Most of us hope to find careers that stimulate our interests, suit our personalities, and make good use of our abilities. The variety of activities and tasks that comprise the world of work make it difficult to choose the right career path. Consider your career a lifelong learning process to hone your values, skills, interests, and abilities.
Completing The University of Tulsa’s challenging curriculum is the first step toward a solid foundation of learning. Equally important is establishing good habits in identifying your specific interests and strengths to increase the likelihood of having an interesting and rewarding career.
The University of Tulsa has developed a process for evaluating your career choices that will serve you well throughout your life. Follow these suggested activities to find your best career path.
EXPLORE CAREERS
Exploration is the first phase, a time to ask big questions, take a proactive approach to figure out what’s important to you. CCDPE staff, activities, and resources will help you identify your strengths, skills, interests, and values and understand how they relate to your choice of a major and career.
- FOCUS 2 Assessment
- OKCareerGuide/Kuder Journey
- O*NET/Occupational Outlook Handbook
- GoinGlobal
- BuzzFile
- What Can I Do With This Major?
- Career Coaching
- Externships
- Industry-specific websites
- Informational interviews
- Professional associations
DEVELOP SKILLS
The second phase develops effective skills and your personal brand, tools and strategies you’ll need to secure an internship or full-time position.
- Big Interview
- Career Labs
- Resume and Cover Letter Development
- Interview Preparation
- LinkedIn Profile Creation and Completion
- Mock Interviews
- Graduate / Professional School Application and Interview Preparation
GAIN EXPERIENCE
In the third phase – gain experience – be bold, keep an open mind, and take advantage of every opportunity to learn. Gain experience on campus through class projects, research, clubs, study abroad, and leadership opportunities. Then enhance your skills even more with off-campus internships, externships, or co-op positions.
- Part-Time Jobs and Internships
- Leadership Opportunities
- Study Abroad
- Micro-Internships (Parker Dewey)
- Hackathons
- Research
- Experiential Learning
- Job Shadowing
BUILD CONNECTIONS
The fourth phase helps you identify contacts, forge relationships, and strengthen connections in your professional network. Advice about career paths, industries, and organizations can help you uncover opportunities and make informed choices.
- Mentoring Sessions with Alumni
- Alumni on LinkedIn
- Handshake Student Community
- Career Fairs
- Networking events
- On-campus interviews