Four-Year Career Development Plan
Build confidence, skill, and perspective with Carleton’s four-year career development plan.
It’s Your Journey
Employer and graduate school expectations are different than they were even five years ago, but Carleton’s four-year career development plan empowers you to succeed in whatever path you choose.
The sooner you start your career journey, the easier it will be. Our career development plan provides a flexible framework that prioritizes career exploration, experience-based and applied learning, and deep reflection to prepare you to pursue your goals.
The best next step: set up an appointment with one of our career coaches.
A Path to a Career with Meaning
Day one is the start of your journey, and we’re in it with you. Together, we’ll empower you to create a plan that’s all yours — and to make it happen with confidence. Carleton’s four-year career development plan provides a roadmap to develop the confidence and experience needed to go after your career goals.
Each year, you will work with the Career Center and other career champions to explore your interests, build in-demand skills, and identify opportunities for experience-based and applied learning — all primary drivers of career development.
Year 1
Foundations
Let the discovery begin! Your first year is the time to learn more about yourself — your values, skills, and strengths. This is also the time to learn more about the landscape of careers that exist.
Take part in annual events like Career Discovery Week, the Externship Experience, and the Carleton Career Summit to learn more about fields that interest you.
Year 2
Exploration
As a sophomore, you’ll start to make your first big decisions, reflecting on what you’ve learned about yourself and the world of work.
Decide what YOU want to try! Experiences such as student activities, volunteering, externships, part-time work, and your first internship will help you connect your academic study to your emerging career path.
Year 3
Preparation
Junior year is all about intentionality. You’ll build relationships with alumni and other connections in the fields you’re most interested in, learn how to interview like a pro, and have access to additional training through microcredentials — short, focused certifications on in-demand skills.
Put your education into action by gaining more firsthand experience through internships, research, or long-term volunteer roles.
Year 4
Action
With graduation in sight, it’s time to take action and make choices about your next steps. Remember, you’ve got support.
Partner with your career coach, faculty adviser, or the fellowships office to develop a plan for your job search, graduate school application process, or fellowship application cycle.
The Choice is Yours
Employers expect that recent graduates have at least two applied learning experiences, and that they can talk about how these relate to their academic journey and will help them on the job.
Which two (or more) opportunities will you check off?