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Career Planning Checklist
Freshman Career Planning Checklist:
- Explore your academic interests by taking a variety of courses. (Meet with your Academic Advisor to make sure you are fulfilling all necessary requirements.)
- Become involved in student activities or volunteer work. You may also get a part-time job off campus through the JLD Program in the University Career Center (UCC). You will gain valuable skills in the areas of organization, decision-making, planning and teamwork.
- Explore your options! Read about career options in the UCC's resource library. Use the FOCUS-2® career guidance program to assess your interests, abilities, work values and career options.
- Plan to gain more relevant experience through co-ops and 49erships. (Deadlines to register for these "Experiential Learning" opportunities come sooner than you think!) You may apply after the completion of 30 credit hours.
- Participate in the UCC's job shadowing program, called "Career Prospector." Learn how to conduct an informational interview and find out more, first-hand, about career fields of interest.
- During the school year attend a NinerJobNet orientation session to begin accessing opportunities Also attend "Majors Day," held in October, and sponsored by the UCC.
- The time to start thinking about your career is now! Explore your interests, gain work-related experience, job shadow, speak with professionals that interest you, and get part-time/summer work through the JLD Program.
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Sophomore Career Planning Checklist:
- Continue to explore your academic interests through courses, making sure to check with your Academic Advisor to meet all necessary requirements.
- Talk to a professional in the UCC about formulating realistic career goals.
- Explore your options! Read about careers in the UCC's extensive resource library. Check out the cards called the "WCIDWAMI's" ("What Can I Do With A Major In…?"). Look at major related publications and the Post Grad Survey regarding previous UNC Charlotte graduates.
- Participate in the Experiential Learning program in the UCC (co-ops and 49erships), or internships through your academic department.
- Attend the Experiential Learning Job Fair and Part-Time & Summer Job Fair
- Participate in the Career Prospector job shadowing program to find out what a career is REALLY like.
- Update your resume and have it critiqued at the UCC. (Being prepared to take advantage of an opportunity is half the battle!) Also, your resume is a "reality check" about what you've done—and need to do—that will make you a more marketable candidate for employment after you graduate from college.
- Maintain a good academic record. This will give employers an objective idea of how well you manage your time and what your abilities and potential are.
- Be prepared to declare your major by the end of the year, if you have not already. Use the FOCUS-2® career guidance and information system to assess your interests, work values, and career options.
- Help to build your resume by taking a part-time or summer job through the JLD Program. (There may be an opportunity related to your major.)
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Junior Career Planning Checklist:
- Concentrate on maintaining a competitive GPA, especially in your major. (You will be able to highlight it later on your resume!)
- Be proactive! Build practical experience through co-ops, 49erships, Internships, research, student activities, and volunteer work.
- Update your resume and have it critiqued by a Career Counselor in the UCC. Also, attend a resume writing workshop.
- Explore your options! Talk to a professional at the UCC about formulating realistic career goals. Remember, graduation is just around the corner!
- Become a leader or officer in activities or organizations with which you are affiliated. You will gain self-confidence, add to your resume information, and develop valuable transferable (marketable) skills.
- Familiarize yourself with graduate or professional school admissions procedures if you are planning on continuing your education. Be aware of deadlines—the application process starts early. Utilize UCC resources to help you in your search for a graduate school.
- Check with your Academic Advisor to be sure you will have completed all of your course requirements that are required for graduation.
- Attend Majors Day (usually in October) and speak with professionals in fields that interest you. (Offered through the UCC.)
- Arrange a mock interview session with your Career Advisor in the UCC, and attend Mock Interview Day.
- Attend a NinerJobNet orientation session to get registered in the database.
- Educate yourself on what your "transferable skills" are. For Arts and Sciences majors, research information on "What Can I Do With My Liberal Arts Degree?" on the web.
- Learn to network and conduct informational interviews with employers of interest. This is a good way to begin exploring what is called "the hidden job market."
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Senior Career Planning Checklist:
- Attend a NinerJobNet orientation session. You will get information on on-campus recruiting, full-time job searches, and the Resume Referral program.
- Complete all course requirements and take advantage of upper-level electives to enhance your qualifications. Meet with your Academic Advisor to make sure that you have made the right choices.
- Attend the job fairs sponsored by the UCC and talk with employers. Job fairs are offered in the Fall and Spring semesters each year.
- Attend a workshop in the UCC on how to "work" a job fair. Make sure you have your "2-minute commercial" ready!
- Continue to work with your Career Advisor as you make the transition from college student to professional. (You can still participate in the Experiential Learning program to get work-related experience during your senior year.)
