Be proactive in your career planning! Career Services encourages you to start the exploration process early to fully take advantage of the resources at Penn State.

Are you career-ready?

Take the Career Launch assessment to determine your current aptitude on the top eight skills that employers seek and receive recommendations on how to further develop each skill. These skills are based on the NACE Career-Ready Competencies, which have been developed to help college students prepare for success in the workplace and lifelong career management.

Career Planning Timeline

Career decision-making involves increasing self-awareness, exploring career options, and developing self-marketing skills. The career planning process is unique to everyone and will continue throughout your lifetime. Below are Career Services’ recommendations, but revisiting steps is normal and highly encouraged.

Reflecting on the connections between your current knowledge and experiences, values, and your vision for the future can help you identify career areas to explore.

  • Reflect on your past experiences to explore what you enjoy, what you do well, and what is important to you.
  • Explore interests through volunteer work, job shadowing, coursework, and joining student activities.
  • Consider taking the Focus 2 career assessment.
  • Meet with a career counselor to identify interests, values, and abilities and clarify your career goals.

Exploration can take many forms, all of which require you to be active in gathering information and applying it to make informed career decisions.

Consider ways to gain exposure and get involved with career options that seem interesting to you.

  • Take on leadership roles in campus and community organizations to develop teamwork, interpersonal, and communication skills.
  • Obtain relevant experience by pursuing internships, part-time work, summer jobs, and research opportunities.
  • Expand your understanding of diversity through study abroad, foreign languages, community services, and cultural activities on campus.

Your resume, cover letter, and interview skills are some of the first impressions that you give a potential employer. Prepare and present yourself in a way that highlights the skills, experiences, and qualities that the employer or graduate school is seeking.

  • Attend career programs and events.
  • Track your accomplishments and achievements to include in your resume, cover letter, and portfolio.
  • Meet with a career counselor to develop your job search strategy, update your resume, and practice your interviewing skills.
  • Network with alumni and employers to build contacts and learn about an industry of interest.