WHAT DO FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CAREER DEVELOPMENT?

What does "Career Development" mean at 'K'?
• When many students think of career development, they think of activities related to securing a job, such as resume building, getting connected with professors and others who can provide good references, and locating job opportunities. Certainly, these are some of the outcomes of career development, yet it is the basis for these outcomes, the process of self-discovery that defines the scope or path of each person's individual career development. Deciding on a path in life, in addition to preparing to be successful on that path, is what many students describe as a primary goal of their college experience.

• And although each student will pursue her or his career development in her or his own unique way, there are two primary goals to work towards. Self-discovery involves exploring and refining your interests and values. "Work" discovery is to begin to learn about professions and working environments that will embrace and foster your unique interests and skills. Most students focus on self-discovery the first few years of college.

What am I supposed to discover about myself?
When people refer to the very individualized process of identifying interests, skills and values, what do they really mean? Self-discovery above all else is about finding your passion in life. What endeavors, causes, activities make you want to jump out of bed to face a new day? What do you care about? How do you define success? At the end of the day, of what accomplishments can you be proud? What activities engage you in such a way that you feel confident and challenged? Fifty years from now, what kind of contributions will you want to able to look back on? Or perhaps better stated, how do you wish to be remembered? Of course, these are major life questions, questions that no one can realistically expect you to answer easily, or even right away. And no two people will pursue this journey by traveling the same routes.

So how am I supposed to respond when asked, "What do you plan to do when you graduate?"
Even though you may feel you are supposed to have a confident answer when asked about your purpose on the planet (because doesn't everybody?), if people are really honest, most of us will not know the answer to this question. As a matter of fact, you may draw a blank for quite some time when asked, "So where is all of this leading?" Do not worry; this reaction is hardly unusual! You cannot control when, or where, or how you will come to know these things about yourself. The only part of it you can control is your commitment to the process of self-discovery. Through trying new things, taking risks when you're uncertain, remaining open to new possibilities, challenging yourself about those things that don't feel right (following your "little voice"), you will begin to gain confidence in the direction you want to take in your life.

Don't I have four years before I have to begin figuring out my career plans?
Not really, for as you can probably see, this is an ongoing process. The sooner you start, the more progress you can expect to make. You'll soon discover that life at 'K' can be a whirlwind and the academic quarters will fly by! You'll always think there will be more time to get involved, or to start looking for an internship, or to try that new activity. You will always have uncertainties that may cause you to procrastinate and other demands that will push you to get caught up in your daily routine. Periodic visits to the Center for Career Development throughout your time at 'K' will help you stay on track. We suggest you begin this process by Winter Quarter of your first year.

What activities can first-year students arrange, along with the help of the Center for Career Development, to start answering these questions?

• Meet with our staff -- even if you don't know which direction your interests and skills are taking you
	Student career advisors, as well as professional staff counselors, can meet with you to discuss your interests and skills as they may relate to deciding upon a major or potential career paths. An additional tool available is the Campbell Interest and Skill Survey, an inventory to assist you in learning about a few professions that those with similar interests and skills pursue. The rest of the activities in this list represent ways you can begin to answer these questions.
• Talk with alumni volunteers -- career information providers, mentors and job shadow sponsors!
	There are over 2,900 alumni willing to talk with you about their own career development paths. Staff at the Center for Career Development can help you contact alumni volunteers to ask questions about their field and training, to arrange a face-to-face visit, or perhaps even shadow them in their workplaces. Staff can also assist students in arranging "externships" (mini-internships, observational in nature, usually 1-4 weeks) with alumni over breaks in the academic year.
• Find volunteer opportunities
	The Volunteer Center of Greater Kalamazoo sends local volunteer announcements weekly to the Center for Career Development. The Center also maintains a directory of local agencies listing volunteer opportunities they sponsor specifically for college students.
• Part-time jobs
	Some students choose not to work during their first year of college, but for those who wish to work a few hours a week in addition to attending class will find postings of on-campus and local off-campus part-time employment opportunities at the Center.

But what about Internships?
By far, most students think of internships when they think of career activities at Kalamazoo College. While 80% of 'K' students over the last 35 years have engaged in internships, never have we seen so many beginning so early! It is not uncommon for students to seek an internship for the summer after their first year of college -- and sometimes during the following summer or two as well. Not only do internships allow students to continue to explore interests and develop skills, but they also allow students to demonstrate to future employers their ability to contribute to a work environment.

What is a Career Development (CD) Internship?
Students who participate in internships and choose to complete steps within the Career Development Internship Program will have these experiences formally cited on their transcript. These steps include formally registering your internship, documenting your learning goals, regularly monitoring and documenting your learning outcomes, and conducting a final evaluation of everything you have learned throughout the experience.

If I would like to do an Internship this summer, when should I start looking for one?
Timing may not "be everything," but it is very important in planning and searching for opportunities. This is a realistic concern, not so much for the total number of hours invested, but more because one needs to allow for time to pass between steps or phases of searching. You may wish to initiate a new internship position at an organization that is interesting to you, or you may be applying within already established programs. Initiating a new internship may take months to unfold, as you communicate back and forth with potential sponsors. And established internships have varying deadlines. As a general rule, the more applicants employers/sponsors would expect for a position, the earlier the deadlines. Summer internships that draw student applicants from across the country may even have deadlines as soon as November 1. Regardless of whether you choose to create a new internship opportunity or apply to an already established program, beginning EARLY is always to your advantage. The following provides a suggested time frame.

Please feel free to stop by the Center for Experiential Education to meet with a Career Development staff member if you have any questions or would like help in beginning your own career path exploration: