Hello Explorers! Read on to learn about your 4-year path, watch a fun video on informational interviews, and hear more about the latest content we have been creating for you.
As the Exploring Interest Group, we highly recommend you take time to reflect on who you are and what you want out of life. Reflecting on your interests, skills, curiosities, and identifying the people who you want to connect with is the first step towards figuring out your unique path. The 4-Year Path to Career Success is a great tool to help you get started on your reflection and planning process. You can fill this out on your own or you can meet with us for assistance either by logging into Handshake to schedule an appointment or you can attend one of our Virtual Drop-In sessions. We are here to help you create the life you want to live-happy exploring!
Put Your Curiosity to the Test
Do you want to explore an area of interest, but you don’t know where to begin? One step you can take is to set up an informational interview with someone working in a job or career you’re curious about to learn more about that chosen field. By interviewing a professional contact and asking them about their experience you’ll receive career advice, you’ll bridge connections and learn more about whether it’s something to consider as a career. In addition, it will help you map out your next steps.
To prepare for informational interview(s) you’ll want to research the professional’s current position, the organization they work for, and then reflect on what’s most important for you to learn about during this conversation. This will help you think of the questions you want to ask them during your time together. Remember, they were once in your shoes, so try not to feel intimidated by the interview; it’s all about building a trusting relationship. After the interview, reflect on what you learned- is it something you want to pursue further? Are there more skills you need to gain? Are there other people you want to connect with? If you need help, please connect with us.
Here’s a helpful video to learn how to get started!
Instagram Story Highlight reminder
The Exploring Interest Group has been creating curated information to put out on the Career Center Instagram. Check out information about how to explore through different experiences, what career competencies are and how to develop them, and interactive stories that give you the space to reflect! Keep checking for awesome content!
Get Matched and Virtual Drop-Ins
Get Matched: Join us to explore major options, by engaging in 1:1 discussion and/or by completing the Choosing a Major activity. Register in advance or drop-in, and get advice and help on May 5th from 7-8pm.
Virtual Drop-ins: The Career Center is excited to offer drop-in hours again! We will be hosting these appointments virtually, and there is no need to sign up in advance. Just log into this link: go.uvm.edu/ccdrop-in, to meet with a couple of Peer Leaders who will be available to help throughout the week.
You can meet with Alex, the Exploring Interest Group Peer Leader on Mondays from 1-2pm and Wednesdays from 5-6pm. You can meet with Peer Leaders from another Interest Group on Thursday from 1-2pm, too, if those hours work best for you!
Resources
UVM Clubs – Find clubs you want to join! By joining a club or two, you can meet other students who share the same interests and you will build skills that can transfer into the professional world.
Join an Interest Group – This will help you explore your interests through events, specialized resources and opportunities to meet people in the field of interest. Just log into Handshake and choose your Interest Group today.