Four-Year Career Plan

“Putting Your Liberal Arts Education to Work”

 The vision of the Office of Career Development is to assist students to “Put their Liberal Arts Education to Work.”  The Career Development staff teaches students how to take the academic skills they gain from their coursework and link them to a co-curricular educational plan, that culminates into a smooth transition from college to professional work and/or graduate study.  The following is a sample list of activities a student may want to pursue in order to formulate and achieve their personal career goals. 

 First Year:  Self-Assessment & Career Planning

• Meet with a Career Development staff member to learn how to develop and implement a personalized 4-year career plan.

• Assess personal interests, characteristics, strengths and values through career self-assessment tools such as the Strong Interest Inventory, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, Self-Directed Search and/or StrengthsQuest.

• Visit the Career Resource Library in the Office of Career Development to research various career fields and experiential opportunities such as internships. 

• Actively participate in the First-Year Experience seminar. 

• Visit the Career Development website at http://www.albion.edu/careerdev/ and click on “What Can I Do with this Major/Degree?” to learn about a variety of career opportunities.

• Get involved!  Join a student organization, volunteer, and/or get an on-campus job. 

• Begin your Digital Portfolio.  Journal your thoughts on what you’ve learned about yourself.  Keep track of activities, projects and committees with which you are participating.

• Register for core requirements and elective classes to investigate academic majors of interest.  Visit with your faculty advisor for assistance in choosing classes.

• Get a summer job that will provide you with an opportunity to learn about a career field that interests you.

Sophomore year:  Career Exploration & Leadership Development

• Meet with a Career Development staff member to discuss your career plans and re-evaluate your personalized 4-year career plan.

• Continue to research career fields that interest you.

• Attend a Career Development workshop to learn about the process of choosing a major or career path and attend programs featuring guest speakers from career fields that interest you.

• Conduct informational interviews with professionals to learn about a particular career field. 

• Complete your core academic requirements

• Explore off-campus study options for your third or fourth year.

• Meet with your faculty advisor to discuss your Digital Portfolio and to choose a major.

• Take an active role in a student organization to develop your communication, teamwork and problem-solving skills.

• Develop a resume and have it critiqued by Career Development, and complete a mock interview to prepare for your internship search.

• Secure an internship, on-campus job or summer employment related to your career goals.   

 Junior Year:  Career Goal Setting, Gaining Experience & Graduate School Planning

• Meet with a Career Development staff member to formulate your job or graduate school search timeline and plans.

• Focus and set career goals. At this time all the experience and information you have gathered should be crystallizing into solid career goals and plans.

• Update your Digital Portfolio and discuss your career plans with your faculty advisor. 

• Explore and make arrangements for off-campus study and internship options.

• Consider applying for scholarships and fellowships found in the Office of Career Development.

• Join student chapters of professional organizations to gain career information and to start networking.

• Research graduate/professional school possibilities, their application procedures and deadlines. Many resources are available on the Career Development website and in the Career Resource library, including Peterson’s Graduate and Professional School Guides.

• Register and prepare for admission tests such as the GRE, LSAT and MCAT.

• Pick up a GRE, LSAT or MCAT packet in Career Development.

• Participate in career fairs and career related events to explore your options and network with potential employers.

• Get to know faculty members in your major.

• Take on leadership roles on and off-campus. 

• Get professional experience through on-campus research, an internship, on-campus employment, volunteer work or a summer job.

 Senior year:  Implementation & Transition

• Meet with a Career Development staff member to design a job search strategy or finalize your graduate/professional school search timeline and plans. 

• Attend Career Development workshops targeted for seniors: Developing a Job Searching Plan, Resume Writing, Successful Interviewing, Getting an Apartment, Day One at Work as well as a Senior Open House and more.

• Ask faculty and employers to be references for you.

• Polish your Digital Portfolio so it is ready for employers and graduate schools to review.

• Revise and update your resume and draft a cover letter.  For graduate school, complete your personal statement.

• Mail your applications to graduate schools.

• Prepare for graduate school or job interviews with a mock interview in Career Development.  

• Complete an internship or career-related work experience if you haven’t already.

• Formulate an alternate “Plan B” in case you need to make last minute career adjustments.

• Assist your student organization transition from your leadership to the upcoming leaders in the group. 

• Begin to research companies/organizations and the career opportunities they offer.

• Participate in career fairs and build your network of contacts in your field of interest.

Office of Career Development
216 Ferguson Bldg. * Albion College * Albion, MI 49224 * 517-629-0332
careers@albion.edu    *   www.albion.edu/careerdev