Means starting to plan your job search sooner than the second semester of your senior year. Even as early as your Freshman year, there are simple ways to think--and things you can do--to give you a jump-start on your search.

Freshman Year:

• Use your course assignments to research industries, companies, and fields that are of interest to you. Save pertinent information in a "job search" file, along with anything else you discover that looks interesting to you.
• Look in the classifieds for your local newspaper, or the closest large city’s newspaper, to help determine if your area of interest is in demand - and discover what requirements are listed.
• Get involved in related activities on campus to give you some experience and will eventually look good on a resume (example: if you’re interested in public relations, volunteer for PR work at the campus theater).

Sophomore Year:

• Join the student version (or get a student rate on the regular membership) of professional associations in your area of interest. [http://www.asaenet.org/Gateway/OnlineAssocSlist.html]
• Look for summer jobs and internships in your area of interest, or with companies who interest you, even if the job itself is unrelated.

Junior Year:

• Subscribe to trade magazines in your area of interest: (or review at your library) start a file of articles on company possibilities, possible contacts, or anything else that may help your eventual job search.
• Take any opportunity to talk to people in that field or in that company - express an interest in your career plans--gather business cards.

Senior Year:

• Take any opportunity to shadow people who have jobs that interest you.
• Use informational interviews to discover more about the job or field that interests you.
• Start reviewing the self-assessment part of this website, and take advantage of any assessment tests available in classes or at your career center.
• Start to organize for your job search.

Careers: Table of Contents

• Introduction
  • Welcome
  • Making Your Life Easier
  
  
• Taking Stock
  • What Do You Have to Offer a Future Employer?
  • Putting Together Your Package
  • Determining What You Want
  
  
• Making It Happen
  • Getting In
  • Making a Match
  • Shining at the Interview
  • Negotiating the Deal
  • It's a Career, Not Just a Job
  • If Nothing Is Happening
  • Encouraging Words