Professional Development Topics ➜ Exploring Majors & Careers


Title & Content Type Due Date
Pre-meeting Assignment

Visit and browse your college’s Career Center website and/or in-person to learn how they help students (just like you!) explore majors and careers.

  • What kind of information and resources are available through your college’s Career Center to learn more about majors and careers?
  • Who on your campus can answer your questions about careers and how they relate to academic majors? Internships? 
  • Where’s a great place to start exploring majors and careers?

Identify 1-2 goals you aim to accomplish through this mentoring engagement.

Pre Meeting After -2 Days
Meeting One - Conversation Starters
  • What are you passionate about? What makes you enthusiastic?
  • Thinking about your student or professional roles, what skills and activities do you enjoy the most, and why? 
  • What factors are important to you when considering a career path at this point in your life? Has that changed over time?
  • Brainstorm: What kind of information would be helpful to better understand this major/career and if it’s a path you want to pursue?

REMINDER: During this meeting, you must discuss a time to schedule Meeting 2, please refer to the Timeline below for the date for Meeting 2 and work with each other to schedule time for Meeting 2 on the date indicated in the Timeline item: Meeting Two – Conversation Starters.

Event After 0 Days
Deliverable

 Narrow your focus to one or two majors/careers. 

  • Browse, search, and review online resources to gather facts and information about a major, field, and/or occupation of your interest. Resources are provided. What kind of information is available? Which information is relevant and important for you to know?
  • Create a “Profile” of the major, field, and/or occupation in written format, highlighting the type of information you have gathered your key findings from the exercise. Use the Career Profiling Worksheet  and any formats (diagram or chart, list, narrative, etc.) you find helpful to communicate the information.
Submission Required After 11 Days
Meeting Two- Conversation Starters
  • Reflecting on the profile, how does this information relate to your own interests, passions, and values? 
  • What questions remain about this or other majors or careers? 
  • What kinds of hands-on, real-world experience would you like to gain more insight into the career or field? 
  • Are there opportunities for levering or building social connections to learn more?

REMINDER: During this meeting, you must discuss a time to schedule Meeting 3, please refer to the Timeline below for the date for Meeting 3 and work with each other to schedule time for Meeting 3 on the date indicated in the Timeline item: Meeting Three – Conversation Starters.

Event After 13 Days
Final Deliverable

Write a thank-you email letter to your mentor that details your thoughts on the following:

  • What you value/appreciate about and learned from the mentoring experience.
  • Your ideas for the next steps to learn more, including through real-world experience.
Submission Required After 18 Days
Meeting Three - Conversation Starters
  • What feedback can you the Mentor offer on the Final Deliverable?
  • What questions do you the Mentee have for the Mentor?
  • What are the next steps in continuing to develop the knowledge, skills, strategies, etc. you’ve been working on?
Event After 20 Days
Post-Engagement Survey

Mentors and Mentees please use the following link to complete the Post-Engagement Survey

Evaluation After 21 Days