Career Development Timeline
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 nine 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:
- 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
EARLY
- LinkedIn Learning videos can provide frameworks for time management.
- How to access: Reflect on your use of time with the Career for Teaching Excellence Individual Development Plan Time Management activity. Set a scheduled rhythm with each semester. Think of short- and long-term goals and tally how much time is needed to complete all.
MID
- As graduate school demands take up additional time, reprioritize steps needed to accomplish goals.
- Set aside specific time each week for self-care. Support can be found at University Health Services and the Student Recreation Center offers programs for physical wellness.
- During this stage, career goals may become clearer, which can lead to narrowing activities to focus on more targeted skill building.
LATE
- Managing a job search and finishing graduate school requirements will require another reprioritizing of tasks.
- Use summer breaks to put together application materials and reach out to networking contacts.
- Notify supervisors of possible upcoming on-site interviews for permanent positions.
- Advocate for oneself and ask hiring managers and search committees for flexibility to move back interview dates during busy weeks.
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 CliftonStrengths.
- 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.
EARLY
- Through using IDP assessments, you can gain self-awareness of what areas of interest and values animate you in work.
- Use the skills inventories to take stock and make plans to acquire needed competencies in desired careers.
- Take UHS assessments to gain clarity of your work, team and leadership style.
MID
- Narrowing career choices allows you to focus on competency development. As you gain clarity, further evaluate how your skills, values and interests align with specific careers.
- Continue to develop strengths and narrow the gap in areas of skill deficiency in preparation for job searching.
- Research organizational and career culture of employers of interest with informational interviews; explore values and interest misalignment, which may otherwise result in short tenure.
LATE
- Begin targeting specific employers for whom you’d like to work with informational interviews, career fairs, employer events; or begin launching entrepreneurial pursuits.
- Use self-awareness of your skills to match skills to advertised requirements in job postings.
- Critically evaluate alignment of values between yourself and employment opportunities by asking in-depth questions of recruiters and hiring managers with whom you interview.
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 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.
EARLY
- Use IDPs to learn about various career families and paths. Use the supplemental resources within IDPs to further explore the nature of work, competencies required and skill building strategies — then use this knowledge to evaluate what areas of growth you need to match careers of interest.
- Use BLS information to compare job growth.
- Use the Career Center HireAggies resources GoinGlobal, CareerShift and Career Insider by Vault to read job descriptions, industry resumes and insider information about industries.
MID
- Conducting informational interviews to learn the specific sector language, key competencies, work culture and industry-specific methods of entering a field.
- Employer information sessions will put you in direct contact with recruiters who can articulate their organization’s needs.
LATE
- Use knowledge gained in previous steps about key skills, values and culture to narrow on specific employers.
- Advocate in application materials why you are a great fit for open jobs roles. Having an insider’s perspective can be an important factor in landing a job — knowledge that can be gleaned by going through an informational interview.
- Use information about the employer’s needs to tailor application materials and forward discussion during job interviews.
- IDP Career Exploration Series: 8 week series to explore careers with Individual Development Plans and Career Center resources
- Graduate Student Career Panels: Career Panels are scheduled each semester
- Career Center Internship and Job Board: 4000+ employers recruiting Aggies
- Career Fairs: Recruiters attend 30+ TAMU fairs each year
- Employer Information Events: Meet company representatives to learn about career opportunities within their companies
- Informational Interviews Workshops to introduce the informational interview process and networking resources
- Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook 2020-2030
- Departmental Symposia and Conferences. Learn from professionals in your field of interest
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.
EARLY
Through building a LinkedIn profile that has all-star status — profile picture, 50+connections and completed sections — you gain increased visibility, leading to interest from those who can influence your career. Ensure your posts and engagement are consistent with your professional brand. Following organizations and taking part in discussions on their pages provide industry insight and expand your network.
MID
Continue to engage on LinkedIn increases visibility to those in your career sector. Search for Former Students on the Texas A&M University Alumni LinkedIn page and then search Former Students you by using the Find an Aggie tool on the Association of Former Students website and the Contacts search in CareerShift to foster deeper conversations.
LATE
By creating LinkedIn content and becoming a thought leader, you gain influence. An expansive network means possibly being considered for positions that have not been publicly posted. Give value to others in your network and when the time comes to ask for a referral or reference letter, it won’t be a transactional exchange.
- LinkedIn Aggie Search
- Association of Former Students
- Career Center Employer Directory
- Explore careers by contacting professionals that recruit Aggies. Launch HireAggies and click on the Employers tab.
- Employer Information Events
- Meet company representatives to learn about career opportunities within their companies Launch HireAggies and click on the Events tab.
- Career Fairs
- Recruiters participate in dozens of Texas A&M career fairs every year.
- Graduate Student Career Panels
- Career panels are scheduled each semester.
- The Reveille Club of Houston
- The Association of Former Students A&M Clubs
- 250+ corporate and geographic A&M Clubs.
- Dallas A&M Club
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.
EARLY
Allow your thoughts to be challenged and consider varied perspectives and experiences.
