The summer before my senior year of college my mom asked me, “Are you sure you want to go back to school?” I looked at her like she was crazy. I had made it through three years with a strong GPA, multiple on-campus leadership positions, and had accumulated a decent chunk of student debt. “You’re kidding, right?” Her response was, “I just want to make sure you really want to be there.” Despite having done everything I was supposed to do to succeed in college, my parents were questioning the value of my education. I had to stick to my guns and say with 100% confidence, “of course I’m going back.” I didn’t know yet how I was going to use my education, but I knew I needed to figure it out.
And so as I entered my senior year, I set out to meet with career counselors, find internships, research graduate schools and do all in my power to figure out a plan. I considered mental health counseling, school counseling, social work, nonprofit work, and many other careers. And while none of these careers were what I ended up ultimately pursuing, it was the process of exploration and planning that led to me to my current career as a Career Consultant.
If only I had a resource like the Personalized Career Plan when I was I student, I might have started my exploration and preparation sooner. I might have avoided a year of waitressing before graduate school because I missed the deadlines my senior year. I certainly would have had something more tangible to show my parents to prove I was actively preparing for life after college.
My own experience helped drive me to create the Personalized Career Plan. Whether you are just getting started as a senior like I was, or if you are a first semester first year exploring majors, this resource assists you in developing and managing your short-term career goals. Even though your long-term career goals will most likely change multiple times while you are UConn and throughout your life, focusing on short-term goal setting enables you to be ready when those changes arise.
Get started on your Personalized Career Plan today!
