Map Your Future

First thing's first, how do you navigate university resources and the world of work? Follow this roadmap to identify four key career preparation milestones [pdf] (Explore Your Options, Identify Skills, Build Experience, Launch Your Career) necessary for career preparation before you graduate. Each milestone outlines the most essential resources or events that you should participate in each year. 

Now that you have an idea of where you want to go, you have to keep track of what you need to do to reach your final destination. Follow this career plan checklist [pdf] to ensure you have all of the tools and preparation you need on your journey.  If you are able to check off each task on the list you are guaranteed to be career ready by the time you graduate!

Once you begin on this journey, you may find that you need to build some new skills. 

• How do you research career options and how do majors relate to career paths?
• How do you find the right job or internship?  
• How you you market yourself and stand out from the competition?

We know that you have a busy schedule and it might be easier to build these skills on your own time and at your own pace. While you can come in to get one-on-one coaching on any career topic, it's always nice to have a virtual option. The Career Readiness Canvas Course is an online, self-paced set of video modules and activities that teach you key career skills and allow you to practice them. To access the online modules, please email sandra.deleon@sjsu.edu.

Finally, you need to find the right information depending on where you are on your journey.  We've outlined key resources based on the three main milestones you'll come to along the way: Explore Your Options, Build Experience, Launch Your Career.   

Explore Your Options

This page offers resources to help you explore your preferences and how they relate to majors as well as career options.  If you have more than one interest area, this page will also introduce you to various career pathways and identify career counselors who specialize in these areas for individualized career coaching.

Build Experience

Selecting a career or major pathway is the first step on your journey. The next step is to build relevant experience and transferable skills.  This page outlines the key skills employers seek and how to build those skills in and out of the classroom.

Launch Your Career

Have you ever heard that it's not what you know, but who you know that counts? We believe that both "what you know" and "who you know" count for future career success. Your studies at SJSU prepare you for the "what you know," and the career center helps you build the "who you know." When it's time to market yourself to employers whether that's for your first on-campus job, industry internship, or professional position, we are here to help you make connections and launch your career. Click on this page for examples and guides on resume/cover letter writing, networking, internship and job search strategies, and interviewing tips.

Find the resources you need here.