University Career Services
Northwestern University
A Four-Year Career Decision Making Plan* Freshman Year
Register for CareerCat to receive weekly career information from UCS Meet with a career counselor to discuss your individualized career plan Consider taking assessments to clarify your interests, values and skills Commit to reading at least 5 careers/industries using UCS career exploration resources Explore different majors, minors, and certificates; meet with a career counselor to discuss majors as they relate to careers Participate in Northwestern Externship Program (NEXT) in Spring to job shadow Alumni in careers of interest Join 2-4 student organizations to explore your interests and expand your skills Conduct at least 1 informational interview per quarter to expand your information about careers Begin to develop your self-marketing tools such as your resume and elevator speech Attend the In Pursuit Internship Conference in Fall to learn more about the internship search Create a LinkedIn Profile to begin to create a professional network Gain experience through internships, summer jobs, and volunteer work
Sophomore Year Narrow down your list of academic major choices; check with University Academic Advising if you are considering an inter-school transfer Continue to read about different careers and industries using the career exploration resources Continue to do informational interviews to expand your information about careers Expand your leadership within your student organizations by chairing a committee, initiating a project or running for office Participate in Northwestern Externship Program (NEXT) in Spring to job shadow Alumni in careers of interest If considering graduate school, choose at least two professors to get to know well to increase your chances of getting good recommendations Obtain a career-related internship to test out a career field and gain work experience Continue to conduct informational interviews with professionals in careers of interest Attend UCS career fairs to learn about different types of employers and industries *Don’t be alarmed if you are reading this as a junior or senior. You can still engage in most of these activities, your timeline will just move at a quicker pace! . Contact the Fellowships Office to get information about career-related fellowships, such as the COROS University Career Services Facebook: facebook.com/northwesternUCS Main Location:or 620 Street Twitter: twitter.com/northwesternUCS Public Interest Fellowship theLincoln Fulbright Career Lab: Main Library, Core Reserves, 2nd Flr LinkedIn: linkedin.com/groupRegistration?gid=1926036 Reflect upon your internship experiences to determine if they might to a satisfying career Phone: 847-491-3700 Blog:lead northwesternuniversitycareerservices.wordpress.com www.northwestern.edu/careers Discuss whether graduate school is a good option for your career goals with a UCS career counselor
Junior Year
Continue to read about different careers and industries using the career exploration resources Select 2-3 industries of interest for full time work upon graduation Obtain a career-related internship to clarify career interests and gain skills Attend at least two networking events to attend to increase your professional network (Northwestern Alumni Association has many alumni events throughout the year). Contact the Fellowships Office to get information about career-related fellowships, such as the COROS Public Interest Fellowship or the Fulbright Reflect upon your internship experiences to determine if they might lead to a satisfying career Discuss whether graduate school is a good option for your career goals with a UCS career counselor Learn about recruiting timelines for different industries and create a job search plan that suits your needs
Senior Year If you do not yet have a career focus, meet with a career counselor to discuss your options Attend the UCS job fairs to explore employment opportunities Network with individuals in your field to explore job opportunities, examine work settings, and prepare for interviewing Meet with an Employment Specialist to learn the best job search techniques for industries of interest Attend UCS Backpack to Briefcase events to how to navigate the job search process If necessary, begin preparation for graduate/professional school by taking graduate school admissions test (e.g. GRE, LSAT), identifying and applying to specific programs Decide if you want to take time off between undergraduate and grad/professional school