Four-Year Career Plan

The UWT Career Development Center uses this "Four-Year Career Plan" to assist you with your career related goals. The Career Development Center provides resources and services for the items outlined below. Please contact us for more information.

Freshman: Assess and Explore

• Explore your skills, values, interests, and personality with assessments available in the Career Development Center. The Washington Occupational Information System (WOIS) assessment will provide you with an occupational outlook to gain an understanding of what academic path is required for each career option. The Career Counselor interprets these for you and makes suggestions on how the results can be used.
• Consider a major by taking a majors assessment through the Career Development Center or talking with a program advisor. Attend the Majors Fair and Career Discovery Week to help you identify your best attributes and how they can be used.
• Establish key relationships with faculty, program advisors, career counselors, and Career Peer Advisers. These people are an important part of your support system.
• Build experience by completing a job shadow with local businesses and/or organizations. The job shadow will provide you with the opportunity to ask questions about a specific field, see first-hand what the job entails, and reflect on the experience in regards to your current interests.
• Develop personally & professionally by joining student organizations. Connect with Student Life and Student Government. Employers seek students who are active on campus and in the community.
• Retain syllabi, papers, presentation outlines, and job descriptions to make a portfolio. Use these documents to put together a resume. Attend a Resume Workshop in the Career Development Center to get started.

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Sophomores: Decide

• Clarify choice of a major and reassess how you have changed. What classes do you need to include? How do your classes coordinate with your career direction?
• Acquire computer savvy and writing skills. The Center for Teaching, Learning, & Technology offers free classes to prepare you in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. The writing center enriches your communication skills to write better papers.
• Expand your work experience and portfolio. Join the Husky Job Club and attend Career Fairs. Consider job shadowing, informational interviews, and contacting Husky Career Network to supplement your knowledge.
• Develop short and long-term goals by talking with the Career Counselor. What do you need to do this year with classes and work? In the next couple of years? What would you like to do five years from now?
• Create a portfolio with syllabi and papers. Identify the skills used in what you have done. Stop by the Career Development Center for handouts, especially "Transferable Skills." Draft your first resume and cover letter.
• Extend your worldview with foreign language skills and study abroad programs. Every class and study-abroad opportunity can be included in your portfolio.

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Juniors: Focus

• Prioritize academic achievement and foreign language proficiency. A strong GPA makes a good impression, and language proficiency opens the door to better jobs.
• Consult your academic advisor about graduate school. Explore possibilities that fit best with your career goals. Know the requirements and deadlines.
• Develop career goals by consulting with the Career Counselor or a Career Peer Adviser. Refine skills and resume for a targeted job search.
• Access HuskyJobs to research positions and employers. Upload your resume and cover letter. Attend Career Fairs and begin networking through Husky Career Network and with the Husky Job Club.
• Enlist in campus leadership positions in Student Life and Student Government. Leadership positions enhance your marketable skills.
• Upgrade social skills by attending the Etiquette Dinner and learning to dress for success. First impressions are important.

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Seniors: Seek

• Polish your academic achievements by making extra effort on papers and projects. Develop "star quality" by working beyond the assignment. Be innovative.
• Customize your resume and cover letter. Fine-tune your interviewing skills with a mock interview at the Career Development Center. Learn to recite your strengths with the "30-second bio."
• Solidify professional development with internships, job shadowing, and paid positions, both long and short-term. Subscribe to professional journals.
• Prepare for graduate school tests, write essays, fill out applications, and choose desired institutions.
• Implement networking and research employers and salary ranges. Attend Career Fairs. Implement an organized job search strategy; equip your home office with a list of contacts, thank-you notes, etc.
• Finalize graduation requirements by checking with your program. Order cap and gown, class ring, announcements.

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