Career Planning

During career advising appointments students receive help from professionals within Career Services to further understand their life after graduation and develop general strategies for moving forward with their aspirations. Career advising appointments include the following topics to assist students on how to get started: 

  • Explore values, interests, and skills 
  • Gain practical experience 
  • Strategize your job and internship search 
  • Research graduate and professional schools 
  • Leverage your Elms network
  • Develop your 4-year career action plan 
  • Choose a major and explore careers 

Schedule a Career Advising Appointment

Discover Yourself

Beginning the process of planning for your future can be both challenging and exciting. Starting with the reflection and self-assessment process can give you more choices and increase your confidence that you are on the right career journey. This process can reveal your personal attributes, values, skills, and areas of interest, all of which can help you make informed career and major decisions. Career Services can help you identify potential options using combinations of self-evaluation questions and career assessments.

4-year career action plan 

First Year

Explore Majors and Careers 

  • Meet with a career advisor 
  • Take a career assessment
  • Attend the Work-Study Job Fair 
  • Create a Resume 

Focus on Academics 

  • Create a study schedule 
  • Attend all classes; sit in the front 
  • Utilize tutoring services 

Get Involved 

  • Attend involvement/engagement fairs 
  • Find a group of friends 
  • Join at least one student organization   

Select Your Major(s) & Career Cluster 

  • Declare your major
  • Read and engage in your career cluster
  • Develop relationships with faculty and staff

Take an Active or Leadership Role

  • Become more involved by serving on a committee or obtaining a leadership role

Prepare for the Internship Search

  • Have your resume critiqued by Career Services
  • Identify internships of interest
  • Prepare for interviewing

Second Year

Third Year

Photo of a student in a classroom

Explore Specific Careers & Graduate Programs

  • Narrow your career focus 
  • Explore graduate school and communicate with faculty
  • Identify graduate school and internship search resources 

Network 

  • Attend networking events
  • Utilize Alumni Career Connections workshops
  • Create a professional LinkedIn profile 

Find an internship 

  • Apply to internships 
  • Consider earning credit for your internship 
  • Make a positive impact during your internship

Apply for Jobs and/or Graduate Programs 

  • Prepare application materials 
  • Consolidate your post-graduation goals

Prepare for the Transition from College to Career 

  • Make an impact at your first job out of college 
  • Adapt to a new work environment 

Maintain Networking Contacts 

  • Stay connected with faculty and colleagues after you leave 

Senior

Explore Careers & Majors 

Once you have discovered your interests, skills, and values, finding a career path and major may seem like a daunting experience. Remember, there are usually many academic majors that can lead to a particular occupation, as your major doesn’t always determine your career. While there are occupations that do require specific degrees for certification (nursing, accounting, etc.) many do not. Career Services can assist you in exploring your major pathways and help you to select a career that is aligned with who you are and what you value. 

Develop Your Skills 

Without relevant experience in the world-of-work, a student will not be competitive in their entry-level full-time job search. Experience is the new entry-level requirement. Career Services can assist you in developing the skills you need to succeed.

Elms College has a lot of resources to connect you to internships, leadership, research, and other experiences that will give you a competitive edge in your full-time job search. 

Kordel Latimer ’14, a graduate of the CITS program at Elms, completed an internship on campus over the summer. He gained valuable experience collaborating with a team and producing creative work for different clients. He now works for a cyber security company, developing web content.

Experiential Learning 

Experiential Learning

  • Photo of a student doing research in the Lyons Center research lab

    Internships

    Experience your passion in a professional setting.

    Learn more
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  • Photo of students discussing work at the annual experiential learning showcase

    Research

    Immerse yourself in a question that interests you. Gain invaluable career skills in the process.

    Learn more
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    Next
  • Photo of a Japanese shrine taken on a study abroad trip

    Study Abroad

    Experience the global cultural milieu at one of our partner institutions.

    Learn more
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  • Photo of an accelerated second degree nursing student on a mission trip to Jamaica

    Mission Trips

    Tap into your humanitarian values to make the world a better place.

    Learn more
    Previous
  • Photo of a student doing research in the Lyons Center research lab
    Internships
  • Photo of students discussing work at the annual experiential learning showcase
    Research
  • Photo of a Japanese shrine taken on a study abroad trip
    Study Abroad
  • Photo of an accelerated second degree nursing student on a mission trip to Jamaica
    Mission Trips

Career Resources

Resume and Cover Letter Guides: 

  • Resume for Your First Year of College 
  • Resume Guide for Third Years and Seniors 
  • Cover Letter Guide
  • CV Template for Students 
  • Action Verbs for Resumes 

Interviewing Guides:

  • Informational Interviewing 
  • Phone and Virtual Interviews 
  • Employment Interviews 
  • Behavioral Interviews 

Career Resources:

  • Graduate and Professional School 
    • Applying to Graduate School 
    • Entrance Exams 
  • Post Interview Resources: 
    • Writing a Thank You Note 
    • Negotiating Your Salary 

Funding Opportunities

Katherine Casado ’19, presenting her mission trip work at the 2019 experiential learning showcase held in the spring.

Elms College is proud to offer several experiential learning funds to support students pursuing unpaid internships, research experiences, mission trips, service-learning fieldwork, and study abroad opportunities. Learn more about experiential learning at Elms.