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Whether you are a recent graduate or anticipating a career change, successful career exploration often requires a great deal of thought and effort. Additionally, you can be a resource to the UVM community by recruiting UVM students or graduates, or by serving as a career resource.

Explore Career Opportunities

Identify Interests and Skills
Research Careers
  • O*Net Career Finder Use this assortment of tools to search for various occupations, skills required, and to learn more about positions within specific career fields.
  • Occupational Outlook Handbook Search the handbook by industry or A-Z for almost any type of job – it lists helpful information like training and qualifications needed, earnings, job descriptions and more.
  • Wetfeet - A reader-friendly guide of information about careers in leading industries.
  • Talk with professionals in your field of interest
    • Having conversations with those who work in your field of interest is a helpful way to learn more about an industry, identify job possibilities and make connections to other professionals. Connecting with professionals can happen through informational interviewing or by simply networking with those who you already know.
    • The Career Connection is a network of UVM alumni from a variety of fields who have volunteered to provide advice to students and alumni about careers, relocation, job search, and graduate school.
Changing Fields - Reinventing Yourself

The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts people average four to six career/job changes in their lifetime. If you are transitioning out of a job or considering a career change, here are some tips to get started in the process.

  • Remember your accomplishments. Accomplishments are the points that really help sell you to an employer. Rather than simply list your job duties, leverage your accomplishments for job search success at all stages of the process: resume, cover letter, interview, and more. Be sure to include concrete, measurable accomplishments to show your talents, not just talk about them.
    Source: Quintessential Careers – Link to full article
  • Identify your Transferable Skills. Many of your skills can apply to a variety of industries. Taking the time to identify your specific skill sets can be helpful as you pursue a new career area or position.
  • Brand Yourself. Whether online or in person, showcasing your unique attributes and assets can lead to more helpful results when networking and job searching. Your personal brand tells potential employers who you are, what you stand for and why they need you. Once you are clear about what you really want, you can more clearly identify the jobs and companies that would be an excellent match. Read more about branding yourself.
  • Utilize Resources.
    • Make a phone or in-person appointment with a Career Counselor at UVM and continue to explore the UVM Career Services site for helpful information
    • The Internet has a lot of helpful information regarding job search strategies, although it can be overwhelming and is not always accurate. Here are a few websites we recommend:
Services & Resources Available to Alumni
  • UVM Career Services Library (available on campus in the Career Services office)
  • VSAC Career Exploration for Adults Resource List
  • Talk with a Career Counselor
  • Catamount Job Link
Pursue Graduate and Professional School

While your undergraduate education provides you broad knowledge with some specialization in your major area, graduate school focuses exclusively on your area of study. Learn more about application timelines and preparation, and find some helpful resources for researching graduate school options here.

Develop Your Network

  • Identify people in your life that might be able to assist you: Relatives, friends, parents of friends, neighbors, members of civic or social organizations in which you participate, current supervisors, former professors, and co-workers. Also, look to the UVM community. UVM Career Connection on LinkedIn is group that gathers members of the UVM community and its friends around issues of career development. Alumni, students and friends of UVM interested in professional networking, offering career advice or sharing employment opportunities are invited to join.
  • Informational Interviewing is a helpful way to learn more about an industry, identify job possibilities and make connections to other professionals. Connecting with professionals can happen through informational interviewing or by simply networking with those who you already know.
  • LinkedIn: Create a professional profile on LinkedIn and become connected to other professionals and colleagues. From here you can search employers, interest groups and individuals in your field for further connections. Remember to join the University of Vermont Alumni group! Review quick advice on using LinkedIn to network.
  • Professional/Industry Networking Sites: Almost every industry has ways to link up and stay up-to-date with current topics in the field.  Try searching the internet for networking groups and events specific to your field of interest. Here are a few examples:
    • Idealist – For non-profit professionals
    • Onewire – For finance professionals
    • Ning Networks – Online networking hub for interest/professional groups
    • Plaxo – Online address book to hold all your contacts from email to social media groups
  • Career Services Events
  • Alumni Relations Events
  • Networking Sheet - Use this excel sample sheet to keep your networking contacts organized

Strategize Your Job Search

Recruit at UVM / Get Involved

If you have any questions or would like to discuss your options with a Career Counselor please call 802-656-3450 to schedule an appointment. All graduates have access to the Catamount Job Link and the Career Library in Living/Learning E140.

Last modified May 09 2013 03:04 PM

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