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Grace College and Theological Seminary: A private college in Indiana

Career Planning Checklist

First Year…Self/Career exploration

 

Second Year…Career Decision

 

Third Year…Career Experience

 

Fourth Year…Career Search

 

 

 

 

 

First Year: Self exploration & Career exploration

CAREER PLANNING OBJECTIVES FOR A FIRST-YEAR STUDENT

  • Develop an understanding of how God has designed you—interests, skills, personality, motivations, experiences, environments, and values by taking the MBTI and the StrengthsFinder.  Then meet with a career counselor to discuss the results as it relates to your career exploration.

  • Develop an awareness of careers that are of interest to you and how those careers fit your God-given design after engaging in self-assessment.

  • Spend ample time in the Word and in prayer about your future.  Trust God to reveal to you how wonderfully He has made you.  (2 Corinthians 5:17-21; Genesis 1:27; Ephesians 2:10; 1 Peter 2:9; Romans 8:37; Philippians 3:12-15)

Checklist of career planning activities

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Second Year: Career Decision

CAREER PLANNING OBJECTIVES FOR A SECOND-YEAR STUDENT

  • Gain an accurate picture of the careers that you have become most interested in pursuing by doing further research on these careers in the Career Services Office and online.

  • Make a decision about the direction of your career plans by securing an academic major at Grace.  Base your decision upon the information you learn about yourself from the self exploration process and from your time with God in prayer.  Seek advisement from Career Services, if needed in this process.

  • Begin exploring internships of interest for your sophomore and junior year.  Identify the skills needed in these professions and begin working to develop these skills.

  • Strengthen your fellowship with the Lord through Bible reading, and prayer and fellowship with other believers.  Grasp hold of the vision for which you believe you have been called and begin to walk it out in faith. (Hebrews 11:6; 2 Timothy 1:9; Jeremiah 29:11-13; Romans 11:29; Psalm 119:105)

Checklist of career planning activities

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Third Year: Career Experience

CAREER PLANNING OBJECTIVES FOR A THIRD-YEAR STUDENT

  • Gain further understanding of the skills or additional education (beyond the Bachelor’s level) that you may need to have in your field to make you most successful in your career.  Gain these skills through part-time work experiences or leadership opportunities during the school year.
  • Prepare for a dynamic internship this summer.  Get started early in the fall as there is much to do to get ready and as summer internships are extremely competitive.
  • If you need to consider graduate school immediately following your bachelor's degree, then start this process during the second semester of your third (junior) year.  There is much to do to get ready for graduate school.  Come to Career Services for details and to get started.
  • Strengthen your fellowship with the Lord through Bible reading, prayer, and gathering with other believers.  Learn to be patient on God's timing and faithful to pursue aggressively that with which He has called you to do.  (Psalm 27:11-14; James 1:25; Deuteronomy 11:13-15)

Checklist of career planning activities

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Fourth Year: Career Search

CAREER PLANNING OBJECTIVES FOR A FOURTH-YEAR STUDENT

  • Seek opportunities that fit with your career decision and experience.  There are many different job titles in the world-of-work for which you qualify.  Ask for help in Career Services with starting your search.  Learn the techniques to use to connect with employers.  Get started early as opportunities are competitive and many employers recruit college graduates 10-12 months in advance.
  • Strongly reflect upon the knowledge that you have acquired about who you are in Christ Jesus.  Know your talents, gifts, skills, and personal qualities.  Begin reflecting upon examples during the past 4-5 years when you were demonstrating their talents and qualities at your very best.  These examples will serve as great stories to share in upcoming interviews.
  • Strengthen your fellowship with the Lord through Bible reading, prayer and gatherings with other believers.  Know that when God sends you, He accompanies you on your journey.  Trust him to care for every detail that arises this year.  (John 14:12-14; John 15:1-7; Romans 8:38-39; Matthew 21:21-22; I Peter 3:12)

Checklist of career planning activities

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SUGGESTED CAREER PLANNING ACTIVITIES FOR A FIRST-YEAR STUDENT

  • Begin your self-exploration process by gaining a better understanding of who you are in Christ Jesus. By learning to see ourselves as Jesus sees us, we will be better equipped to accept ourselves and to “press on” to all that God has in store for us.

  • Take the Clifton StrengthsFinder and gain understanding of your "top 5" talents.  Use the www.strengthsquest.com website resources after taking this development tool online to develop a few of your talents into lifetime strengths.

  • Take the MBTI (Personality Assessment) and gain understanding of the components that make "you" who you are.  Then schedule an appointment with Career Services to have your results interpreted.

