Prep plan

Prep plan

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  Medgar Evers College CareerManagement Services Center Career Preparatory Plan
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  “You cannot escapethe responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.” ~Abraham Lincoln
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  What is TheCareer Preparatory Plan? The Career Preparatory Plan is a tool students can use to assist with progressing professionally while completing their college education. Proper planning is a key to success. It is recommended that students use The Career Preparatory Plan as a guide in their decision making process. Using “The Plan” as a sort of road-map will help students see a clear progression in their professional life. “The Plan” can also give students a sense of accomplishment when skills have been attained as well as show where additional assistance may be needed. Proper planning can assist students in: Choose a major that’s right for them Become educated in chosen professional fields Decide on post-graduation plans Learn about future employers’ expectations Develop experience in the field Acquire skills necessary to be successful in a profession Keep up with industry trends Expand professional network Conduct successful job search
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  Keep in mind… The Career Preparatory Plan is a guide intended to help. If you feel overwhelmed by any part, do not hesitate to make an appointment with a career coach who is ready to assist you in creating a personalized, step-by-step plan of action!
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  Year 1 Exploration Fall Create a profile on College Central Network, complete with an approved resume [Doc A] Complete FOCUS Assessment [Doc B] Attend CMSC workshop [Doc C] Attend Career Expo Attend Club Fair Spring Declare a major if one has not been decided on Start Career Exploration [Doc B] Conduct Summer Job Search [Doc D] Engage in a volunteer opportunity Attend Student Professional Development Workshop Attend CMSC Workshop Attend Club Event Summer Meet with Career Coach to create a personalized career plan Create a career e-portfolio Conduct a job/internship/volunteerism search for the Fall Take a course to enhance your skills (computer, writing, math)
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  Year 2 Research and Plan Fall Update your resume Pursue an internship in an area of interest Attend CMSC workshop Attend Career Expo Attend a Leadership Conference Join a club affiliated with your major Make appointment with academic advisor to review your academic progression plan Winter Make an appointment with a career coach, update your resume and your career plan Spring Conduct internship/job search for the summer & fall Consider study abroad (and start saving!) [Doc E] Find a mentor/broaden your network [Doc F] Engage in a volunteer opportunity Attend CMSC workshop Attend Student Professional Development Workshop Summer Engage in summer internship or study abroad Review & re-assess your career plan Update career portfolio Secure internship/employment for the Fall Take a course to enhance your skills (speech, time management, parliamentary procedure)
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  What lies behindus and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
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  Year 3 Engage & Experience Fall Update your resume Attend Career Expo Attend CMSC workshop Attend Leadership Conference Consider holding office in a professional organization Make appointment with academic counselor to make sure you are on track with all courses needed for graduation. Winter Make an appointment with a career coach to make sure you are on track with your career plan Spring Start to research post-graduation career opportunities [Doc G] Attend Graduate School workshops (We offer free grad school practice tests) Attend Graduate School fair Attend CMSC workshops Attend Student Professional Development Workshop Engage in a volunteer opportunity Review your peer and professional networks Summer Review skill set needed for careers you are interested in Take a course to enhance your skills (i.e. graduate school test prep, goal setting, IT licenses) Conduct internship/job search for upcoming year
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  Year 4 Apply & Achieve Fall Update resume Develop and execute a job search plan Attend CMSC workshops Attend Career Expo Attend Networking events Take GRE or other educational exams Winter Make an appointment with a career coach to work on a commencement plan Spring Expand your network Refine your skills
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  Doc A College Central Network To access the College Central Network website, go to http://www.mec.cuny.edu/cmsc Step 1 Click on the hyperlink at the top of the page that says “College Central Network” Step 2 Click on the icon that says “Students” Step 3 Click on the area that says “Register Now” Step 4 Create an access ID and a Password. Make sure you write down this information for future reference. Step 5 Create a profile and fill in all mandatory areas (indicated with a red star). Choosing a job target will allow you to receive targeted emails about jobs of your interest. Step 6 Registration Complete Congratulations! You are now registered to use our services. Click the HOME button, located in the upper left hand corner to access your home page. Step 7 To Upload A Resume, scroll down to “Manage My Resume” and click on, “Upload a Resume”. Step 8 To Search for Jobs, click on “Opportunities Posted to My School” and “Search Active Jobs”.
