By Kayla Turbyfill, CPDC Career Ambassador
Getting started on the path to career-readiness and professional development can be daunting. It can seem like you have no idea where to start or what end is in sight, but that is kind of the beauty of it, isn’t it? Everyone’s path is unique, sprinkled with their own abilities, experiences, and strengths. Even so, there are a few tips that can help anyone get started.
Here is a short list of tips to help get you career-ready:
1- Get Started with our Career Guide!
Our Career Guide is full of helpful tips to better understand your values, establish your support system, prepare for an interview, think about grad school, and other tricks! It is also great for helping you create professional documents such as resumes, cover letters, and CV’s for applications. This interactive document can elevate your professional side and prepare you for your career journey in no time. I use this guide every time I update my resume!
2- Which Career Coach is right for you?
All of our Career Coaches are friendly, knowledgeable, eager to support you, and happy to answer your career- and internship-related questions! They have industry-specific knowledge and are trained in best practices for career development. Coaches have unique insights and can help you problem solve when you’re feeling stuck, give you advice, and talk you through your skills and/or options. Trust me, I’ve had my share of Coaching appointments and each one has brought me closer to my desired career path!
Find your Undergraduate Career Coach
Find your Graduate Career Coach
3- Learn More About Yourself with Focus 2.
Focus 2 is an online assessment, free for University of Utah students, that can help strengthen your understanding about yourself including gaining insights into your professional preferences, interests, skills, and values. When you combine your results, Focus 2 creates a comprehensive list of career fields that may interest you. I learned about career options I never even dreamed of!
4- Ask a Career Ambassador to Review Your Professional Documents.
Writing a resume, CV, or cover letter for an application can be tricky. It’s easy to reach a point where you feel stuck or frustrated. Career Ambassadors, like myself, are happy to put your mind at ease and help you stand out by giving you tips to elevate your professional documents.
Live Chat with us for quick tips
Please email us your documents in Word Document format along with the description of the opportunity for which you are applying to.
5- Update your LinkedIn and Handshake Profiles.
Creating a professional presence online is a key component to successfully finding a job, internship, or career. Update your LinkedIn to let employers know who you are, what experiences you have, and if you are actively looking for a job. Update your Handshake profile to browse available internships and jobs that match your skills, major(s), and experiences while standing out to employers that recruit at the University of Utah. Both are great ways to find opportunities!
As a Career Ambassador, I have taken all of these steps in my own professional journey at the U. Each of them have helped me find new ways to market myself, find confidence in my path, learn more about my strengths, and move forward confidently toward my future career. I hope they help you as much as they have helped me, and good luck on your career and professional development journey.