Watch this overview of the six areas of career development.
Career Road Map
Wherever you may be in your career journey – starting to look or ready to apply – the steps and resources below can help you chart your course.
Knowing more about your strengths and abilities can help you identify career paths that will align with your best self. Formal career assessments can enhance your awareness of your work interests, work values, work and career readiness skills, personality, leisure interests and career planning readiness.
Focus 2 Career is an online, self-guided, assessment service that provides valid and reliable assessments including the Holland code (work interest) & and MBTI types (personality). Each assessment takes about 5 to 10 minutes to complete. You can combine your assessment results and explore career options and academic majors that align with you. Career options provided are limited to the approximately 867 detailed occupations defined by the Standard Occupational Classification system.
Create your free student account using the access code: EAGLESLA
Additional Self-assessment Support
Career advisors guide you through the sections of Focus 2 Career in these instructional videos:
- Focus 2 Career Planning Foundations (instructional video)
- Focus 2 Self Assessments (instructional video)
- Focus 2 Explore the Possibilities (instructional video)
- Focus 2 Action Plan Portfolio (instructional video)
Additional career services videos include:
Knowing more about what is possible can help you determine career paths of interest and strategies to achieve them. With a better understanding of the working world, you can more easily envision how you can best fit into that world. Career advisors provide these resources to help you with this exploration.
- What Can I Do With This Major? lists general academic majors and the areas in which you can pursue a career.
- Employers by Major lists employers in California by the majors they hire.
- Vault Guides to Jobs offers eBooks on careers by industry. The Vault channel provides videos that support the guides.
- Projected Openings in Occupations that Require a College Degree is provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics with detailed data.
- Job Future Caster shows what the future prospects for a job will be like and the education path that you’ll need to pursue.
- Explore Graduate Earnings Data shows the salary and employment data of Cal State LA alumni by major. Select Los Angeles.
Career Conversations
One of the best ways to begin exploring career paths is to have a conversation with professionals in a field you're interested in. You can learn more about a career and how to get there, ask about their work, major and career pathway and the skills required in the position. Career advisors provide these online resources to help you get started.
- Cal State LA Alumni Mentoring Program (website) connects you with alumni who would like to have career conversations.
- Informational Interview (handout) provides a list of questions you can ask a professional in a career conversation.
- Roadtrip Nation Documentaries (website) show how people like you found work that they love.
Networking is about building relationships and community. It involves sharing your story and goals with people who have similar professional interests. Your network can point you to career opportunities, offer advice and support.
- Job Searching 101: Network Your Way to a Job (presentation)
- Career Conversations (website with resources)
- Building Your Professional Brand (website with resources)
- Networking on LinkedIn (presentation)
Career Communities to Join
- Handshake – This Cal State LA job platform allows you to build career connections with your peers, students around the country, and employers seeking to connect with Golden Eagles.
- Alumni Mentoring Program – The Cal State LA Alumni Association provides one-time and traditional mentoring for students and recent graduates.
- LinkedIn Career Center Group – Group memberships on LinkedIn provide a place for professionals with similar interests to share their insights and experiences, ask for guidance and build professional connections. Join the Career Center group to get started.
Additional Tips
- LinkedIn Profile Checklist for College Students (handout by LinkedIn)
- Business Writing Etiquette (presentation)
- Business Writing (video)
Organizations provide opportunities to help you explore career paths, build your career skills and gain the discipline-specific experience needed to launch your career upon graduation. The experiences below can be included in your résumé.
- Volunteerism – Giving your time to an organization is a helpful way to demonstrate your work qualities. If you volunteer in your academic discipline of interest, you can also gain experience to determine if the work environment is best for you. The Center for Engagement, Service and the Public Good provides volunteer opportunities.
- Externships & Job Shadowing - These experiences provide an opportunity to observe a workplace, sit in on meetings and have career conversations with employees. Schedule an appointment with career advisors to find an externship or job shadowing opportunity.
- Student Jobs on Campus – These experiences allow you to gain professional skills and may provide experience in your discipline. Explore the opportunities on Cal State LA Handshake.
- Internships – These experiences allow you to directly apply what you are learning in the classroom to a work environment. Explore the opportunities on Cal State LA Handshake.
- Part-time & Full-time Jobs – Employers are eager to hire Golden Eagles and they provide opportunities that usually do not require any experience. Explore the opportunities on Cal State LA Handshake.
Résumés and cover letters are your personal marketing materials. They not only show that you’re qualified for a job, they also let employers know who you are and how you can contribute to their organization. A good interview can help propel you further in the selection process. Use our resources to prepare:
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Information Sessions – Attend these employer presentations for career exploration and decision-making. Learn about the organization’s mission, values and work culture; what it’s like to work there; which career pathways are available within the organization; how to have career conversations with staff; and how to successfully apply.
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On-Campus Interviews – Apply to positions and be invited to interview for the opportunity.
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Career Fairs – Campus-wide career fairs are offered twice a year, typically in September and March.
Connect for Career Support
Career advisors and coordinators can help with self and career exploration, career planning, internships, career networking, résumé and interview skills, and employment searches. We offer group and individual appointments.