A step-by-step guide to your dream job
Interactive insights for each phase of your professional development.
As a student in The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, your career possibilities are endless — but having a plan helps.
This career roadmap is your guide to exploring paths, gaining experience and reaching your goals, whether that’s landing a job or getting into grad school. Along the way, you’ll adapt, grow and shape a future that fits you.
Explore | Develop | Experience | Launch
Explore
Find what you’re passionate about.
By identifying what truly matters to you, you can better align your career path with your aspirations. Take time to explore which jobs resonate with your values and future goals.
Key questions
- What problems or issues am I passionate about solving, and how do they align with my values, academic interests and career aspirations? What work environments might support my values and interests?
- What are my key strengths and transferable skills, and how can they guide my career exploration or align with potential work environments?
- What ASU resources and experiences (e.g., clubs, jobs, mentoring programs) can support my skill development and career goals?
- What are my key strengths, as identified through tools like CliftonStrengths or Myers Briggs, and how can I use them to explore potential career paths?
- What specific skills have I developed through involvement in student clubs, volunteer work or jobs, and how are they transferable to my career interests?
- Who among my professors, academic advisors or career coaches could offer valuable insights or mentorship, and how can I nurture those relationships?
- How well does my current resume or LinkedIn profile reflect my skills and aspirations? What gaps can I identify, and what steps can I take to address them in the next few years?
- What kinds of internships, summer jobs or volunteer experiences could help me gain relevant exposure to industries or roles I’m interested in, and how can I pursue them now or in the future?
Opportunities
In this initial phase of your future planning, consider opportunities for self-reflection and exposure to new career paths. Take time for self-assessment and exploration, engage with campus resources and consider new skills you want to develop.
- Engage in self-assessment tools (e.g., CliftonStrengths, Myers Briggs and Holland Codes).
- Participate in workshops focused on self-awareness, values and goal-setting.
- Explore majors and potential career paths through informational sessions with academic units and the career center.
- Attend career fairs to get exposure to different industries.
- Join student clubs or volunteer to begin developing transferable skills (e.g., communication, teamwork).
- Build connections with faculty, academic advisors and career counselors.
- Attend workshops on professional communication, resume writing, and LinkedIn profile development.
- Start building a digital portfolio showcasing academic and extracurricular achievements.
- Pursue a summer job, volunteer experience or job shadowing to gain exposure to workplace environments.
Develop
Connect your passion with your career goals.
Once you’ve identified career paths you are interested in, start to investigate internships, targeted career experiences and extracurricular activities that will help strengthen your resume and become a standout job candidate.
Key questions
- What industries or companies am I exploring for internships, and how can I use resources like the career center, alumni connections, or mentorship opportunities to identify and pursue meaningful experiences?
- What skills or competencies do I need to strengthen for my career goals, and how can I develop them through internships, workshops or high-impact practices like research or service learning?
- How can I further explore fields I’m curious about through informational interviews, alumni connections or mentorship opportunities?
- How did my experiences with job shadowing, internships or industry-specific panels influence my perception of various fields, and what skills do I want to focus on next?
- What real-world experiences (like service learning, research or interdisciplinary projects) have I engaged in, and how do they contribute to my professional development?
- How effectively do my resume and cover letter highlight the skills and experiences relevant to my career goals, and what updates can improve them?
- In what ways can I collaborate with academic advisors to tailor my courses and academic experiences toward building skills for my career objectives?
- How will my planned summer internship, research project or volunteer opportunity help me gain practical experience and build connections in my desired field?
Opportunities
Connect academics with future goals by diving into career exploration and gaining hands-on experience. Research career paths, build key skills and start preparing for internships. Use the summer to apply what you’ve learned through jobs, internships or projects that set you up for success.
- If you haven’t already, take career assessments (e.g., CliftonStrengths, Myers-Briggs) to identify potential career paths.
- Use platforms like O*NET, LinkedIn and the Bureau of Labor Statistics to explore job roles, salaries and required skills.
- Engage with career development events hosted by the university or industry organizations.
- Connect with professionals in fields of interest via LinkedIn or alumni networks to gain real-world insights.
- Participate in clubs or honor societies related to career interests for networking and leadership opportunities.
- Observe professionals in a workplace setting to better understand daily responsibilities and work culture.
- Meet with an academic advisor to ensure coursework aligns with career goals and consider adding minors or certifications.
- Explore dual majors or specializations, and investigate concentrations or interdisciplinary studies that enhance employability.
- Collaborate with faculty on research projects to gain hands-on experience in the field.
- Enroll in electives or online courses (e.g., coding, data analysis, public speaking) to gain additional marketable and in-demand skills.
- Update resume and LinkedIn profile: Regularly refine your resume and LinkedIn profile to highlight relevant coursework, projects and experiences.
