Class Year Checklists

Explore Academic Majors

• • • • Discuss majors and career opportunities with Syracuse University Career Services.

• • • • Explore 15 to Finish to graduate on time and with flexibility for internships.

Meet with a Syracuse University Career Counselor

• • • • Discuss career-related programs and services offered.

• • • • Learn when and how to get the most out of each program and service.

Register with Handshake

• • • • Customize and bring your Handshake profile to 100%.

• • • • Access part-time job listings, internships and summer jobs.

Create or Update Resume

• • • • Explore VMock  to create or update your resume.
      • Connect with Career Services to have it reviewed by a career counselor.

Participate in Campus Groups and Organizations

• • • • Develop leadership skills and discover possible career options.

• • • • Explore your various interests.

Start Building Your Network

• • • • Learn about career paths followed by Syracuse graduates.

• • • • Discover new career paths/options.

Create or Update your LinkedIn Profile

• • • • Make an appointment with Syracuse University Career Services to learn how to maximize your account and have it reviewed.

Job or Internship

• • • • Start early to look for a summer job or internship.

Career-Related Events

• • • • Participate in at least one Syracuse University Career Services workshop.

• • • • Attend a career fair and at least one employer information session.

Help from Syracuse University Career Services

• • • • Meet with a career counselor during the fall semester to begin preparing to apply for summer internships.

• • • • Schedule a practice interview with a career counselor during or before the spring semester to hone your interviewing skills.

Resume and Networking

• • • • Update your resume.

• • • • Update your LinkedIn and Handshake profiles.

• • • • Continue developing your professional network, especially with the Syracuse community.

Research Careers and Graduate School

• • • • Begin researching employers and professions with the goal of identifying places to intern for the summer.

• • • • If you’re interested in graduate school, begin researching degree programs and talking with your faculty adviser and/or a career counselor.

Stay Busy

• • • • Join campus groups or organizations. Participate in an extracurricular activity that interests you.

• • • • Have a productive summer. Seek a summer experience that allows you to develop skills and achieve tangible results; however, your summer experience doesn’t have to be directly related to your potential career path.

Career-Related Events

• • • • Participate in at least one Syracuse University Career Services workshop on Handshake.

• • • • Attend a career fair and at least one employer information session on Handshake.

Help from Syracuse University Career Services

• • • • Meet with a career counselor during the fall semester to begin preparing to apply for summer internships.

• • • • If you are planning to study abroad during the spring semester, work with a career counselor to develop a plan for applying to internships and possibly graduate school while abroad.

Resume and Networking

• • • • Update your resume.

• • • • Continue to develop your professional network.

Post-Graduation

• • • • Hone your post-graduation career plan and target internships and experiences that will help you execute your plan.

• • • • If you want to go to graduate school, continue talking with your faculty advisor. Plan to take the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE), Law School Admission Test (LSAT), Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) or Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) during the summer or your senior year. Lineup faculty members and others who can write recommendations.

Stay Busy

• • • • Get involved in extracurricular activities that interest you.

• • • • Have a productive summer. Seek a summer experience that allows you to develop skills and achieve tangible results.

Career-Related Events

• • • • Attend career workshops, employer information sessions and career fairs.

Help from Syracuse University Career Services

• • • • Meet with a career counselor as needed to support your job search or graduate school applications.

Resume and Networking

• • • • Update and polish your resume for job applications.

• • • • Update your LinkedIn profile.

• • • • Network, making new contacts and benefiting from established relationships.

• • • • Reconnect with previous connections to remind them of your upcoming graduation.

Job/Post-Grad Search

• • • • Apply to jobs as early as possible, and in some cases, reach out to your target employers before jobs are even posted.

• • • • Be organized so you can meet graduate school and fellowship application deadlines.

And Remember...

• • • • Don’t stress if you receive some rejections or if you decide to change your career plan.

• • • • Syracuse University Career Services is here to support you, even after you receive job offers. Help includes salary negotiations.

• • • • As alumni, you will still have access to Handshake, career counseling, networking and other career resources. Contact Jenna Collins, associate director of alumni professional development, by emailing jlturman@syr.edu to learn more.
      • Once you know where you're going, share it with us! Be sure to complete your First Destination Survey on Handshake so we can continue to build Outcomes resources for future alumni!