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  Doc B focus career & education planning tool “Career exploration and planning involves thinking about which educational and occupational paths will provide you with self-fulfillment in all aspects of your life, not only in the present, but also in the future.” FOCUS is a web-based career and educational planning tool designed to help you choose a major, select the right courses and plan your career path. Students who use FOCUS make better decisions about their goals and plans, and learn how to self- manage their careers. Access FOCUS & Create Your Student User Account 1. Go to www.mec.cuny.edu/careerservices 2. Locate the Self-Assessment area and click where it says “FOCUS” 3. Click where it says, “If you are a first time user and need to create an account, click here.” 4. Enter the following Access Code: mec45 Note: Create a profile, choosing a user name and password you will easily remember. Make note of your user name and password for future reference. Once on the site you will be able to use the following modules: Career Readiness: Start thinking about your career Self Assessment: Learn something about yourself Explore the Possibilities: Research any career Career Portfolio: Manage your researched careers Recommended tools and website: Helpful links When you have completed all assessments you should make an appointment with a career coach to go over your outcomes and develop a plan of action.
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  Doc C Workshop Calendar For the latest updates on event and activities check out our calendar http://meccmsc.webs.com/apps/calendar/
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  Doc D Conducting A Job Search Conducting a job search can be a lot of work. However if you prepare yourself for the task you will achieve your goal and should be able to find a job that best suits you. Here are a few abbreviated* steps you should to take in order to conduct a successful job search. Prepare Resume When starting your search you should already have an approved resume that can be modified if need be to fit the job that you are applying for. Cover Letter You should know how to format a cover letter which again will be tailored to the job description. Mock Interview You should also start to practice your interviewing skills now, so as soon as you are called for an interview you will be ready. Search What are you looking for Remember the job you do today starts to build the foundation of where you want to go. Money should not be your only driving force for a job. Start to think of how your job matches with your major and can contribute to you having a career. What are you qualified for Even if you are a non-traditional student remember that you will probably still have to start with an entry level job in your field of choice. This may mean a salary that you are not use to, but the pay off is the experience gained and again laying the foundation for your career. Document Make sure you keep a record of jobs you apply for, the contact information, and the documents you sent. *For more information on conducting a job search attend one of our workshops or make an appointment with a coach.
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  Doc E Study Abroad Medgar Evers College has a Study Abroad program which is open to all students and a great opportunity to expand on your experiences. http://www.mec.cuny.edu/study_abroad/ Deborah Stengle Director 718.270.5136 [email protected]
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  Doc F Obtaining a Mentor Choosing a Mentor • Be clear on why you want a mentor. • When asking someone to be your mentor, explain why you’re asking and what you’d expect out of the relationship • Before asking someone to be your mentor, consider first simply asking for their input on a single specific. After a few times you can assess if you want to ask them to be a mentor. • When looking for a mentor look to older family members or friends, neighbors, spiritual leaders, community leaders, the networks of your friends and colleagues, or officials of professional or trade associations you belong to. Avoid asking your direct supervisor at work. You want to be free to discuss workplace issues as well as your plans for future advancement. The Relationship • Look for ways you can reciprocate the help your mentor offers. At the very least, you can occasionally spring for lunch or, say, send a fruit basket. You don’t want to be all take-take-take. • Show gratitude. Never let your mentor feel taken for granted! Also, supply feedback. If your mentor suggested something that really worked out for you, report back. People love hearing about their part in a success story. • Don’t become too dependent on your mentor. The idea is that one day you will eventually be able to fly on your own. In fact, you may not take every bit of advice your mentor offers. Continue to think for yourself. Keep in mind • Mentoring can take many forms. It can be a monthly lunch, a quarterly phone call, a weekly handball game, or merely a steady E-mail correspondence. Your mentor does not even have to live in your city or region. • You can have more than one mentor. In fact, you can have a whole committee if you want, and call it your Board of Directors. Choose different mentors for different facets of your professional (and even personal) life. • Finally, if someone refuses the request to be your mentor, don’t be hurt or offended. This is not personal! Potential good mentors are very busy people. Thank him or her for the consideration, and ask for a referral. Modified from: http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2010/01/13/13-tips-on-finding-a-mentor
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  Doc G Graduate School Information The Career Center host workshops on Writing Your Personal Statement Financing Graduate School and Maintains a website with Graduate School Information http://cmscgradinfo.webs.com