Year
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Academics
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Career Planning
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Network Building & Extracurricular
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Freshman
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Begin an academic plan
- Make an appointment with an Academic Advisor to explore areas of interest and register for courses
- Meet with your advisor after midterms to evaluate your learning strategies
- Meet with your advisor after first semester grades are received
Become familiar with online and other academic resources
Explore academic opportunities
- Visit Schools' and Departments' web sites to learn about major requirements
- Talk to faculty members about your interests outside of class
- Participate in the EXPLORE workshops to explore majors, careers, strengths, and internship opportunities
- Review "What Can I Do With a Major In...." materials
- Take advantage of "Major Week" events
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Become Familiar with Tulane Career Center Resources
- Make an appointment with a Career Coach
- Visit the HireTulaneGrads.com web site to learn about online resume-writing and internship-search resources
- Attend a career planning event
Attend the Fall and Spring Career Fairs and employer information sessions
Utilize Self-Assessment tools
- Take the "Do What You Are" assessment; meet with a Career Coach to evaluate results
- Take the "Focus-2" assessment; meet with a Career Coach to evaluate results
Draft your first college resume
- Attend a resume workshop
- Review Tulane Career Center samples online or in the office
- Construct your first college resume
- Make an appointment with a Career Coach for feedback
Start to get experience
- Volunteer in the New Orleans community
- Find a part-time job on or off campus
- Begin thinking about summer job/ internship plans
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Get involved on campus
Begin to build your network
- Meet with each of your professors outside of class at least once during the semester
- Meet upper-class students
- Begin to identify and meet other Tulane faculty, staff, and alumni
- Identify family and friends who can provide support, feedback, and potential career connections
Consider your online presence
- Begin to think of your professional online presence - use LinkedIn, Facebook, Google+, blogs, etc. to share your goals and accomplishments
- Portray yourself in the best possible light
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Sophomore
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Review Newcomb-Tulane core curriculum requirements
Narrow down your choices of study
- Officially declare a major (Spring)
- Meet with your assigned faculty advisor after you officially declare a major
- Meet with your academic advisor to discuss your 4-year plan and update your progress in both Fall and Spring semesters
Complete first-tier Public Service requirement
- Explore options related to personal, academic, and professional goals
Research a Study Abroad program
- Identify options and finalize choices
- Complete the Intent to Study Abroad application and note deadlines for secondary applications
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Meet with a Career Coach to assess your goals and review your Career plan
Continue to explore career options
- Attend career fairs and employer information sessions
- Identify a Mentor; research job shadowing opportunities
- Use networking to gather information
- Conduct information interviews for further insight
Continue self-assessment activities
Register for Tulane's WaveLink Database
- Research employers and review job listings
- Sign up for Career Center announcements
Update your resume
Explore sources of internship opportunities (summer before Junior year)
Get experience
- Obtain a relevant summer job or internship
- Volunteer in the New Orleans community
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Develop new Networking Relationships
- Interact with Tulane alumni through campus events
- Take a professor out for coffee
Foster existing networking relationships
- Stay in touch with former employers and favorite teachers/ professors
- Update important career-related contacts about your plans and progress
Get involved on campus or in the community
- Join another club or campus organization
- Volunteer for short-term community service activities
- Seek out a leadership position in a residence hall, campus organization, or class project
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Junior
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Consider options for post-graduate education
- Talk to your Faculty Advisor about post-graduate opportunities and deadlines
- Attend the Graduate School Fair in the Fall
- Research schools and programs making note of application deadlines and type of entrance exam required
Consider options for professional schools
Participate in a Study Abroad program
- Select an opportunity that supports your career goals
Assess your academic plans
- Meet with your Academic Advisor and/or Faculty Advisor to assess your academic plans
Review your degree audit and progress toward degree
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Research employers in depth and narrow career interests
- Conduct informational interviews with professionals in your field of study or career focus
- Identify potential employers by attending Fall/ Spring Career Fair and employer information sessions
- Research culture, salaries, and interviewing techniques through online career resources
Obtain career-related experience
- Look for a summer job or internship, or create your own internship relating to your interests
- Participate in research and/or creative projects
- Seek out one or more job-shadowing experiences with professionals in your field
- Spend the day with a professional
- Research online career resources - Youtube.com, job-shadowing web sites, etc.
- Contact professional organizations to identify opportunities
Build your LinkedIn Profile
- Learn how to use LinkedIn to maximize networking opportunities - workshop, webinar
- Join LinkedIn special interest groups
Update your resume
Meet with a Career Coach to assess your career goals
Update your WaveLink profile
- Upload an updated resume
- Update notifications (email settings, etc.)
Define your professional self
- Begin to assemble a professional wardrobe
- Learn business etiquette
- Refine your online presence
- Practice interview skills; conduct a mock interview with a Career Coach
- Update voicemail and email accounts
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Continue to build and expand your professional network
- Focus on contacts and connections in your career area
- Create a list of references to accompany your resume
- Attend Homecoming events
Identify a mentor
- Use WaveLink to review potential contacts
- Identify and contact Tulane Alumni via LinkedIn Groups, Alumni Office, etc.
- Research professional associations and industry-specific organizations to join
Draft a plan for your first year after graduation
- Think about your ideal work, lifestyle, proximity to friends and family, values, and longer term goals
- Project financial needs and draft a realistic budget
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Senior
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File application in the Fall for Spring graduation
Complete graduation check
- Meet with your Academic Advisor to assess core curriculum requirements
- Meet with your Faculty Advisor to assess major graduation requirements
Finalize preparations for graduate or professional school
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Plan for and complete a final internship and/or work experience before or just after graduation
Launch your job search strategy (early Fall)
- Identify your top 20 desired employers and research employment opportunities
- Identify potential hiring managers at target employers
- Establish a realistic time line for your job search by creating SMART goals
- Search advertised openings on general and niche job boards
Update your resume and get it reviewed
- Field test your resume with parents, peers, mentor, faculty advisors, and professors and ask for feedback
Create a professional portfolio. Include:
- An up-to-date resume
- Letters of recommendation
- Unofficial transcript
- Work / writing samples
- Academic projects
Update your WaveLink profile
Apply for at least 20 jobs
Refine your professional self
- Develop a 30-second profile speech (who you are, what you want, what you have to offer)
- Participate in a mock interview
Obtain letters of recommendation/references
- Ask professors who can speak to your strengths, talents, and work ethic
- Provide self-addressed stamped envelopes or email addresses
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Work your network
- Attend alumni luncheons
- Conduct informational interviews at companies and organizations of interest
- Expand your LinkedIn network to include alumni, new contacts, peers, professional acquaintances of parents and friends' parents, and faculty
- Correspond with key contacts and announce your job search plans
- Attend Fall and Spring career fairs
- Attend local and regional professional association conferences, events, and meetings
- Identify sorority/fraternity alumni contacts and establish formal connections
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