess the professional competencies you have developed during your time at Cal
Senior
- See a career counselor in the beginning of Senior year
- Make some decisions about your future goals – it is ok to have more than one direction
- Search for opportunities to fine tune your Career Readiness proficiency
- Keep records of all employers you contact and jobs you apply for. This will help you stay organized in your job search efforts
- Don’t wait until after graduation to begin looking for a job. Many job seekers are surprised that it takes an average of 3-6 months to land a job
- Continue building your network. Use your participation in professional organizations and clubs to build connections with people who may provide you with career insights
- Continue researching potential employers. Learn as much as possible about them and determine how you would respond to questions such as “Why are you interested in this company?” “How would you add value to our organization?”