Getting Started

In this section, you will learn about:

Business Career Center & Decision-Making Timeline

The Setting

The 21st century poses enormous opportunities and risks for workers. Job security is not as prevalent as it was generations ago. Therefore, the workforce today is more transient and mobile. Career planning experts agree that in this century, more and more people will be working independently. Furthermore, never before have workers been presented with so many and such different options and decisions; of technology and the need to understand it; of complex work situations and the need to know how to deal with them; of fast paced change and the need to adjust with it; of the interconnection of the global marketplace and the need to have the training to work within it.

Factors such as technology, the Internet, and the aging population all affect the employment outlook for 2001/2002. For example, because of the Internet, package-delivery jobs will increase because of the heightened awareness of on-line shopping. The aging population will create more jobs in healthcare, pharmaceutical and leisure industries. It also means that there will be more openings for college graduates because of the upcoming Baby Boomer retirement surge.

You are currently in a critical stage of education and training. During your college years it is likely that you will be exposed to a wider range of people, educational options, career paths, jobs, social situations and professional activities than at any other single time in your life. This often brings forth wonderful opportunities and overwhelming concerns for you. To cope with this array of possibilities, as well as create additional ones, you will need to take charge and take responsibility for your direction. The importance of solid decision-making cannot be overemphasized.

It is the intention of this handbook to help you realize the importance of taking charge of your career. Through self-management and self-development, you will be able to move through your career journey in a fashion that creates energizing and exciting opportunities, reduces risk, and allows you to fully pursue the career dreams that each one of us has a right to seek and direct.

Remember:

Own and Keep Your Dreams!

Pursue Them!

Planning Your Career Future

You have selected the Carlson School of Management and some of you have selected a major such as accounting, marketing, or finance. If you have chosen a major, you should start researching that area by examining industries, companies, career paths, and job-specific information. Resources include your network, faculty, alumni, libraries, websites, and the Undergraduate Business Career Center.

If you haven't settled on your major, self-assessment will be a key factor in helping you make the best choice(s). You should examine your skills, abilities, likes, and dislikes to determine whether there is a "fit" for you with a particular career path. You will be most successful if there is a "fit" between you, your job responsibilities, and your organization.

Your assessment will help you evaluate which career options are feasible now and what you will need to do to open up additional options. If you are lacking the skills and knowledge for an area of interest, you will need to devise a way to develop those abilities (e.g., an internship, part-time job, involvement in organizations, etc.).

Once you've assessed your abilities and interests, it is time to start researching career paths, industries, and the outlook for particular careers. You will also need to determine the skills and qualifications that specific careers require and whether you are on the path to building these particular skills and abilities.

After arriving at some career possibilities, research job options in detail. You should attempt to know as much as possible about your potential career. This will pay off in the short-term during job interviews and in the long-term with career satisfaction.

The next phase will likely be an internship or permanent job search. You will plan how to conduct that search. Many students combine on-campus interviewing through the Undergraduate Business Career Center, with an "outside" search. For some students, however, on-campus interviewing is not as beneficial or relevant and the whole search is done "outside."

Developing a personal timeline can smooth the process for you. Use the Undergraduate Business Career Center Timeline and the Decision-Making Timeline on the following pages to help you plan your job search calendar. Opening up opportunities often depends upon "doing the right thing at the right time!"