Career Center: Four-Year Career Engagement Plan

Professional development is a lifelong journey that begins today!  

The Four-Year Career Engagement Plan provides important action items to empower your career development. The steps in this plan will improve your ability to EXPLORE your strengths, interests and what RMU has to offer, ENGAGE with resources and professionals who can help you along the way, and gain EXPERIENCE through internships, jobs and professional events. All of these steps help you to EXCEL towards an engaged, productive and successful career and life.

EXPLORE: First-Year Students

  • Use Vault, a comprehensive career development online platform, to explore information about career options and professions.
  • Get started in Handshake, the # 1 way employers connect with college students.
  • Visit the Career and Professional Development Center’s (CPDC) webpage to learn about our resources and career-related events.
  • Begin to build your resume through the First Year Seminar Program (FYSP).
  • Read the CPDC newsletter sent to your email for internships, career opportunities, events and resources.
  • Discover campus organizations through Revolution. 
  • Participate in Fall and Spring Career Fairs. As a first year student, the career fair is a great chance to see how the fair works, learn about different careers, meet employers and start networking.  Register on Handshake.
  • Sign up for an Academy to begin to build your professional skills and become career ready.
  • Pursue a part-time on-campus or off-campus job to start gaining experience.
  • Maintain a good GPA.
  • Follow the CPDC on social media     .

ENGAGE: Second-Year Students

  • Continue to explore your career interest at My Next Move
  • Complete and/or update your Profile in Handshake by utilizing our Quick Tip Guide.
  • Build your resume using our Resume Writing Resources.
  • Begin watching instructional videos in Big Interview, an online system that combines training and practice to improve interview techniques and build confidence.
  • Create a LinkedIn profile by utilizing our Quick Tip Guide.
  • Become familiar with what it takes to be Career Ready and sign up for Academies. 
  • Gather information from faculty, fellow students, and employers to develop a professional network.
  • Join on-campus organizations relating to your major and interests.
  • Attend on-campus events with employers/industries that interest you.
  • Attend the Fall and Spring Career Fairs.  As a second year student, the fairs give you a chance to practice your elevator speech, network with employers, and find internships opportunities.
  • Find an internship through Handshake and the Career and Professional Development Center’s newsletter/social media.
  • Obtain information about RMU’s Academic Internship Program.
  • Complete an internship, and gain career related experience.
  • Maintain a good GPA.
  • Research the benefits of graduate school.

EXPERIENCE: Third-Year Students

EXCEL: Fourth-Year Students

  • Apply for graduation through Banner.
  • Update your Handshake and LinkedIn profiles to ensure that both include most recent experience, projects, and skills.
  • Update your resume using our Resume Writing Resources, and continue to improve your interviewing skills through Big Interview.
  • Continue to attend career related events/workshops.
  • Review your social media accounts to ensure that they are professionally appropriate.
  • Ask professors and supervisors to serve as references.
  • Register for Academies to make sure that you are Career Ready.
  • Start your job search early. Many employers interview and hire before graduation.
  • Attend the Fall and Spring Career Fairs. As a fourth year student, the fairs will give you the opportunity to connect and reconnect with employers that you are interested in working for after graduation.
  • Maintain a good GPA.
  • Complete the First Destination Survey once you have accepted your job or are enrolled in graduate school.

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