Career Planning Pathway

It’s not about finding your path — it’s about creating it. In today’s rapidly changing and competitive job market, career planning has become an essential aspect of your college journey. Working with Susquehanna’s Career Development Center, you will plan your career throughout your college years. This proactive approach will not only enhance your employability but also empower you to shape your own professional destiny.


Student Guide to Career Development 

First Year: Discover

  • Meet the Career Development staff: Schedule an appointment with a Career Advisor to discuss your strengths, values, interests and goals.
  • Activate your Handshake account: Access campus jobs, internships, career opportunities, events and programs in your areas of interest.
  • Start to build your college resume: Join student organizations that interest you, volunteer in the community and/or obtain a campus job. Use the resume guides on the Career Development Center’s mySU page or Handshake to draft a resume then have it reviewed by a Career Advisor!
  • Consider your interests/discover career paths for your major: Review the academic course catalog, websites like onetonline.org and bls.gov/ooh, and the “What Can I Do With This Major” resource via mySU to identify and explore potential majors and minors.
  • Develop professional relationships: Connect with your faculty who will guide your academic development. Attend first-year experience programs to learn more about campus resources and staff who can help you!
  • Create your LinkedIn Profile and launch your SU LinkedIn Learning account: Gain access to our network of 15,000+ alumni, research companies, unlock learning experiences taught by real-world professionals, and apply for jobs and internships.

Sophomore Year: Explore

  • Investigate your interests: Attend career programs and workshops, and our employment, internship, and graduate school fairs to learn how to  and experiences related to your interests.
  • Connect with professionals, alumni, faculty and staff: Conduct informational inter views with alumni and others to learn about potential career paths. When possible, shadow a professional in your  eld of interest.
  • Connect with faculty and staff who can inform you of opportunities connected to your career interests.
  • Search for opportunities: Update your Handshake account and LinkedIn profile to find and apply for campus jobs and internships.
  • Update your resume: Have your resume reviewed by a Career Advisor.
  • Participate in Break Through career treks and on-campus events to learn from alumni working in your fields of interest.
  • Engage in a LinkedIn Learning course: Learn skills, gain knowledge, and earn credentials to prepare you for internships and careers.
  • Build your experience: Take an active role in a student or volunteer organization to develop and enhance your career readiness skills.
  • Ensure that your social media accounts are appropriate and professional.

Junior Year: Connect

  • Set career goals: Develop a career action plan in conjunction with Career Advisors and academic advisor.
  • Participate: Attend recruiting events, career fairs, networking events and workshops.
  • Network with alumni at Break Through events both on and off campus.
    Identify a mentor (or mentors) and complete informational inter views with professionals aligned with your career goals.
  • Seek a leadership position(s) with a student organization, serve as a teaching or research assistant, obtain on-campus employment and more!
  • Create or update your LinkedIn account, ask super visors for skill endorsements and complete LinkedIn Learning courses.
  • Expand your knowledge: Study on-campus, complete an internship or research experience, and volunteer. Apply for experiential education funds to assist with internships and other opportunities that complement your studies.
  • Graduate School Track: Research graduate schools and register to take the appropriate entrance exams. Update your resume/CV and discuss plans with faculty mentors and Career Advisors.
  • Workforce Track: Update your resume and begin asking faculty and professional contacts for permission to use them as a professional reference.

Senior Year: Achieve

  • Meet with a Career Advisor early in your senior year to strategize and  finalize your post graduate plans. Have Career Advisors, faculty, and mentors review your application materials.
  • Engage: Attend campus workshops and events to learn more about the job search, applying to graduate school, interviewing, professional etiquette, and negotiating salary/benefits.
  • Network with and inter view professionals in the industries, locations and companies that interest you by attending job fairs and other events.
  • Confirm that your social media presence and LinkedIn profile are employer appropriate; show engagement with your field of interest.
  • Schedule a practice job or graduate school inter view to hone your presentation skills.

Graduate School Track

  • Schedule a practice job or graduate school inter view to hone your presentation skills.
  • Research graduate schools and register for the appropriate entrance exams.
  • Draft and revise personal statements.
  • Ask professional contacts to write letters of recommendation.
  • Update your resume/CV and discuss plans with faculty mentors and Career Advisors.
  • Submit your graduate school applications EARLY!

