Career Planning Timeline
Freshman Year
EXPLORE
- Participate in all aspects of life at Fredonia (academic, cultural, social).
- Enroll in a variety of courses to gain exposure to new knowledge, skills, and issues.
- Pursue interests and skills by participating in clubs, teams, performances, or other campus or community activities.
- Learn about resources and services available on campus.
- Begin to explore career options at the CDO.
- Make a tentative selection of a major.
- Begin to get to know faculty, counselors, staff, and administrators.
Sophomore Year
RESEARCH AND IDENTIFY
- Enroll in courses in prospective majors.
- Identify your interests, skills, and values.
- Talk with a career counselor in the CDO.
- Learn about and explore the world of work.
- Research selected occupations for academic, personality, and skill requirements.
- Interview people working in selected occupations.
- Make preliminary career decisions.
- Select a major appropriate to those decisions.
- Begin to develop your network of contacts.
Junior Year
EXPERIENCE
- Enroll in several courses in your major.
- Accept responsibility for tasks, projects or a program in campus or community activities.
- Enroll in elective courses to enhance qualifications (i.e., computer applications, languages, writing).
- Talk to people working in career fields or organizations of interest.
- Try career fields of interest through summer jobs, internships, and volunteer work.
- Develop a resume for summer and internship opportunities.
- Investigate the potential role of graduate or professional school in your career plans.
Senior Year
IMPLEMENT
- Discuss plans with counselors and faculty.
- Complete course requirements for major and degree.
- Plan job search campaign and/or graduate school campaign.
- Learn effective search skills, including writing resumes and cover letters, interviewing, and search strategies.
- Conduct a thorough job search campaign and/or application to graduate/professional school.
- Participate in special programs: Job & Internship Expo, CDO On-campus Interviews with employers, Jobsapalooza, Teacher Recruitment Days, Meet the Accountants Night, Graduate School Fair, Network on the Go, the Interview Face-Off, as well as CDO Spotlights and recruitment events.