Translate
First Year: Discover
Click here to download a PDF of this page.
Become familiar with the Career Planning Guide
- Read through the checklist for your current year and highlight areas you want to accomplish during the year.
- Write down two questions to discuss with a Career Counselor.
- Consider attending a Career Services workshop or event.
Identify your strengths, interests and values (what’s most important to you)
- Meet with a Freshman Focus Team Career Counselor during your first quarter at Cal Poly. You can become more confident about your major and career path by meeting with a career counselor.
- Complete the Focus2 self-assessment, which will help you to explore your skills, interests, and values.
- Review your StrengthsQuest results and attend a Strengths-related workshop.
- Take other career assessments such as the Strong Interest Inventory, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, or values card sorts, if needed, with a Career Counselor.
- If you are feeling uncertain about your major choice, consider joining the Major and Career Exploration Group, a career counseling group for first-year students. This group will help you explore how your interests relate to potential career paths.
- Get involved with a club or organization that interests you.
- Consider taking a course that explores diversity in gender, culture/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, disability status, and/or sexual orientation, among others.
- Think about how you enjoy spending your free time, such as hobbies, school involvement, academic courses, and recreational activities.
- Consider attending a Career Services workshop or event on a related topic such as “How to Get to Where You Don’t Know You’re Going” or a Strengths workshop.
Learn about and begin to build your career portfolio using Portfolium
- Review portfolio samples of other Cal Poly students for inspiration and ideas.
- Create a section highlighting your top 5 strengths from StrenthsQuest.
- Begin adding relevant coursework and labs, projects, extra-curriculars, and internships/part-time work.
- Include visuals such as photos, documents, designs, etc.
- Join the Cal Poly Network.
- Connect with other Cal Poly students.
- Add the Portfolium link to your email signature, resume, and LinkedIn profile.
Attend a Career Services workshop about Portfolium.
Clarify your major choice and explore career possibilities
- Make an appointment with your Career Counselor or Academic Advisor.
- Review current and/or potential majors in the Cal Poly catalog.
- Discuss career possibilities with peers, upper-division students, faculty, alumni, industry professionals, and family.
- Explore the resource What Can I Do with This Major? prepared by the University of Tennessee, Knoxville Career Services.
- Look at the Graduate Status Report.
- Search through O*NET Online and the Occupational Outlook Handbook for detailed information about careers that interest you.
- Consider attending a Career Services workshop or event on a related topic such as “How to Get to Where You Don’t Know You’re Going” or “How to Discover Career Possibilities in Your Major.”
- Consider joining the Jumpstart Your Career Group, a career counseling group where you will gain "career readiness" skills and develop an overall career and networking plan.
Explore MustangJOBS
- Create your profile and upload your resume.
- Search for jobs that interest you: your dream job, an internship, or local/on-campus part-time work.
- Research companies that are coming to the Career Fair.
- Access Career Services online resources, such as Big Interview, GoingGlobal, and Focus2.
- Consider attending a Career Services workshop or event on a related topic such as “Making the Most of the Career Fair.”
Gain awareness of Career Services’ resources and services, including the Freshman Focus Team
- Meet with a Career Counselor to learn more about the resources and services related to your current needs.
- Look at the resources available on the Career Services website, and find three services or events that you would like to utilize this year.
- Sync the Career Services workshops and events calendar with your calendar.
- Consider attending a Career Services workshop or event.
Understand the meaning of a “network” and the concept of “networking.”
- Attend networking sessions and a Career Fair.
- Begin building your LinkedIn profile.
- Identify existing networks in your social circle, such as family, peers, co-workers club/organization members, and faculty.
- Prepare an elevator pitch or sound bites about your education, experience, involvement and goals. Your career counselor can help you.
- Consider attending a Career Services workshop or event on a related topic such as a Networking Workshop or LinkedIn workshop.
Engage in activities to discover interests, skills, and strengths
- Join one of the 300+ clubs on campus, or take advantage of other on-campus opportunities such as intramural sports, ASI, or programs offered through the Dean of Students office such as the Cross Cultural Centers, New Student Programs, etc.
- Volunteer through the Center for Service in Action or a community partner.
- Talk with faculty and upper-division students in your field of study.
- Explore the possibility of studying abroad within your four-year academic plan.
- Consider attending a Career Services workshop or event on a related topic such as “How to Make Your HIRE Score Higher” or “Planned Happenstance.”
Make time for and appreciate the value of reflection
- Consider attending a Career Services workshop or event on a related topic such as “Courageous Careers.”
- Use the following questions to help you reflect on how your experiences this year can relate to your future career plans.
- What were your most enjoyable and interesting classes this year? What did you find most engaging about them?
- What activities did you participate in this year? What did you find most energizing and challenging?
- What is the most important thing you learned about yourself this year? Consider your strengths, values, personality and/or interests.
- Given your responses above, what new career-related activities or experiences would you like to explore next year?