Four Year Plan

A Guide for MVNU Students from the Counseling and Career Center

Freshman | Sophomore | Junior | Senior

 

Freshman Year

• Seek God's guidance as you begin your college career.
• Discover who you are and the strengths God has given you in your personality, interests, values, and skills. See the Counseling and Career Center to schedule a Myers-Briggs interpretation or to work on SIGI Plus.
• Get involved in a variety of extra-curricular activities and Christian service opportunities.
• Register for a variety of courses to help you identify what broad areas most interest you.
• Begin to explore various career options that relate to University majors of interest to you. SIGI Plus and other tools in the Counseling and Career Center can help.
• Work on getting the highest grades you can. If you need help with tutoring or other academic assistance, contact the Academic Support Office.
• Talk with Career Services about your decision process.
• Read a book each semester that is not required reading for your coursework. Select one that challenges you in your thinking and imagination.
• Work on your writing skills by writing home or to a friend every week or two (instead of always calling on the telephone).
• Keep aware of what is going on in the world by reading the newspaper or at least looking up news highlights on the Internet. (Try US News, for example.)
• Stay healthy or get healthy by joining intramurals, exercising regularly, eating well and getting enough sleep.

Sophomore Year

• Continue to seek God's guidance.
• Choose a major and research career options that relate to your major.
• Focus on a few extra-curricular or Christian service activities that will broaden knowledge of your field, give you leadership experience, and/or help in the development of skills that will make you more marketable.
• Consider a ministry trip to work with people of a different culture than your own. Contact the Chaplain's office for more information.
• Get relevant experience in your area of interest by volunteer work, a part-time job or a summer job.
• Read as much as possible about the careers you are considering and leaders in those fields.
• Begin to build a wardrobe of appropriate clothing for your chosen career (Christmas and birthday gifts?).
• Join a professional organization that will help you build knowledge of your field. (See Career Services for information.)
• Begin to put together a resume. Save it on a disk. You will make many additions and changes over the next couple years. See Career Services if you need help.
• Talk to as many people as possible in your field of interest.
  
  

Junior Year

• Continue to seek God's guidance.
• Continue to earn the best grades possible (on all subjects, but especially in your major).
• Make necessary contacts for potential internship opportunities.
• Continue to work on your resume. It should be in good shape by the end of your junior year.
• Become actively involved (not just a member) in extracurricular activities that relate to your major or field of interest.
• Begin to identify organizations or employers that relate to your career goals. See Career Services if you need help.
• Begin to research graduate schools. If you desire an assistantship, you often have to apply a year early. If a graduate exam is required, you'll need to know test dates and registration process.
• Continue to obtain relevant experience in volunteer, part-time, or summer positions.
• Take relevant elective courses that will help prepare you for your career goals.
• Continue to build your work wardrobe, read as much as you can about your field, practice healthy living, etc.
• Look over your Myers-Briggs information again. Or, schedule an interpretation if you have not yet done so. You probably will see yourself in a different light now than you did as a freshman or sophomore.
  
  

Senior Year

• Continue to seek God's guidance as you begin your job search.
• If you have not yet had an internship, do it now.
• If you have not applied to graduate school and taken the required entrance exams, do so early in your senior year.
• Finalize your resume and register it with MVNU's Resume Service in the Counseling and Career Center.
• Register with Career Services to begin your credential file.
• Watch a video about interview techniques in the Counseling and Career Center. Set up a time for a mock interview to help prepare you for the real thing.
• Register to interview with employers who come to campus.
• Check vacancy listings in the Counseling and Career Center Library and in our Job Postings on the Internet.
• Continue to build your wardrobe, read, write, stay healthy, etc.
• Attend a job search seminar and any other career related seminars.
• Attend job fairs, career fairs, and any other opportunities.
• Finish your University career academically strong by earning the very best grades you can.
• Network with people to let them know you are looking for a job.
• Pick up free-for-seniors Job Choices magazine in the Counseling and Career Center that contains articles about all aspects of the job search.