Students

student overview

Welcome to the Office of Career Management at Gatton College

The Gatton College of Business and Economics' Graham Office of Career Management works with students in developing world-ready job skills and preparing them for the work place. Staff are available to work with students as they navigate through each phase of career development and job search process.

Four Phases of Career Planning

Four Stages of Career Planning

STEPS

ASSESS who you are

DETERMINE what characteristics must be present to be fulfilled in a career

CONSIDER what factors in a job and employer are most important to you

IDENTIFY the interests that you most want to integrate into your work life

UNDERSTAND how your personality characteristics impact your level of career satisfaction

IDENTIFY your current skill set and anticipate your future abilities

EXPLORE career paths

GATHER information about occupations suggested by your assessment process

RESEARCH industries that you are interested in

TRACK things you like and dislike about occupations you research

CONDUCT informational interviews with professionals

SHADOW a professional to get an even deeper understanding of a profession/industry

CONSIDER an internship to further explore and gain experience in fields of interest

CHOOSE your path

COMPARE assessment results with details from occupational exploration and find areas of highest overlap

NARROW in on a couple occupations

WEIGH the pros and cons of the occupations

CHOOSE an occupation and industry to pursue as your next step

UPDATE and develop your resume

CONSIDER an internship to gain experience in your chosen field

IMPLEMENT your goal

CUSTOMIZE your resume and cover letter for each opportunity

DEVELOP and implement effective job search strategies

DESIGNATE a geographic scope to your job search

NETWORK with acquaintances, contacts, employers, etc.

RESEARCH potential employers

SHARPEN your interviewing skills

BUILD job searching into your schedule on a regular and continual basis

BE persistent!

RESOURCES
  • CareerLeader Assessment
  • Strong Interest Inventory
  • Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
  • Career Counselor
  • Career Insider by VAULT
  • Your network of contacts
  • Career Counselor
  • Faculty
  • Alumni connections
  • Career Counselor
  • Faculty
  • Your network of contacts
  • Alumni connections>

[ Download PDF of Four Phases ]