Explore Interests, Skills and Majors

Career exploration: We'll guide you

 

Career planning is a life-long process. From an early age we develop the interests, skills and values that will affect our future career choices. These experiences may come from joining a club, participating in a sport, interning, a summer job, earning a college degree, etc.

We can help you to fine-tune your individual process. Here are some tools to get you started; we're also available to assist you one-on-one. Consider these resources to jump-start your career exploration.

Step 1: Focus on Self: Identify Skills, Values & Interests

• Knowing about yourself is a good starting place. Begin identifying skills, interests, and values on this worksheet.
  • Also consider your transferable skills.
• Additional assessment tools, including MBTI and Strong Interest Inventory are available through meeting with a career counselor — a great next step.

Step 2: Explore Options: Research possibilities online & in person

Here are resources to assist you in exploring the world of work and various career paths, industries, job descriptions, salaries and more!

• What Can I Do With a Major In...? Check out this listing of possible career paths for a variety of majors.
• Alumni Career Paths: See what types of jobs UVM Alumni acquired sorted by major.
• O*Net Career Finder: A search engine of various occupations, positions, and skills required.
• Occupational Outlook Handbook: The A-Z for almost any type of job, including job descriptions, training and qualifications needed, earnings and more.
• WetFeet: An overview of industry profiles, trends, jobs, pros and cons.
• Network: Talk with professionals in your field of interest.
  • Informational Interviewing: See tips for conducting informational interviews as well as sample questions.
  • UVM Career Connection — a network of over 2,600 alumni, parents and friends friends who volunteer to talk with students or other alumni about careers, relocation, job search, and graduate school.
  • LinkedIn: Create a professional profile and connect to professionals. Remember to join the University of Vermont Alumni Group! Here is an article with some quick advice.
• Check out our Career Services Library to research careers related to majors or your interests. The collection includes books, files, directories, catalogs and listings of Web resources to help you explore. The library is open during regular office hours.

Step 3:Pursue Expertise: Take action, a class, do an internship, work

Here are some great ways to get involved and gain experience:

• UVM Department of Student Life
• Part-time Jobs
• Catamount Job Link
• Internships
• UVM Undergraduate Research
• United Way of Chittenden County Volunteer Center
• Idealist: local, national, and international nonprofit organizations

Step 4: Evaluate and Launch your Search

Prepare a resume and cover letter, attend job fairs & events.

• Identify your top 5 strengths and top 5 accomplishments
• Clarify in what areas you want to grow
• Create your materials: Resume and Cover Letter
• Attend job fairs, on-campus recruiting, and employer/networking events
• Learn about graduate and professional school
• What's next? Create a plan.
• Keep actively engaged in conversation and action steps. Career Services is available along the way.

Last modified November 14 2012 04:15 PM