What is Career Development?
“Career development is the lifelong process of managing learning, work, leisure, and transitions in order to move toward a personally determined and evolving preferred future.” — CERIC & CCCD, 2019
Every person’s career journey is different. Because career development is a lifelong process, it is normal to feel uncertainty and anxiety about career decisions at various points in your life. We encourage you to be kind to yourself and remember that you’ve already made career decisions successfully in the past (finishing high school, choosing STU) and you will make many more career decisions in the future.
At STU, we support you in the creation of a career plan that you will begin to develop in your first year of study. We will guide you in this process until you are ready to graduate.
There are four major steps to creating a career plan:
- Self-Exploration – Taking time to consider your interests, skills and abilities, values, and personal characteristics.
- Job Exploration – Thinking about various occupations, industries, and companies you might be interested in and taking time to explore these.
- Career Decision Making – Narrowing it down to a few career paths. Considering the pros and cons of each career and what you will need to do to pursue this path successfully.
- Make an Action Plan – Building on your skills and experiences while deciding what steps you need to take to get the job you want. This could include volunteering, taking specific courses, joining a club, or doing an internship.
During your time at university, it is important to try new things, participate in a variety of opportunities, learn new skills, and reflect on these experiences. No matter which part of the career development process you are in, we are here to help!
Would you like support acquiring experience? Start with the following resources:
- Learning in Action – STU’s experiential learning and career platform has job boards for on and off-campus employment, events and workshops, as well as a record of all your skill building experiences here at STU.
- Resume and Cover Letter Workshop: Attend this workshop to understand how to increase your chances of getting an interview by articulating your accomplishments properly in your resume and cover letter. For dates and registration, visit Learning in Action and click on the Events page.
- Complete the Asynchronous Resume and Cover Letter Workshop if you would prefer to learn about resume and cover letter writing on your own time.
- One-on-one resume and cover letter support: If you’ve already attended a workshop and would like extra support with your resume and cover letter, you can book a one-on-one appointment by visiting Learning in Action and clicking on the Book an Appointment page.
- One-on-one career planning and employment support: Use this booking link to book a one-on-one appointment with our Career Development Advisor.
“I wouldn't have gotten my summer job without help from the Career Development Office! We did a mock interview, talked about what potential employers are looking for, discussed previous job-hunting experiences and tips for the future. After, I was clearer with my goals and what I wanted to provide through the role I had applied for.”
- Gauri Balagopal