Graduate Career Development is an intentional and complimentary process occurring side by side your progress in your academic program. The Graduate Career Development timeline has 9 categories which are important for your professional and career development.
Suggestions are given for students who are in the early, middle, or late stages of their degree program to develop competences through implementing the action items for each area. Students early in their program are becoming aware of resources available to them. In the middle stage, students actively engage with resources, and by the end of their program, students reflect and are able to communicate the competences they have developed in each area.
Actively explore career possibilities, create an environment for career success, and execute a plan for launching the next professional step after graduation. This timeline, created to encompass master’s and doctoral degree career planning, provides a framework adaptable to student needs and current experience:
Suggestions are given for students who are in the early, middle, or late stages of their degree program to develop competences through implementing the action items for each area. Students early in their program are becoming aware of resources available to them. In the middle stage, students actively engage with resources, and by the end of their program, students reflect and are able to communicate the competences they have developed in each area.
Actively explore career possibilities, create an environment for career success, and execute a plan for launching the next professional step after graduation. This timeline, created to encompass master’s and doctoral degree career planning, provides a framework adaptable to student needs and current experience:
- To systematically guide graduate students through the career development process
- Use resources and experiential learning opportunities to lay the foundation for career success.
TIME MANAGEMENT
Mastery of time management provides foundation to effectively meet academic milestones, complete career development activities, accomplish career goals, and live a healthy lifestyle.
EARLY
- Adopt time management skills and tools by actively engaging with LinkedIn Learning videos
- Manage time while progressing through research and coursework
- Set career, academic, professional, and wellness goals that adhere to being SMARTER: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timely, Evaluate, Readjust
MID
- Manage increasing time demands and responsibilities, identify priorities, and practice self-care
- Maximize time to engage in additional career and professional development opportunities
LATE
- Practice effective time management habits that balance degree completion, career and professional development, and job search activities
Assessment
Assessment provides opportunity to discover and reflect upon self-knowledge and make connections to career trajectories that are meaningful to you
EARLY
- Take assessments to reveal interests, values, and skills, and to initiate the individual development plan (IDP) process:
- Center for Teaching Excellence IDP
- ImaginePhD
- ChemIDP
- myIDP
- Complete supplemental evaluations at University Health Services such as Strong Interest Inventory, Focus2, and Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
- Use IDP system to identify top careers and career families that match your assessments
MID
- Continue IDP process, by identifying top 2-3 career choices, making necessary goal changes as needed
- Identify and strengthen the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to be competitive for careers of interest
- Determine personal strengths by completing the Clifton StrengthsFinder
- Compare personal values with those exhibited by potential employers
LATE
- Communicate values, interests, and transferable skills relevant to each job application based upon self-reflection and job requirements
- Compare personal values with those of employers to whom you are applying to evaluate compatibility
CAREER EXPLORATION
Investigate career diversity in academic and non-academic fields using intentional exploration steps and realize your next career passion through learning about industry sectors and employers.
EARLY
- Familiarize yourself with career exploration and networking resources using Individual Development Plan (IDP) and Career Center resources
- Create your HireAggies account
- Utilize Career Center resources to explore the wide scope of career diversity in academic and non-academic sectors
- Read Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) projected job growth forecasts for different job sectors
MID
- Explore potential careers through informational interviews to evaluate career interests and important skills in different job sectors
- Attend Career Center employer information sessions, career panels, and career fairs to expand your awareness of numerous professional fields
- Utilize Career Center resources, VersatilePhD and Career Insider by Vault, to gain deep insight into various positions and employers
- Use the Career Center job postings, CareerShift and GoinGlobal to find opportunities for internships and full-time positions.
- Acquire knowledge about a specific career by completing an internship, cooperative education experience, or company project
LATE
- Learn job culture and recruiting needs to tailor application materials, demonstrating interest and qualifications to recruiters
- Conduct informational interviews with individuals in organization to which you’re applying to determine if potential employer aligns with your values, interests, and goals
Networking & Branding
Build influence with decision-makers. Networking helps you understand the recruiting needs of employers to self-advocate with hiring managers. By developing relationships with professionals, you will uncover a “hidden job market” of unadvertised opportunities. Your brand encapsulates skills, expertise, and personal vision to create a professional identity that helps power the job search.
EARLY
- Create LinkedIn profile and connect with your immediate associates
- Create or update an account on the Launch HireAggies Portal.
- Learn how to create a professional brand consistent with your interests, values, and skills
- Attend in-person and virtual events to build professional connections
- Follow companies and join professional groups of interest on social media
- Join professional, student, and community organizations
MID
- Use the HireAggies Employer directory to begin networking with potential employers and identify the recruiting needs of different companies.
