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Student Affairs Statement on Intolerance |
Gameplan
for Success at all levels!
In
order to win a game, a successful athlete starts with a
plan. The athlete develops skills before entering the
game, and fine-tunes those skills in competition. They
focus on their goal. Their hard-work is rewarded with
success. A college education is much like this game.
Students have four years to develop skills, test them in
class and work situations, and then apply them to their
job search. Through hard work, they can be a winner at
the end of the game, by accepting a job offer or being
admitted to the graduate program of their choice.
Unfortunately, too many students wait until the
"fourth quarter" to get in the game. To help
students become winners, we offer the following game
plan:
Action↑
→→→
Prepare
↑
→→→→
Focus
↑
→→→
Explore
↑
→→→→
EXPLORE:
Freshman Year (OR STEP 1)
Students often choose a major with
fully comprehending all the implications. Your
perception of a particular occupation may be based on a
glamorized view rather than a realistic look. During
your freshman year, you need to explore the academic
requirements, the necessary skills and abilities, and
the job outlook for your chosen field. You also need to
explore your values, interests and abilities to
determine if they match that occupation.
- Visit
the
Major and Career Exploration Center, 214 Pratt Hall to use the FOCUS
II System. This computerized interest inventory
will help you to identify your career interests and
match them with potential occupations. Follow up
with a career counselor for further assistance.
- Conduct
Informational Interviews with people who work
in the occupation in which you are interested. Alumni,
family, or friends are a good starting place, and
can make referrals to more contacts. Ask about the
day to day activities of the job, the preparation
necessary to enter the field, and the pros and
cons of working in that occupation.
- Major
in what you love! If you want to succeed in college,
choose a major
that interests you, motivates you to learn, and
matches your interests and abilities. Talk
with faculty and upper class students to find
valuable information and hear first hand experience.
FOCUS:
Sophomore Year (or Step 2)
Hopefully you've come to a
decision on your major. If not, keep exploring, and add
some new dimensions to that process. What do you want to
do with the major you've chosen? Where do you want to
work? With what type of people do you want to work? What
rewards are you seeking from your work?
This is also a time to concentrate on developing the
skills that will make you successful in the
future.
- Develop
your leadership
skills through the organizations to which you
belong. Chair a committee or run for an office.
- Participate
in a Community
Service activity. Volunteer on a project that is
related to your chosen profession.
PREPARE:
Junior Year (or Step 3)
This is the time to learn about
job hunting and applying to graduate schools. You want
to make yourself as competitive as possible, so look for
the opportunities to "score."
- Plan
to obtain pre-professional experience. If an internship
is optional in your major, take that option!
For some students, this is already included in your
curriculum (i.e., education majors have student
teaching; nursing majors have clinical hours and
externships; etc.) Check out your academic
department's website to see if externship/internship
requirements and resources are listed.
- Attend
workshops on resume-writing, interviewing, and job
search skills offered by Career-Services.
Become familiar with the services and resources
available to you on campus.
- Begin
screening potential
employers or graduate programs that fit your
needs. Narrow down your choices and learn what it
takes to "win."
ACTION:
Senior Year
It all comes down to this! Begin
your search for a job or graduate admissions nine months
before you graduate! Use the entire amount of time that
is available to you. Ideally, you can be a winner before
the game is over!
- Attend
job fairs, participate in
on-campus interviews, and
use
College Central to identify
opportunities. Use your network of contacts from
informational interviewing, campus organizations,
and other activities in which you've been
participating.
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