Career Action Plan - Graduate Students

First Year

  • Visit the Career Development Services to learn about the resources available to you (career coaching, workshops, part-time jobs, on-campus employment, internships, career-related events and more).
  • Join a professional association.
  • Activate your Handshake account. Activate your Handshake account to make an appointment with a career coach and gain access to jobs, internships, and career events.
  • Draft a professional resume. Need quick assistance? Stop by CDS for drop-in appointments (Transition from college resume to professional resume)
  • Engage in experiential learning opportunities. Consider research, volunteering, part-time work, micro-internships, or service learning. (Research these opportunities early)
  • Visit your professor’s office hours to get a deeper understanding of class material, gain access to research opportunities, and gather valuable career advice.
  • Schedule a meeting with your program advisor to help you achieve your education goals.
  • Create a LinkedIn profile, start building your professional network, and visit CDS for your professional headshot
  • Connect with alumni through LinkedIn to ask professional questions about your future career through an informational interview.
  • Plan early for meaningful summer activities. Consider internships, summer jobs, micro-internships, or conducting informational interviews with employers. Make an appointment with the Monarch Career and Internship Office to learn more about internship/work-based learning requirements and exploring options.
  • Participate in summer internships, employment, or volunteer opportunities related to your career interests.
  • Schedule a career coaching session through Handshake to research careers that match your interests, skills, and abilities.
  • Participate in CDS career-related events, including the Fall or Spring Internship and Career Fairs, information sessions/tables, etc. to learn more about internships, part-time/full-time employment opportunities, and networking with employers
  • Participate in career and professional development workshops and events to assist in your professional development growth
  • Explore Handshake for internships, off or on-campus job opportunities to obtain worked-based experience in the world of work.
  • Shadow a professional in your field of interest to experience the work firsthand.

Second Year

  • Update your resume in Handshake to include recent internship, volunteer, and job information.
  • Schedule at least two mock interview sessions using Career Commons or scheduling through Handshake to improve your interview skills and gain more confidence
  • Update your LinkedIn  with information about your new experiences and visit CDS for your professional headshot
  • Participate in CDS career-related events, including the Fall or Spring Internship and Career Fairs, information sessions/tables, etc. to learn more about full-time employment opportunities, and networking with employers
  • Conduct informational interviews or job shadow with alumni in your specific field of interest.
  • Identify your professional references and begin to request your letters of recommendations.
  • Visit your professor’s office hours and schedule a meeting with your advisor.
  • Build and maintain your academic and professional relationships
  • Identify 2-3 kinds of jobs/work you are interested in and use Handshake to find 2- 5 full-time job descriptions that you would be interested in applying to and practice tailoring your documents to each position
  • For Job Seekers:
    • Update your resume in Handshake and apply for relevant positions.
    • Start researching companies for which you would like to work.
    • Schedule a career coaching session to finalize your job seeking strategies.
    • Participate in CDS career-related events, including the Career Fairs, employer information sessions, etc.
  • Graduate School Applicants (If applying to Phd program):
    • Submit your graduate school application(s).
    • Submit your letters of recommendation and test scores
    • Schedule at least two mock interview sessions
    • Continue to build your network on LinkedIn.
  • Attend a workshop or watch a LinkedIn Learning course on Salary Negotiation.
  • Begin applying and interviewing for full-time positions in the fall semester (or) apply to a PhD program
  • Finalize your job search
  • Reflect on your experiences and reassess any changes that need to be made for your personal career action plan
  • Evaluate your personal network. Your network can support you during your job search
  • Consider joining an ODU alumni club to continue to build your network
  • Celebrate & reflect on your accomplishments and what is to come