  • Take the MAPP (Interest Assessment) and gain understanding of what aspects of your interest are most appealing to you.

  • Take the Skills Test and gain understanding of how your skills correlate with career choices.

  • Schedule an appointment with Career Services to gain further insights into the role of values, motivations, and environments.

  • View What can I do with a Major in…? on the Career Services website to begin exploring potential careers and industries that appeal to you.

  • Review additional materials about career fields in the Career Services Office.

  • Pray about the knowledge you have gained in this first year and ask the Lord what He would have you do with it.  Spend ample time in prayer and listening to His voice.

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SUGGESTED CAREER PLANNING ACTIVITIES FOR A SECOND-YEAR STUDENT

  • Learn how your "top 5" talents from the Clifton Strengthsfinder can be used to help you explore potential career paths that may be satisfying to you.  Take the Clifton Strengthsfinder if you haven't already to determine your greatest natural talents.

  • Continue to research specific careers by utilizing the resources in Career Services and the O*Net (Occupations Network) and the Career and Industry Profiles on wetfeet.com.

  • Develop a network by contacting friends, parents, faculty, and alumni to identify people who are doing the kinds of things that you want to do in your career.

  • Choose an academic major. Complete the necessary forms and get your advisor’s signature.  Seek help in Career Services if you do not know what major to choose.

  • Review the “What Can I Do with a major in?” on the Career Services website to see a list of potential internships and career search links.

  • Come to Career Services to review information about various careers and to seek out additional internship opportunities.

  • Hunt for other internship possibilities on the "What Can I Do with a major in?" page, or on IndianaIntern.net by registering your profile
  • Complete the registration screens on HisJob4Me, the Career Services career information alert system that will communicate internships and other job openings to you that may be of interest.

  • Schedule an appointment with Career Services to write your resume and cover letter in application for internships and to discuss interviewing for these positions.

  • Continue throughout the second year praying to God for clarity about your calling and for favor with securing an internship or experience related to your field of interest.

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SUGGESTED CAREER PLANNING ACTIVITIES FOR A THIRD-YEAR STUDENT

  • Attend the NICE Expo Job Fair in April (for non-education majors) to explore internships.

  • Make an appointment with Career Services to update your resume and cover letter, and polish your interviewing skills.

  • Review Job Search Tips on the Career Services webpage.

  • Explore graduate and professional school options by reviewing information in the Career Services Office.

  • Review the Graduate School Information links provided on the Career Services web pages to explore the importance of starting early, issues of financial aid, and more.

  • Come to Career Services and pick up information about registering for the GRE, LSAT, GMAT, or MCAT (if considering graduate school).

  • Register your profile with HisJob4Me, an online service of Grace College Career Services that will notify you of job openings that are received in the office that match the kind of positions for which you are seeking.
  • Click on Grace Jobs and Internships to hunt for other part-time jobs or internship possibilities.

  • View the What Can I Do With a Major In…? section of the Career Services webpage to review strategies for success within your major and to review links to associations and possible internship opportunities.

  • Continue to gain information about careers utilizing the O*Net (Occupations Network) and the Career and Industry Profiles on wetfeet.com.

  • Continue to develop your relationship with the Lord through Bible reading and prayer. Ask the Lord to continue to shape you into his image so that you can be a witness in the field for which you are preparing.  Listen to His leading about your career decisions.

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SUGGESTED CAREER PLANNING ACTIVITIES FOR A FOURTH-YEAR STUDENT

  • Make an appointment with Career Services to update your resume and cover letter, polish your interview skills, and learn about conducting an effective job search.

  • Review Job Search Tips on the Career Services webpage.

  • Click on Grace Jobs and Internship to hunt for full-time jobs related to your field.

  • Review the “What Can I Do with a major in?” on the Career Services website to see a list of career search links and professional organization web pages.

  • Finalize a professional portfolio, if appropriate.

  • Attend the NICE Expo in April (non-education majors) or the Teacher Recruitment Day in April (education majors).

  • Make a contact list of family, friends, faculty and others who you can inform regarding available job openings, possible employers, and additional referrals.

  • Ask Career Services about Informational Interviewing.

  • Secure professional references.

  • Apply to graduate schools, if appropriate.

  • Make an appointment with Career Services to review your Strengthfinder results and how they apply to you in the interview and job search processes.

  • Continue to strengthen you relationship with the Lord. Don’t waver in your faith. He is your provider and knows your every need. Trust Him fully with every detail. Return praise and glory to Him at all times.

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