- Continue to attend workshops and programs offered through the UCC: resume writing, interviewing skills, job search techniques, mock interviews, etc.
- If you are still undecided about what to do with your major, speak to professionals in your field by participating in the Career Prospector job shadowing program .
- Research electronic leads through the "E-Leads" database, accessed through the UCC's website at www.career.uncc.edu.
- Continue to check on-campus interviewing schedules through the NinerJobNet program. Make sure you meet all deadlines to submit your resume and/or sign up on employers' interview schedules.
- Continue to network and conduct informational interviews with employers of interest.
- Refine your resume and have it critiqued by the UCC staff.
- Utilize the UCC's resource library with information on all career topics.
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New Student/Transfer Career Planning Checklist:
- Concentrate on maintaining a competitive G.P.A., especially in your major. (You can brag about it later on your resume!) Establish good time management and study skills (Employers look for academic success!) Visit the University Center for Academic Excellence for assistance.
- Acquire computer skills. Familiarize yourself with word processing and other kinds of software. (These skills are essential to your success!)
- Take courses that are interesting to you, while fulfilling your academic goals. (Talk to your academic advisor about which courses are best for you.)
- Build practical experience through Co-ops, 49erships, student activities and volunteer work.
- Talk to your career advisor about formulating realistic career goals.
- Explore your options! Sign up for a Career Exploration Workshop in the University Career Center. You will complete two career assessments at least two weeks prior to the workshop.
- Complete FOCUS-2® computer program to explore your interests, abilities, work values, and careers. (It’s in the University Career Center, 150 Atkins Building.)
- Join an organization or activity of interest and attend meetings regularly. Become a leader or officer in activities or organizations with which you are affiliated. (You'll gain self-confidence and build your resume at the same time.)
- Speak to professionals in your field of interest by participating in the University Career Center's University Career Prospector Program. (Volunteers are available to act as mentors, participate in informational interviews and job shadowing.)
- Update your resume and have it critiqued at a Resume Critique session at the University Career Center. (Being prepared to take advantage of an opportunity is half the battle!)
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MBA Career Planning Checklist:
- Have you exhausted all the opportunities for growth in your current department, division, or company? What areas in your company employ mostly MBAs?
- Have you considered a less identifiable but more stable employer if this is your concern? What does stability mean to you?
- Are you registered in NinerJobNet and wish to not have your resume sent to your current employer if they are accessing our system (please let the UCC know in writing!)?
- Is any current dissatisfaction related more to personality or style issues?
- Is there something else you can do to influence your position and make is more rewarding?
- Are you expectations that once you receive your MBA that you will get an automatic promotion in your company realistic?
- When did you last discuss professional development with your manager? Your professor?
- Have you considered non-profit, high growth industries with finance divisions, for example, and government as options?
- Is the grass always greener on the other side?
- What type of skills, interests, and passions for work do you have, and what products, services, and organizations most need these?
- Are you flexible geographically?
- What two-career family needs do you or will you have to balance?
- What three goals have you set for your career and study of the MBA and what are you doing to meet those?
- If you change to another field, what business, industry, or discipline would most value your past experience?
- Are you willing to start at entry level again?
- What approaches did you use in finding your last position and do you want to use that strategy again? Do your mentors know of your interests?
Click here to view the MBA services offered by the University Career Center
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Master's & PH.D. Career Planning Checklist:
- The University Career Center provides numerous services to graduate students as well as to those undergraduates considering further education, including individualized career counseling, career fairs, the career resource collection, mock interviews, Discover® career guidance system, Career Prospector job shadowing, and Experiential Learning (Co-op, 49erships) programs (i.e., while many UNC Charlotte graduate programs include curriculum based internships and practicums found through your academic department, these programs may supplement your experience).
- See the UCC staff page for your discipline specific career advisor (IT, Math, Social Work, etc). The UCC director sees MBA , Counseling , MPA majors , and some experienced PH.D.s.
- For information on which graduate and professional schools UNC charlotte alumni have attended, see the post graduate study . For information on employers of select graduate programs visit the Alumni Occupations by Major link.
- If you are trying to decide on whether or not to attend graduate or professional school, see Selecting a Graduate or Professional School or Graduate School Exams
- The UCC also maintains a resume and job listing database:
- For information on part time jobs, teaching and administrative assistantships, check out the Graduate School site: Part-time Jobs - Graduate.
- While several PH.D. programs are new to UNC Charlotte, the UCC collection of career materials is being built and will grow. Suggestions for materials would be welcomed if you find a useful site or tool. Also consult the Atkins library
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