Career Milestones: Forester Career Plan

Developing career goals — and a plan of action to achieve them — is a central part of your Lake Forest education. With guidance from the Career Advancement Center, along with your professors, coaches, and a host of alumni, you’ll learn how to choose a major, build and activate a professional network, and develop a plan to position yourself for success after college.

LEARN

Learn about yourself and your career/academic options

• Talk to faculty and upperclassmen about what, why, and how they do it
• Take new and interesting courses
• Join an on-campus organization
• Build a resume
• Think about declaring a major and select a faculty advisor

DEVELOP

Target a (few) professional pathway(s) and develop relevant skills.

• Talk to professionals to gather career specific information
• Pursue job shadowing, research, volunteer work, or a summer internship
• Update your resume with new experiences
• Declare a major and select a faculty advisor

STRENGTHEN

Refine your professional pathway(s) and strengthen relevant skills.

• Research potential companies, organizations, and graduate/professional schools
• Talk to professionals at the sites you’ve identified or in your field(s) of interest
• Identify ways you need to strengthen your skill set and pursue additional coursework, internships, job shadowing, research, or other development opportunities
• Practice articulating your unique skills and experiences by updating your resume, preparing for interviews, and developing a brief self-introduction

POLISH

Polish your credentials and pursue opportunities with employers and graduate/professional schools that fit your skills, interests, and values.

• Mobilize your network to help with the search; keep contacts informed about your progress and transition
• Complete an additional internship or research opportunity in your target field
• Refine your resume and interviewing skills
• Identify and apply for employment, graduate school, fellowships, or other opportunities
• Prepare to negotiate, navigate, and accept offers

Students and alumni have access to Vault Campus which has over 100 titles of award-winning career guides, including interview strategies, job-search tips, and full-length profiles of leading companies.