- Work with a career coach or use resume review tools and workshops to refine your resume and cover letter.
- Utilize online tools like Big Interview to practice interviewing.
- Optimize LinkedIn and engage in professional discussions or posts to develop a professional online presence.
- Research organizations offering internships in preferred fields. Search Handshake, LinkedIn and company websites for open internship positions and submit applications early.
- Attend career fairs and employer meet-ups to network with recruiters and gather insights into application processes.
- Apply for summer internships or part-time jobs that provide relevant experience.
- Take online courses, earn certifications (e.g., Google Analytics, Python, project management) or attend industry webinars to engage in professional development.
- Gain leadership and hands-on experience through community service.
- Participate in a summer study abroad program to expand cultural competency and global awareness.
- Develop a portfolio, start a blog or engage in freelance work to showcase your skills.
- Network and build relationships with mentors, alumni or professionals for career advice and potential opportunities.
Experience
Participate in hands-on opportunities.
Gain practical experience through internships and part-time employment, hands-on research and leadership roles for school clubs and organizations.
Make connections between what you learn in these experiences, what you are learning in the classroom and how both apply to your desired career.
Key questions
- How have my internships, research projects and involvement in career societies and communities allowed me to apply classroom knowledge to real-world situations, and what lessons can I take forward?
- What valuable insights did I gain from informational interviews or career visits, and how have they influenced my career interests or understanding of workplace environments?
- How have leadership roles in student organizations or community projects helped me develop skills like management, organization and teamwork?
- How can I make connections between my academic work and professional goals, and how might this shape my job search or graduate school plans?
- What specific skills or experiences do I hope to gain from my upcoming internship or part-time role, and how will these support my long-term career goals?
- How can I strategically use career fairs to learn about potential employers and build valuable connections in my desired field?
- How can I seek out mentorship or constructive feedback during my internship to guide my growth and align with my professional development goals?
Opportunities
High-impact experiences such as internships, research and study abroad teach you valuable skills for the future. Consider reflective practices, skill development, professional branding and networking and mentorship to get the most out of these opportunities.
- Engage in regular reflection through journals or group discussions to connect academic knowledge with real-world experiences.
- Document lessons learned from internships, informational interviews and leadership roles to deepen understanding and inform future career decisions.
- Create a skill-building plan to identify and track the specific skills you want to develop through internships and leadership opportunities.
- Set clear objectives, seek feedback and adjust tasks to ensure alignment with your long-term career goals.
- Regularly update your resume, LinkedIn profile and digital portfolio to showcase your skills, experiences and accomplishments effectively.
- Use measurable outcomes and specific contributions to communicate your value to potential employers.
- Actively pursue networking opportunities at career fairs and through informational interviews.
- Seek out mentors during internships for constructive feedback and guidance, and build relationships that support your professional development and career exploration.
Launch
Apply for jobs or graduate school.
You’ve found a field you love and gained critical hands-on experience, and now you’re ready for take off. Get ready to launch into a successful and fulfilling life and career.
Key questions
- Do my resume, cover letter and portfolio fully reflect my skills, experiences and accomplishments? What areas could use further refinement?
- What feedback did I receive from mock interviews, and how can I improve my responses, confidence and body language for real interviews?
- Am I effectively leveraging LinkedIn, alumni connections, industry contacts and networking events like career fairs or on-campus recruiting sessions to expand my professional network, build meaningful relationships with employers and uncover new opportunities?
- Have I established a plan for post-graduation, and if not, what steps can I take to clarify my next steps, such as finalizing job applications or choosing a graduate school?
- What specific advice has my career advisor given me for creating a tailored job search strategy, and how can I apply it to target companies and roles that align with my career goals?
- How can I articulate the relevance of my capstone project or thesis to potential employers, showcasing my problem-solving, research and project management skills?
- What strategies can I use to stay connected with mentors, professors and peers who can support me as I transition into the workforce or graduate school?
Opportunities
The College has several resources and career advisors to help you feel supported as you make the transition from college to the real world. Take a look at opportunities for a tailored job search strategy, resume and interview preparation, networking and post-graduation planning.
- Collaborate with your career advisor to refine your job search strategy.
- Create a targeted list of companies and roles, and actively apply insights from industry research and informational interviews to guide your applications.
- Organize peer review sessions to refine your resume, cover letter and portfolio.
- After mock interviews, compile feedback to create an improvement plan, focusing on refining your responses, body language and confidence.
- Develop a proactive networking strategy that includes reaching out to alumni, attending industry events and engaging on LinkedIn. Set specific goals for new connections and follow up to deepen these professional relationships.
- Establish a strategy for maintaining relationships with mentors and professors, scheduling regular check-ins to keep them informed of your progress.
- Create a timeline outlining key steps for your post-graduation plans, such as job applications and deadlines for graduate school.