Career Planning Timelines
Prepared by Peter Spellman, Director, the Career Development Center
Freshman Year
Academics
- Try required courses to help explore majors.
- Meet regularly with your academic advisor.
- Meet professors; take advantage of office hours.
- Attend Majors Event during the spring quarter.
Career
- Attend Career Talk during orientation.
- Visit the CDC.
- Pick up CDC Summer Job resource packet in the spring semester.
- Meet with a CDC career advisor to become familiar with Berklee’s rich store of career resources and events.
Extracurricular
- Ask an RA or peer advisor for help if you need it.
- Get involved in dorm activities, student organizations, and/or public service projects.
- Nurture hobbies; balance work and play.
- Work on projects requiring teamwork.
Sophomore Year
Academics
- Meet with your academic advisor to discuss majors and your four-year plan.
- Research faculty advisors.
- Take courses that foster discussion.
- Investigate off-campus study-abroad programs.
- Visit departmental webpages to learn about majors and any requirements to declare.
Career
- Visit the CDC if you haven't already done so.
- Spend time in the CDC researching career fields of interest and getting acquainted with its diverse career resources.
- Meet with professionals through the Mentor Program or Berklee Career Network.
- Meet with a career counselor to discuss majors as they relate to careers.
- Become informed of all summer job recruitment events through the CDC.
- Look for summer internships or part-time jobs to gain valuable work experience.
- Pick up CDC's Summer Jobs resource packet.
- Attend CDC workshops and majors fairs.
Extracurricular
- Consider taking a leadership role in your dorm, a campus organization, or class projects.
- Volunteer, building team experience.
Junior Year
Academics
- Study abroad or participate in an off-campus program.
- Research grad school, if appropriate.
- Investigate topics for research projects in your career field.
- Pre-MBA students, prepare to take GMAT; pre-law students, prepare to take LSAT. (The CDC has information on both.)
Career
- Meet with a career counselor to discuss your career goals.
- Attend CDC workshops, panels, and career/internship fairs.
- Schedule informational interviews with alumni through the Berklee Career Network or the Mentor Program to explore careers.
- Become informed of all job recruitment events this year.
- Look for a summer job or internship, or create your own internship relating to your interests.
- Become comfortable researching opportunities online.
- Explore the internship database in the Office of Experiential Learning (OEL).
Extracurricular
- Apply for RA or PAA positions.
- Consider starting a small business.
- Work in an office to build personal skills.
- Participate in a spring break service project or summer public service project funded by Berklee or another organization.
Senior Year
Academics
- Research and apply for grad school. Consider two to three years' work experience first, to enhance learning.
- Work on a research project with a professor.
Career
- Meet with a career counselor to refine your resume and cover letters. Focus and develop your job search and discuss future career plans.
- Explore job search strategies.
- Attend career workshops, or view videotapes and employer information sessions.
- Become informed of all job recruitment events this year.
- Participate in an independent job search.
- Speak with alumni in the Berklee Career Network for career and relocation advice.
- Check CDC job listing publications and online job openings.
- Join professional organizations/associations in your field.
Extracurricular
- Project financial needs and a realistic budget.
- Talk about your first year after graduation: your ideal work, lifestyle, proximity to friends and family, values, and longer-term goals.