Mount Saint Mary's University Career Action Plan

The future comes to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.
- Eleanor Roosevelt

Career planning … discovering who you are and what you are meant to do … is lifework. It’s a process, a journey. And it's your next challenge. As with most things in life, you'll get out of it what you're willing to put into it. At the Career Center, we’ll help you decipher just what your college experience means in terms of your career options and choices. We'll help you to see how the workplace today is changing, and what employers look for in hiring new candidates. We'll help you know yourself well enough to know where your best fit is, too.

To love what you do and feel that it matters. . .how could anything be more fun?
- Katherine Graham

The Four Year Plan
The Career Action Plan (CAP) at the Mount is a four-year program that guides students through a systematic career development process. Highly experiential in nature, each year of the CAP includes suggested activities to build and develop a student’s skills and career awareness.

Click below to jump to your individual CAP Freshman Sophomore Junior Senior

Freshman Career Action Plan
As a freshman you'll discover new friends, new experiences, and new knowledge. You'll learn to appreciate the talents and abilities you have to offer and will begin to develop new skills and interests.

First-year Student Action Steps

• Use the core as an opportunity to broaden your interests and to explore various majors.
• Take an active role in your learning. Maintain a good grade point average.
• Join and participate in clubs, sports, and volunteer activities that interest you.
• Visit the Career Center with your First-year Student Seminar class. Schedule a follow-up appointment for individual assistance.
• Use Focus II to complete a personal inventory of your interests, values and skills and to explore majors and potential occupations. Focus II, the computerized career-planning program is available online.
  
• Prepare or update your resume.
• Register with www.collegecentral.com/msmary
• Attend employer presentations, alumni panels and career fairs to gather information on potential occupations and employers.
• Build a support network of faculty, administrators and professional contacts.
• Apply for summer jobs, internships or volunteer positions that will expand your knowledge of the world of work.

Sophomore Year Career Action Plan
Your focus as a sophomore is to explore majors and careers and to appreciate who you are and what you value in relation to the world of work.

Sophomore Action Steps

• Continue to explore your academic interests through the Core and electives.
• Attend Major Exploration Day sessions sponsored by the academic departments.
• Use Focus II to assess your skills and interests and to explore possible majors and career fields.
• Schedule an appointment with the Career Center. Let us help you with decisions about your major, with your resume, and in exploring internships or summer jobs.
• Prepare or update your resume. Upload it to www.collegecentral.com/msmary
• Meet with your academic advisor to officially declare your major.
• Participate in college sponsored internship and job fairs.
• Shadow and observe professionals in their workplace.
• Work toward a leadership role in a club or organization.
• Get involved in community service activities.
• Secure an internship or summer job in a career field of interest.

Junior Year Career Action Plan
Get ready to make some tentative decisions about your graduate school and/or job search plans. Begin to map out your strategies.

Junior Action Steps

• Identify at least three career and/or graduate or professional school options that match your interests.
• Discuss your options with your academic advisor or a career counselor.
• Have your updated resume critiqued by the Career Center.
• Build professional experience through an internship, volunteer, or summer job. Begin to research internships on www.collegecentral.com/msmary
• Develop your network of contacts.
• If considering graduate school, use the Career Center resources to research programs, entrance exams and application deadlines.
• Attend career and graduate school fairs.
• Begin to research organizations and the opportunities they offer.
• Assume a leadership role with a club or activity.
• Join student chapters of professional organizations.
• Demonstrate your competencies in teamwork, leadership, technical and communication skills.

Senior Year Career Action Plan
Your challenge as a senior is to integrate the experiences, knowledge and self-discovery of the past three years, decide on a career path that is right for you, and take the necessary steps to make it happen.

Senior Action Steps

• Kick off the year by attending the Senior Open House.
• Have your updated resume critiqued by the Career Center.
• Upload your revised resume to www.collegecentral.com/msmary
• Draft a cover letter that can be adapted for a variety of audiences.
• Participate in a videotaped Mock Interview.
• Decide on the type of professional work or graduate program you're seeking.
• Get an internship or related work experience if you haven't already.
• Design a campaign strategy and a timeline for your post-graduate plans.
• Take a leadership position with a club or organization.
• Identify people who will be references for you. Ask them if they are willing to serve as a reference and give them a copy of your resume.
• Consider spending a year after college as a volunteer with Americorp, the Jesuit Volunteers or a similar program.

If conducting a job search:

• Narrow down the geographic region in which you'd like to work.
• Select your interview attire.
• Check the Career Center calendar and register for appropriate on-campus interviews and resume referral companies.
• Develop an employer prospect list and schedule off-campus interviews.
• Tap into your network for leads, advice and assistance with your job search.
• Attend local and regional job fairs to connect with potential employers.
• Research openings listed on various websites and post your resume.
• Follow up on all applications and keep a record of the status of each.
• Be prompt in responding to employers' requests for interviews or job offers.

If pursuing graduate or professional school admission:

• Consult with your graduate or professional school advisor or set up an appointment with the Career Center for assistance with the process.
• Register for and take the appropriate entrance examinations.
• Narrow down your choice of schools and obtain the applications.
• Prepare your personal statements and applications.
• Request letters of recommendation.
• Submit application materials on time and check with the institutions prior to the deadline date to make sure your file is complete.
• If possible, visit with institutions that accept you. Send a deposit to your school of choice.
• Notify other schools that have accepted you of your decision.