YOU are in control--prepare for life after W&M

Self-Knowledge |   Knowledge of  Opportunities |   Knowledge of Job Search strategies 

• Drop in to schedule an appointment at the Career Center to familiarize yourself with the services and resources available.
• Start working on your Career Readiness Checklist. Update it at least once per semester. Bring it with you for your Career Center appointments.
• Familiarize yourself with the resources on the Career Center's web site: mycareer.wm.edu.
• Come to a resume writing workshop and explore other career planning workshops.
• Use TribeCareers.wm.edu to write your first resume, bring it to the Career Center for a critique.
• Freshmen & Sophomores take advantage of the Compass and MACE programs.
• Attend on-campus career fairs, career exploration panels and employer information sessions  to learn about potential careers and employers.
• Explore your interests, abilities, and skills through required academics and through your extracurricular activities here on campus.
• Talk to faculty, alumni, academic advisers, and career center advisors about possible majors and careers.
• Browse through the internship listings on the Career Center's web site.
• Consider volunteer positions to help build your resume.

From there, you'll start researching options and testing paths (spend up to 60 hours altogether)

• Schedule an appointment with a Career Advisor to review your Career Readiness Checklist.
• Begin doing internships,   campus research projects, summer jobs, extracurriculars and school-break jobs that relate to your interests.
• Research  at least three career options available to you that are aligned with your interests, strengths, values and education. Attend on-campus career and job fairs and employer information sessions relating to your interests.
• Join at least one professional or honorary organization related to your career interests to make contact with people in the professional world.
• Complete at least five informational interviews with people in careers you want to explore. Stay in touch with these people.
• Work toward one leadership position in a university club or activity. You don't necessarily need to be an officer of the organization; this includes managing a project to successful completion for your club.
• Maintain contact with previous internship site supervisors and previous employers so they can serve as references for you.
• Develop and maintain relationships with your faculty so they can write recommendations for your future graduate school applications.
• Attend networking events at the Career Center, academic departments and your extracurricular organizations.
• Put together an interview outfit.  

And you are then be ready to start making decisions and plotting plans to reach your goals (spend up to 100 hours altogether)...

• Schedule an appointment with a Career Advisor  to have your updated resume critiqued and to go over your Career Readiness Checklist.
• Narrow your career interests, based on your self-reflection, research, informational interviews, and preferred experiences.
• Identify and perform internships and campus research projects that will give you the entry-level skills and contacts you'll need for your chosen first job.
• Participate in interviewing  and job-search workshops.
• Practice your skills by doing mock interviews.
• Review your progress in learning four (or more) skills employers look for in new hires in your chosen career fields; make sure you pick up those skills.
• Consider graduate school and get information on graduate entrance examinations.
• Set up your credentials file and ask professors to write recommendations for your future graduate school applications.
• Shadow several professionals in your field. Stay in touch with them.
• Expand the number of relationships you've built with people in your career field.
• Start your professional wardrobe.  

 So you'll be ready for actively pursuing your goals! (about 40 hours per week until hired, if job seeking)

• If you are planning to go to graduate school, take graduate school entrance exams and complete applications. 
• Have your graduate school application essays critiqued by your faculty and the Career Center.
• Set up your credentials file for graduate school application letters of recommendation.
• Make an appointment with the College's pre-med advisor or the pre-law advisor if appropriate.
• Target your resume and a cover letter to a specific job and visit the Career Center to have it critiqued.
• Make an appointment with a Career Advisor  to go over your job search strategy.
• Keep an eye on the employers who are coming to campus to interview so you won't miss application deadlines.
• Familiarize yourself with the Career Center's many online job resources, but spend most of your time developing your network.
• Gather information on realistic salary expectations.
• Join at least one professional association aligned with your career interests. Attend the conferences and workshops offered by the association, stay in touch with the people you meet.
• Participate in interviewing workshops and practice interviews.
• Read two or more professional or trade publications from your career field on a regular basis.
• Know how to evaluate job offers and accept one.

Good luck in your career!