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Cal has many opportunities and resources to help you identify your career-related goals and take steps in the right direction. Although there is not a strict “timeline” for success, the suggestions below will get you started. Following a timeline such as this usually helps students make sure they are career ready and mitigates the feeling of being unprepared or not knowing what to do after graduation.

First Year

Sophomore

Junior

  • Develop strong relationships with faculty
  • Attend the Graduate and Law School Fair, if you are interested in further education
  • Learn about career fields that interest you
  • Regularly utilize Handshake – become familiar with On-Campus Interviewing
  • Create or update your resume and your LinkedIn profile
  • Build teamwork and leadership skills in your extracurricular activities
  • Assess the professional competencies you have developed during your time at Cal

Senior

  • See a career counselor in the beginning of Senior year
  • Make some decisions about your future goals – it is ok to have more than one direction
  • Search for opportunities to fine tune your Career Readiness proficiency
  • Keep records of all employers you contact and jobs you apply for. This will help you stay organized in your job search efforts
  • Don’t wait until after graduation to begin looking for a job. Many job seekers are surprised that it takes an average of 3-6 months to land a job
  • Continue building your network. Use your participation in professional organizations and clubs to build connections with people who may provide you with career insights
  • Continue researching potential employers. Learn as much as possible about them and determine how you would respond to questions such as “Why are you interested in this company?” “How would you add value to our organization?”