Figuring out what to do after college can be intimidating, but planning early and getting help can make all the difference. Take a look at our 4 Year Career Plan. We’ll get you moving and keep you going in the right direction! Your career starts now.

First Year Prepare Use Majors & Minors Talk with faculty, mentors, family and friends about majors and occupations. Consider career assessments to understand how your skills, interests, and values relate to careers. Talk with a career counselor about possible interest areas. Start to define a strategy for reaching career goals. Take courses you enjoy that will help you decide if your major is a good fit. Conduct an informational interview with a professional to learn about the realities of a career. Explore ePACK, NC State’s on-line job posting system. Participate Take advantage of opportunities to develop skills through activities on and off campus. Create a resume and cover letter and fine tune them with a career counselor. Evaluate strengths on your resume and areas to develop. Attend career fairs to learn about career paths for different majors. View opportunities posted in ePACK; identify careers of potential interest. Consider career-related experience through an externship, internship, co-op, research or volunteer experience. Document your experiences, skills and accomplishments. Sophomore Year Prepare Update and fine tune your resume and cover letter. Create or update your ePACK account. Practice your interview skills with a friend, employer or career counselor. Speak with an academic advisor in your major about career interests and plans. Join a student organization that is related to your major or career of interest. Be open to leadership opportunities. Choose courses that help you make progress toward a degree of interest. Participate Gain career-related experience through an internship, co-op, research or volunteer opportunity. Speak with faculty about research opportunities. Apply for internships and on-campus interviews in ePACK. Apply for co-op, start with an information session. Attend career fairs and events to learn about internships and co-ops. Attend employer information sessions posted in ePACK to learn about opportunities. Use strategies and resources provided by the NC State Career Development Center. Document your experiences, skills, and accomplishments.

Junior Year Prepare Update and fine tune your resume and cover letter. Update your ePACK account. Practice your interview skills with a friend, employer or career counselor. Research the application timeline if you are thinking about graduate school. Speak with faculty about career interests, graduate study, and future plans. Meet with a career counselor to discuss strategies including decisions about grad school. Participate Gain career-related experience through an internship, co-op, research or volunteer opportunity. Speak with faculty about research opportunities. Apply for internships and on-campus interviews in ePACK. Apply for co-op, start with an information session. Attend career fairs and events to learn about internships and co-ops. Attend employer information sessions posted in ePACK to learn about opportunities. Use strategies and resources provided by the Career Development Center. Meet with faculty or employers as you create a list of references or request recommendation letters. Become active in student organizations to develop leadership and teamwork skills. Document your experiences, skills, and accomplishments. Senior Year Prepare Update and fine tune your resume and cover letter. Update your ePACK account and maximize your use of the system. Discuss your job search strategies with your career counselor. Applying to grad school? Follow individual program guidelines and deadlines. Schedule GRE and other admissions exams. Practice your interview skills with a friend, employer or career counselor. Take advantage of student rates to join professional organizations. Be sure your voice mail and social networking sites are professional. Participate Begin your active job search at least one semester prior to graduation. Get organized; create a spreadsheet or file to track your job search activity. Speak with faculty about career interests and plans. Secure your list of references or recommendation letters. Attend career fairs and events to learn about entry-level jobs. Attend employer information sessions posted in ePACK to learn about opportunities. Utilize services for one year after graduation. Use strategies and resources provided by the Career Development Center; services continue for one year after graduation.