MID
Jump into immersive experiences and allow yourself to be socially uncomfortable. Study abroad can support your academic goals while providing a truly global perspective. Finding an internship or job is easy by searching the thousands of international positions abroad in GoinGlobal, while international students can use the resource to find CPT- and OPT-friendly employers in the U.S.
LATE
With social skills and competency, you are able to move comfortably through various institutions while supporting others from various backgrounds. Reflect on the value of different perspectives in the workplace.
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 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.
EARLY
The beginning of great leadership and followership starts with self-awareness and engaging with opportunities. Diving into the Career Center’s IDP workshop series provides a space to try out your leadership style with peers. Participate in a student organization by learning its leadership development process. The Graduate and Professional School’s leadership programming can help you.
MID
Leadership doesn’t always mean a formal appointment. Facilitating IDP workshop breakout discussions is an emerging leadership opportunity and demonstrates initiative with peers. Your graduate work can be transformational—a community project based upon your work reveals leadership. Demonstrate initiative — look for opportunities to take on new role in lab or train new workers, and benefit lab by improving a process.
LATE
Through previous experiences, your emergent leadership style can be realized. Are you able to “manage up” to influence decision-makers? Or perhaps you can lead transformational change. With content matter expertise, lead a student organization into its next iteration. As an emerging professional in your field, taking a leadership in a professional organization demonstrates commitment to furthering the discipline.
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)
EARLY
Having mentors both within and outside your academic program provides diversity of experience. Through reading the literature on mentorship leads to best use of your and your mentor’s time.
MID
Mentorship relationships are not forever. If goals change or one of you outgrows the mentorship relationship, thank the person and continue the personal relationship while seeking those who have goals aligned to yours. As you become more skilled and experienced, the mentorship relationship may become more collegial.
LATE
Mentorship means giving to others. As you become more skilled, pay mentorship forward to those in later graduate cohorts and other areas of your professional and academic life. During the transition to being a professional, the relationship with your mentors may transition to one of pure collegiality.
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 Texas A&M that will compliment degree program and support career goals
Mid
- Complete an internship, cooperative education experience or company project
- Strengthen relevant skills through Texas A&M 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
EARLY
Taking advantage of Texas A&M University activities, events and training provide resume- and CV-building opportunities. For instance, leadership skills can be developed by engagement with student organizations. Demonstrating ability to create deliverables can be enhanced by competing in a hackathon. Competencies can be enhanced through completion of certificates that compliment your primary academic program.
MID
Use an internship, volunteer experience or additional training to strengthen your areas in need of applied experience. Study for a certificate to acquire complimentary skills. Interdisciplinary research and innovation centers can bolster your ability to create knowledge in multiple venues.
LATE
Put skills into application with tangible projects. These experiences can be framed in application materials to demonstrate your ability to perform in areas that are complimentary to your classroom learning.
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 feedback
- Set 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
- 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 strategies
- Identify 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 defense
- Tailor 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
EARLY
Engage early with the Career Center. By setting up your HireAggies account, you immediately have access to career resources. As you see what employers recruit at Texas A&M, you can begin your career preparation strategy by targeting key skills and areas your can add value. Interface early with Career Center events to learn best practices regarding resume construction, interviewing, and job searching.
MID
Through the career development process in all categories, you can select key experiences and competencies that are tailored to specific jobs of interest. Audit experiences you’ve had in the classroom, library, laboratory and work to identify key skills and conceptualize how those transfer to career application. Compare information about jobs in Career Center resources, such as Insider by Vault and other career exploration activities to ensure you have strengths in key skills.
LATE
Starting the application process early assures you are hitting possibly hiring cycles. The tailored resume and cover letter receives high ranking employer in applicant tracking systems (ATS) and demonstrates to hiring managers. Through using the Mock Interview Tool, you begin real interviews with comfort, having mastered best strategies for navigating typical questions. Career preparation has assured marketing yourself results in a position of strength during offer negotiations to select the role that best fits your career and life goals.
- Career Center Internship and Job Board – 4,000+ employers with internships and job recruiting Aggies. Launch HireAggies and click Jobs.
- Graduate Student Career Center Resources
- Career Shift – Search internships and jobs by geographic location and keywords. Find company contacts by position title. Directory of companies sponsoring H1B visas (also GoinGlobal). Launch HireAggies.
- Graduate Student Career Panels – Career Panels are scheduled each semester
- Departmental Symposia and Conferences – Many academic screening interviews are conducted during conferences
- Conduct Informational Interviews – Workshops to introduce the informational interview process and networking resources
- Employer Information Events – Hundreds of recruiters provide information about their companies and answer your questions. Launch HireAggies and click Events.
- VMock Online Resume Review
- Mock Interview Tool – Practice virtual interviewing. Launch HireAggies and click Resources.
- Career Fairs – Dozens of career fairs each year recruiting Aggies!
- Career Center Employer Directory – Contact recruiters to express interest in position. Launch HireAggies and click Employers.
- Career Insider by Vault – Industry guides, company and salary information, day in a life blog. Launch HireAggies and click Resources.
- Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook 2020-2030
- Career Center YouTube – Career videos
- Aggie Graduation Salary Survey
- American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Careers
- Modern Language Association (MLA) Careers & Professional Development
- American Historical Association (AHA) Careers
- Geological Society of America (GSA) Careers