Workforce Track

  • Ask faculty and professional contacts for permission to use them as a professional reference.
  • Update your resume, draft and revise cover letters.
  • Track the applications you submit to ensure appropriate follow-up!
  • <div class="spotlight one-image-module"> <div class="content"> <div class="info-box"> <p class="h3"> Real-World Experience </p> <p> “The Miami Dolphins’ internet presence show that they are one of the most talented groups of creatives in the country, and the opportunity to learn from them is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. From Day One at Susquehanna, I was challenged with things in the editing room, production studio and classroom that I may not have gotten until later years elsewhere. This internship is preparing me to work for high-level organizations with large teams. I will be better prepared for things such as project management, organization and constructive criticism.”</p> <h4> Brendan Alvino ’24</h4> <h5> Sports Media Major</h5> <p> Internship with the Miami Dolphins</p> <p> <a class="btn btn-primary btn btn-primary" href="/about-susquehanna/newsroom/?search=&topic=Internships&year=#results">See More Internships</a> </p> </div> <div class="image-right"> <picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" media="(max-width: 500px)" srcset="/live/image/gid/54/width/500/src_region/0,0,3200,2133/11703_230628-EmployeeLifestylePortraits-BA0796_1.rev.1694723054.webp 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/54/width/500/src_region/0,0,3200,2133/11703_230628-EmployeeLifestylePortraits-BA0796_1.rev.1694723054.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/54/width/500/src_region/0,0,3200,2133/11703_230628-EmployeeLifestylePortraits-BA0796_1.rev.1694723054.webp 3x"/> <source type="image/webp" media="(min-width: 501px)" srcset="/live/image/gid/54/width/680/src_region/0,0,3200,2133/11703_230628-EmployeeLifestylePortraits-BA0796_1.rev.1694723054.webp 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/54/width/680/src_region/0,0,3200,2133/11703_230628-EmployeeLifestylePortraits-BA0796_1.rev.1694723054.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/54/width/680/src_region/0,0,3200,2133/11703_230628-EmployeeLifestylePortraits-BA0796_1.rev.1694723054.webp 3x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" media="(max-width: 500px)" srcset="/live/image/gid/54/width/500/src_region/0,0,3200,2133/11703_230628-EmployeeLifestylePortraits-BA0796_1.rev.1694723054.jpg 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/54/width/500/src_region/0,0,3200,2133/11703_230628-EmployeeLifestylePortraits-BA0796_1.rev.1694723054.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/54/width/500/src_region/0,0,3200,2133/11703_230628-EmployeeLifestylePortraits-BA0796_1.rev.1694723054.jpg 3x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" media="(min-width: 501px)" srcset="/live/image/gid/54/width/680/src_region/0,0,3200,2133/11703_230628-EmployeeLifestylePortraits-BA0796_1.rev.1694723054.jpg 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/54/width/680/src_region/0,0,3200,2133/11703_230628-EmployeeLifestylePortraits-BA0796_1.rev.1694723054.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/54/width/680/src_region/0,0,3200,2133/11703_230628-EmployeeLifestylePortraits-BA0796_1.rev.1694723054.jpg 3x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/54/width/680/src_region/0,0,3200,2133/11703_230628-EmployeeLifestylePortraits-BA0796_1.rev.1694723054.jpg" alt="Employee Lifestyle Portraits Wednesday, June 28th, 2023 in Miami Gardens, Fla. (Brennan Asplen/Miami Dolphins)" width="680" height="453" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/54/width/680/src_region/0,0,3200,2133/11703_230628-EmployeeLifestylePortraits-BA0796_1.rev.1694723054.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/54/width/680/src_region/0,0,3200,2133/11703_230628-EmployeeLifestylePortraits-BA0796_1.rev.1694723054.jpg 3x" data-max-w="3200" data-max-h="2133" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </div> </div> </div>
  • <div class="spotlight one-image-module"> <div class="content"> <div class="info-box"> <p class="h3"> Get career-ready outside the classroom </p> <p> The skills you gain outside of the classroom are just as valuable as the ones you learn in it.</p> <p> Running a club, being part of a sports team and performing community service will give you important skills employers seek, like leadership, teamwork, planning and problem-solving.</p> <p> We can help you sell these skills to future employers on paper and in person!</p> </div> <div class="image-right"> <picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" media="(max-width: 500px)" srcset="/live/image/gid/54/width/500/src_region/0,0,680,420/5753_Career_Planning_Photo.rev.1622737035.webp 1x"/> <source type="image/webp" media="(min-width: 501px)" srcset="/live/image/gid/54/width/680/src_region/0,0,680,420/5753_Career_Planning_Photo.rev.1622737035.webp 1x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" media="(max-width: 500px)" srcset="/live/image/gid/54/width/500/src_region/0,0,680,420/5753_Career_Planning_Photo.rev.1622737035.jpg 1x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" media="(min-width: 501px)" srcset="/live/image/gid/54/width/680/src_region/0,0,680,420/5753_Career_Planning_Photo.rev.1622737035.jpg 1x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/54/width/680/src_region/0,0,680,420/5753_Career_Planning_Photo.rev.1622737035.jpg" alt="Student meeting with a vendor at a career fair" width="680" height="420" data-max-w="680" data-max-h="420" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </div> </div> </div>
  • <div class="spotlight one-image-module"> <div class="content"> <div class="info-box"> <p class="h3"> GET CAREER-READY OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM </p> <p> The skills you gain outside of the classroom are just as valuable as the ones you learn in it.</p> <p> Running a club, being part of a sports team and performing community service will give you important skills employers seek, like leadership, teamwork, planning and problem-solving.</p> <p> We can help you sell these skills to future employers on paper and in person!</p> </div> <div class="image-right"> <picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" media="(max-width: 500px)" srcset="/live/image/gid/54/width/500/src_region/0,0,680,420/9394_career-planning-photo-text.rev.1631539054.webp 1x"/> <source type="image/webp" media="(min-width: 501px)" srcset="/live/image/gid/54/width/680/src_region/0,0,680,420/9394_career-planning-photo-text.rev.1631539054.webp 1x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" media="(max-width: 500px)" srcset="/live/image/gid/54/width/500/src_region/0,0,680,420/9394_career-planning-photo-text.rev.1631539054.jpg 1x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" media="(min-width: 501px)" srcset="/live/image/gid/54/width/680/src_region/0,0,680,420/9394_career-planning-photo-text.rev.1631539054.jpg 1x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/54/width/680/src_region/0,0,680,420/9394_career-planning-photo-text.rev.1631539054.jpg" alt="" width="680" height="420" data-max-w="680" data-max-h="420" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </div> </div> </div>