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Your Four Year Map for Success

 
Freshman Year

  • Meet with your advisor, a faculty member, and/or a CSSE staff person to talk about your career plan
  • Learn which careers match your values, interests, personality, and skills by taking a career assessment. Here are two to try: SIGI3, MyNextMove Interest Profiler
  • Begin your studies and think about how each course will apply to your ultimate career goal.
  • Transform your high school resume into a college resume or write a new one. Try Optimal Resume or follow this Resume Guide
  • Investigate and apply to part-time and summer jobs to gain work experience.

Sophomore Year

  • Update your resume with new skills and your most recent experience
  • Explore careers of interest in more depth using career exploration resources, such as Massachusetts Career Information System
  • Start talking to people who work in jobs of interest. Not sure how? Follow this Networking Guide
  • Declare a major if you have not, if you have selected a major confirm that choice by talking with your advisor or a staff person in CSSE
  • Start planning and searching for internships
  • Return to your summer job, find a new one more related to your field, or volunteer

Junior Year

  • Concentrate on course work in your major.
  • Update your resume
  • Research possible employers and companies for whom you would like to work using this resource: America's Career Infonet
  • Follow your favorite companies on Twitter or "like" their Facebook page
  • Research internships or study abroad programs and apply before deadlines
  • Considering Graduate School? Start researching schools, testing requirements, and financing using MassCIS School Sort or Graduate School Guide
  • Attend at least one career fair, networking event, graduate school fair, or workshop
  • Polish your professional image--social media, business attire, email and voicemail

Senior Year

  • Compile a list of professional references and obtain letters of recommendation
  • Create a Job Search Plan
  • Learn how to tailor your resume and cover letter to each job posting
  • Practice your interviewing skills