Your Career Action Plan

Wherever you are in the career planning process, there are steps you can take to help you make informed decisions, shape your career goals, and prepare for employment.

The following Career Action Plan provides recommended steps to help you with career planning while at UA.

Freshmen and First-Year Students

Inquiry and Awareness

• Evaluate your interests, skills, and values to learn what types of careers and work environments might suit you.
• Learn more about UA majors if you are still exploring possibilities. Think of each major in terms of the skills and knowledge you will gain to prepare you for a variety of occupations. Visit What Can I Do With This Major? to view information related to UA majors.
• Browse the Occupational Information Network to expand your knowledge of possible careers.
• View brief videos of professionals from hundreds of occupations describing their careers.
• Review the list of classes for the majors you’re considering. Talk with an academic advisor to plan a course of study related to your interests and career goals.
• Schedule an appointment with a career consultant in the Career Center to discuss any questions you have about career planning.
• Complete an informational interview with someone in a profession of interest to gain their perspective and advice.
• Get to know upperclassmen, faculty members, and administrators who can provide you with information about majors and career options (begin to build your career network).
• Visit the Center for Service and Leadership to learn about volunteering. Volunteering not only allows you to serve the community, but also to explore new career options, network and strengthen skills that can be documented on your resume.
• View the Organizations Directory to identify opportunities for campus involvement.
• Begin to develop your resume and meet with a career consultant for feedback and assistance.
• Working part-time or interning in your field of interest is a great way to gain exposure to a career while acquiring experience. Browse student employment opportunities on campus and also talk with employers in the Tuscaloosa area.
• If you need help with study habits or test anxiety, visit the Capstone Center for Student Success.
• Become familiar with the competencies sought by employers from all industries.

Sophomores and Second-Year Students

Assessment and Exploration

• Read the steps recommended for freshmen as they also apply to sophomores.
• Talk with a career consultant if you are considering changing your major.
• Take on a role of responsibility in a student organization or community project to develop leadership and time-management skills while building your resume.
• Identify career mentors. Talk with a career consultant about informational interviews and job shadowing.
• Talk with the Cooperative Education Office or internship coordinators in your academic areas about applying for experiential education opportunities related to your major.
• Update your resume and meet with a career consultant for feedback and assistance.
• Update your Handshake account and post your resume online; begin searching for summer jobs or internships.
• Schedule a practice interview through the Career Center.

Juniors

Gaining Career Experiences

• Read the suggested steps for freshmen and sophomores, as many of them also apply to juniors.
• Update your profile and resume on Handshake.
• Learn about using social networking sites in your job search.  Create or update your LinkedIn profile.
• Continue developing skills and relationships through student organizations, internships, part-time employment, and volunteer experiences.
• Take time to brush up on dining etiquette and workplace etiquette.
• Research thoroughly career choices and interview professionals in your area(s) of interest.
• Attend career fairs and employer panels, preparing ahead of time so you can engage employers in conversation about your qualifications and employment opportunities.
• If appropriate for your career goals, research programs and entrance requirements for graduate school. Make plans to take entrance exams. Set up a timeline to apply for graduate and professional schools.
• Update your resume and talk with professors and supervisors about serving as references.

Seniors

Job Search or Grad-School Planning

• Read the suggested steps for juniors, as many of them also apply to seniors.
• Meet with a career consultant to have your application materials (resume and cover letter) critiqued and to discuss different job search strategies. Begin to apply for jobs or entrance into graduate/professional schools.
• Schedule a practice interview if you’ve not done one, or if you wish to improve your skills.
• Identify both on- and off-campus recruiting opportunities. Sign up for on-campus interviews through Handshake. Recruiting season runs from September through November and February through April.
• Continue your efforts to build contacts through campus and community involvement and stay in touch with people in your network who can assist you in the job search.
• Let the UA Career Center know your employment status. Your report counts toward the total placement rate, which impacts UA’s accreditation and ranking among universities.

Graduate Students

• Engage with GradACTS a compilation of workshops, training, speakers and resources to best prepare you for your career.
• Evaluate your interests, skills, and values using assessments provided in Imagine PhD, a free online career exploration and planning tool for graduate and PhD students. Learn about careers and work environments that might suit you.
• Browse the Occupational Information Network to expand your knowledge of possible careers.
• View brief videos of professionals from hundreds of occupations describing their careers.
• Schedule an appointment with a career consultant in the Career Center to discuss any questions you have about career planning.
• Complete an informational interview with someone in a profession of interest to gain their perspective and advice.
• Compare your current skills with those required in jobs that interest you. Generate a list and look for opportunities (part-time jobs, volunteer roles, courses, etc.) to develop or strengthen those skills.
• Develop and demonstrate the competencies sought by employers from all industries. Additional competencies for graduate students include teaching and learning, research and innovation, and health and wellness.
• Visit the Center for Service and Leadership to learn about volunteer opportunities.
• Volunteering not only allows you to serve the community, but also to explore new career options, network and strengthen skills that can be documented on your resume.
• View the Organizations Directory to identify opportunities for campus involvement.
• Develop your resume (or convert your CV to a resume) for jobs outside of academia and meet with a career consultant for feedback and assistance.
• Create or update your LinkedIn profile.
• Contact network of friends, family, former professors, etc., and let them know the type of job you’re seeking. Ask them to keep you in mind as they learn of openings.
• Watch for events to attend to meet new people. Engaging with others can be a positive thing and can also result in unexpected job leads.
• Explore websites of professional and industry associations and societies for job postings.
• Attend career fairs and employer panels, preparing ahead of time so you can engage employers in conversation about your qualifications and employment opportunities.
• Identify both on- and off-campus recruiting opportunities. Sign up for on-campus interviews through Handshake.
• Schedule a practice interview through the Career Center.
• Review tips for dining etiquette and workplace etiquette.