- Strengthen your professional brand with posts that demonstrate to others your professional value
- Begin posting academic and non-degree accomplishments on social media
- Read LinkedIn feed to learn the relevant contemporary issues affecting your fields of interest and comment on company and professional group posts
- Connect to professionals outside of immediate network to build relationships and increase scope of your professional network
- Utilize AggieNetwork and Find an Aggie to identify and connect with former students engaged in your preferred fields
LATE
- Create content demonstrating your expertise through articles, and discipline insights on media platforms
- Expand your professional network through actively posting and commenting in professional groups and specific organizations of interest
- Identify hidden jobs not publicly posted and directly advocate for yourself with a hiring manager
- Maintain network, which may lead to job referrals or letters of recommendation
- Seek out connections through A&M and Reveille Clubs in your regions of interest
GLOBAL CULTURAL AWARENESS
Organizations and communities have become global, populated by diverse stakeholders—to meet the demands of a global workforce it is essential to understand the cultural connections in every job sector and how varied experiences and skills are critical to enhancing learning within organizations.
EARLY
- Attend on-campus programming sponsored by a variety of student organizations to gain exposure to different viewpoints and social experiences
MID
- Participate in study abroad programming
- Take part in on-campus programming sponsored by a variety of student organizations to gain exposure to different viewpoints and social experiences
- Search international and domestic positions, and gain cultural insights with GoinGlobal
LATE
- Communicate to employers your ideas in supporting different viewpoints within teams and organizations
Leadership
Leadership means more than managing people—it means influencing others, whether from the bottom-up or top-down, for the greater good. How will you lead?
EARLY
- Participate in the Career Center (Individual Development Plan) IDP series
- Find student organizations aligned with your interests and professional goals
- Become aware of different types of leadership
MID
- Assist in IDP break-out discussions
- Become a student organization officer/ambassador or professional organization committee member
- Engage in community outreach and help drive change
- Explore your own personal style of leadership
LATE
- Become an IDP ambassador for your academic department or student organization
- Lead strategic programs and drive community change by assuming roles in student professional organizations
- Actualize your personal style of leadership
MENTORING
We are all influenced to some extent by those around us. Pick great mentors who will support your career development and pay it forward with your own deep knowledge, experiences, and insights.
EARLY
- Seek mentor(s) in addition to PI/advisor, through informal or formal networks, such as the Aggie Mentoring Network
- Initiate the mentoring relationship and read the literature on strengthening good mentorship and menteeship
MID
- Evaluate if you need additional mentors based upon reflection and assessment of interest areas
- Transfer previous mentoring experience by becoming a mentor yourself
- Foster current relationship(s), beginning to move from being mentee to colleague
LATE
- Train others to become effective mentors
- Become recognized as colleague by mentor(s) and mentee(s)
Skill Building & Training Opportunities
Your academic program will provide excellent content training—take advantage of experiential opportunities on and off campus to demonstrate learning in action and build transferrable skills that supplement classroom.
EARLY
- Identify and participate in student organizations, company trainings, and corporate challenges
- Explore internship and co-op opportunities on HireAggies
- Explore certificate programs at TAMU that will compliment degree program and support career goals
MID
- Complete an internship, cooperative education experience, or company project
- Strengthen relevant skills through TAMU certificates, LinkedIn Learning, or other credentials
- Involve yourself in interdisciplinary research and innovation centers on campus
LATE
- Finish certificate program(s)
- Demonstrate efficacy of learned skills through advanced projects and application
- Identify transferable skills gained from experiences to inform application materials and professional branding
CAREER PREPARATION
Execute a powerful career preparation and job search strategy—leverage Career Center resources to open more possibilities and networking contacts. Effectively conduct your job search, incorporating networking and tailoring every application to communicate your interest, brand, and relevant experiences, ensuring a successful transition to the next professional opportunity.
EARLY
Create initial resume and improve quality based upon VMock feedbackSet up your HireAggies account and explore internship and full-time job opportunities
Participate in Career Center events, such as career fairs, workshops, industry panels, and employer information sessions
Familiarize yourself with Career Center resources for career exploration, interviewing, resumes, and job searching
- CareerShift
- Career Insider by Vault
- GoinGlobal
- Mock Interview Tool
- VersatilePhD
- Career Center Youtube
Identify companies that sponsor H1B visas with Career Shift, GoinGlobal and myvisaajobs.com
MID
Tailor resume for upcoming internship, job, and scholarly opportunities and practice effective interviewing strategiesIdentify transferable skills gained from research and academic projects
Participate in employer events selectively related to professional goals
Learn how to utilize Career Center resources, including the HireAggies Portal, for networking to effectively find and apply to opportunities that will forward career goals
Learn negotiation strategies and ways to professionally manage multiple job offers
Utilize the Career Center and other resources to identify salary and outcomes data
LATE
Begin actively applying to positions that match your interest, values, and skills—12 months in anticipation of graduation or thesis/dissertation defenseTailor resume/curriculum vita and cover letter for each opportunity to demonstrate interest and relevant transferable skills from research, projects, employment, and other experiences
Prepare for interviews and presentations using the Mock Interview Tool and meeting with a Career Coordinator for both computer-assisted and live mock interview experience
Manage job offers in good faith and negotiate for favorable agreements on starting salary and benefits—informed by researched cost of living and financial goals