Let the Exploration Begin! 6 Steps to Navigating the “Let’s Explore” Career Community

As an undergraduate student, you may already be aware of the vast array of academic opportunities and career outcomes that come with pursuit of a degree from the University of Connecticut.  For students in the ACES Program, or whose majors may not correlate to a linear career path, the thought of what career opportunities the future holds, or what majors will get you there, can be a bit overwhelming. But fear not, the Let’s Explore Career Community has been designed to provide you with tools and resources that will help relieve the stress and break the stereotypes that may be associated with finding jobs in desired areas. Here are 6 quick tips to help you make the most of the Let’s Explore Career Community Page.

1.) Find Your Interests

One of the first things you’ll notice as you look at the Career Communities section of our website is the nine dedicated communities we have to help explore more targeted career interests. Each community has been set up to help students narrow down their career aspirations and interests into manageable and relevant fields. Browsing through these informative pages will provide you with resources to help answer questions you may have about various career paths or even open the doors to others you may not have considered! We encourage you to follow one or more of these communities based on your interests.

2.) Explore Professions and Skillsets

Whether you are scrolling through the Let’s Explore page or browsing one of the other nine career community pages, you will find many examples of professions as well as common skill sets that are utilized in these professions.  This information not only helps connect the dots between your own personal interests and future job possibilities, but can also be used as key-word searches when searching for internship and full-time opportunities. Try using some of these search terms within O*Net to learn about additional occupations and opportunities that align with your exploration choices. You can also browse through the Job Market Insights and Career Outcomes sections of each community to see real time labor market data and career paths of UConn alumni.

3.) Network

Maybe internet searches aren’t your thing and you’d much rather talk to someone who can answer your questions first-hand. Look no further than the featured list of UConn alumni working in related fields. Using Husky Mentor Network, you can search for and connect with alumni on topics related to career exploration, resume guidance, interview preparation, and so much more! All you need is a UConn e-mail address and an inquisitive mind. You can also check out the “Featured Jobs” section of the site to help you find companies of interested to connect with/follow on LinkedIn. 

4.) Stay Educated

Blogs are a great way to gain new perspectives and advice about certain exploration topics and career opportunities. Every few days The Center for Career Development will post new content written by Career Center staff members and special guests (academic faculty/staff members, employers, alumni, etc.) that provide more information on industry trends, resources, and tips to help you meet your career-related goals. Be sure to check the Career Community pages regularly for additional personal and professional development ideas that relate to your interests!

5.) Subscribe to E-mails

Unable to scroll through all the career community pages on a daily/weekly basis but don’t want to miss out on valuable content? Sign-up to receive e-mail alerts from the Let’s Explore page (or any other community of interest) by signing in to your uConnect account with your NetID and updating your preferences. Sign in by clicking the Log In link located at the top of every page on the Center for Career Development’s website. Once you’ve created your profile, select the community/communities you wish to follow and we will personally deliver related content to your inbox! There is no commitment and you can update the communities you wish to follow at any time.

6.) Connect With the Career Center

While there is a lot of helpful information on the website, it can, at times, still be confusing to make sense of how all your interests come together. Gathering all the facts is great, but synthesizing them into achievable goals is even better! Having someone to bounce ideas off of is always helpful so therefore we also recommend scheduling a 30 minute Career Coaching appointment with one of our friendly Career Coaches. Our coaches come from a variety of different professional backgrounds and specialties and have lots of information to share around topics including major and career exploration, graduate school, professional document writing, interviewing, and more! To connect with a career coach, simply login to your Handshake profile and schedule an appointment; we are currently offering both in-person and virtual appointments to help meet all your scheduling needs!

Photo by Vlada Karpovich from Pexels

By Kristen Soprano
Kristen Soprano Career Consultant | she, her, hers