A career position is a full-time and paid position in your field of interest after completing your degree. For support in finding and applying to positions, see the resources below or meet with a Career Center advisor.
Resources for Finding a Career Position
- Career Planning Roadmap
- Job Search Strategies
- Resume, CV and Cover Letter Support
- Interview Preparation Strategies
- Networking Tips
Recruiting Timelines
While many employers recruit throughout the academic year, there are often consistent application cycles and hiring timelines within each industry. In general, we suggest starting to search and apply for career positions at least six months before graduation.
Certain fields have recruiting timelines that require more advanced planning. The larger and more well-known a company is, the earlier the timeline is likely to be.
If you are applying to full-time jobs in the following areas, expect to begin applying in late summer or early fall for jobs that begin the following June: academia, accounting, consulting, engineering, finance, government, public service and technology.
Tips for Success
- Identify your skills, values, interests and accomplishments to explore how those align with your career goals.
- Research potential employers in your field of interest.
- Understand key career readiness competencies that employers seek.
- Develop a network of people who can help you with referrals and job leads.
- Develop your application materials, including resumes/CVs, cover letters, portfolios and writing samples.
- Secure at least three people who can serve as references.
- Stay active on Handshake: keep your profile up to date, mark your resume as ‘visible,’ and follow employers of interest.
- Be careful, and learn how to avoid fraudulent job postings.
- Conduct informational interviews with professionals in your field of interest.
- Prepare for and attend Career Fairs and Information Sessions.
- Acquire appropriate interview clothes.
- Prepare for common types of interview questions.
- Meet with a career advisor to support you in your job search process.
- Start early! Begin to search and apply for jobs at least 6 months before graduation.
- Do your research on salary in your desired field and be prepared to negotiate.