A Step by Step Guide to Career Planning and Success
With a little advance planning, you can make your transition from college to career much easier. And we’re here to help!
By following the steps outlined on this page (and not all of them may apply to your career goals), you will be well prepared for professional success.
Years One & Two Career Planning Goals
Year One Checklist
Year One Checklist
Year One Career Planning Checklist
- Make an appointment with Career Services to discuss your interests and learn about careers in that field. Get set up with an account on Pathful Explore, our online career exploration and assessment tool to explore various careers.
- Activate your Handshake account and explore opportunities to get real-world experience through internships or job opportunities.
- Get involved with one or more student club or organization so you can demonstrate initiative and leadership skills on your resume.
- Attend Career Center Events & Workshops to explore careers, learn about goal setting, practice speaking skills, and more.
- Create a resume and write a cover letter – ask Career Services to review it and suggest improvements.
- Attend college events to network with NECC faculty and staff, participate in a job shadowing experience so you can see firsthand if a particular career is right for you.
Year Two Checklist
Year Two Checklist
Year Two Career Planning Checklist
- Start attending career fairs and events.
- Continue to attend Career Center Events & Workshops and learn about interviewing, the importance of social media in your job search, and more.
- Create an account on LinkedIn, the social networking site for professionals.
- Update your resume to reflect your involvement with NECC clubs and student groups, internships and other experiences relevant to your career goals.
- Develop a list of employers in your field(s) of interest – do online research to determine who is responsible for hiring (not all companies have a Human Resources department).
- Contact potential employers and ask for an informational interview – this is a good, low-pressure way to learn more about career opportunities, and a company’s business plan, while enabling you to demonstrate your capabilities by asking good questions – which you should prepare in advance and review with career services.
- Contact Alumni Relations and see if there are any NECC alums working in your field of interest, and contact them for advice.
- Get tips on writing compelling cover letters from Career Services and draft two to three different letters for career services to review.
- Utilize your Handshake account to connect with employers and to apply for jobs and internships. Start applying two to three months before you’ll complete your program.
Let us know when you have accepted a position and tell us what else we can do to help other NECC students!
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