Career Planning

Find The Career You Were Destined For

Everyone wants a career that they love, but not everyone knows how to plan for it. We can help. Follow these steps to discover the career you'd like to pursue and plan your path.

Download a copy of the UCR Career Center's Career Decision Making Process for a step-by-step approach!

1. Assess your own Values, Interests, Personality/preferences & Skills (VIPS)

We recommend that you take the time to connect with us. Make a "Career Assessment Question" appointment or visit the Drop-in Advising hours to see if an assessment tool is appropriate for you.

Strong Interest Inventory (SII)
The SII evaluates your interests and uses them to suggest majors, internships, and careers. The goal is to help you find career options that are satisfying and well-suited to what you love. You must meet with a Career Specialist to determine if the SII is right for you. If so, you will receive assessment instructions to take the assessment and be scheduled for a group interpretation appointment.
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
The MBTI looks at your personality type and how it will tie into career options and work relationships. The goal is to help you find a career that is suited to your personality preferences. You must meet with a Career Specialist to determine if the MBTI is right for you. If so, you will receive assessment instructions to take the assessment and be scheduled for a group interpretation appointment.
CareerLeader
CareerLeader measures patterns of business-related interests, values, and abilities. It is appropriate for students interested in any type of business career, regardless of major. It is recommended that you schedule an appointment with your Career Specialist to review your results. ($20)
Focus 2
Focus 2 is our free assessment tool. It combines career, UCR major exploration, decision-making, and action planning. You can log into Handshake and take it right now (Watch this Video to locate it on Handshake)! If you would like your results interpreted, please schedule a group assessment interpretation workshop for Focus 2 via Handshake.

2. Explore Careers and Options

College is the perfect time to explore careers and job options.

Use the Career Center’s career exploration resources in Handshake and also this link to find out more about Careers in Your Major. Browse major-related books and handouts, publications about the structure of work, and detailed information about employers. Our career counselors can also help prepare you for job shadowing.
Attend on-campus info sessions and panels featuring employers and alumni. Please check our student employment page or Handshake for upcoming sessions.
Take into account your assessment results (if needed) and explore professions you may not have previously considered. You may surprise yourself!
Also, check out this resource guide to further assist you with your major choice & exploration.

3. Get Experience and Build Skills

Gaining actual work experience is one of the most important elements in career planning.

Participate in internships, part-time jobs, seasonal employment, undergraduate research, work-study jobs, volunteer opportunities or any combination of these. Start with searching Handshake job listings for open opportunities.
Routinely assess & reassess your VIPS. Update your resume, attend our skill-building workshops (or watch the recordings) and focus on project-driven classes that offer real-world experience.
Come to the Career Center to discover additional support and explore our resources. Our Career Specialists can provide you with expert advising and help you gain the experience and skills you desire.

4. Prepare for Your Job Search

Don’t wait to prepare – you want to begin the process during your first year at UCR! We’re here to help. Every quarter, the Career Center offers workshops in a few areas:

Resume and Cover Letter Writing
Networking
Job/Internship Search Support
Professional Etiquette
Interview Preparations

Career Specialists also create new workshops in specific areas of student interest.

We also offer On-Campus Interview programs, exciting career fairs and recruitment events featuring top-tier employers. You can find out more about this also on Handshake.

Check our calendar for upcoming workshops and events.

5. Stay on Track

Our First Year-Senior Career Plan and College-Specific Milestones are like maps that lead you to your career. They show you which steps to take, when to take them and how to get the most out of the Career Center throughout the process.
Use them in tandem to plan ahead and check your progress regularly.

6.Connect to Us

Our professional Career Center staff members can answer questions and offer individual career counseling.

Get Individual Career Counseling

Sometimes you just need to talk to an expert! Whether your concern is about choosing a major, finding a job or internship, creating a resume or learning interview etiquette – we can help you.

Drop-in Advising Hours

Sign-up for a 15-minute, same day appointment to get started or answer quick questions. View the schedule at careers.ucr.edu.

Make an Appointment

For one-on-one help tailored to your situation, schedule an individual career counseling appointment via Handshake.

Get Community Support

Guiding You to Career Success

UCR's Career Center partners with many other departments to offer a variety of programs to assist all students on their career path, providing guidance on resume writing, job searching and interviewing. The Career Center also provides specialized programming for underrepresented student groups, including students with disabilities (ASPIRE), first-generation college students (ORBITS), undocumented students (Butterfly Project), and student veterans (Operation VETS). Click on the name of the program to learn more about the program and who to contact.

ASPIRE

A partnership with UCR's Student Disability Resource Center, ASPIRE (Abilities-focused Students: Planning, Informing, Resource building, Exploring employment) is a career-development and professional-leadership program focused on the enhancement and exploration of career skills and transferable life skills for undergraduate students with disabilities.

More Info

Elizabeth Montgomery: elizabeth.montgomery@ucr.edu

Glyn Wild: glynw@ucr.edu

Butterfly Project

A partnership with UCR's Undocumented Student Programs, the Butterfly Project is a 10-week program designed to provide professional-development opportunities to students. In addition to completing weekly service hours, students participate in weekly workshops that focus on topics including resume and cover letter writing, internship searches, interview skills, and graduate and professional school preparation.

More Info

Website: go.ucr.edu/butterfly

Kimberly Kampen: kimberly.kampen@ucr.edu

Ana Coria: ana.coria@ucr.edu

Operation VETS

A partnership with UCR's Veterans Resource Center, Operation VETS (Veteran, Employment, Transition, Success) is a career-development program designed for student veterans and service members of all majors and class levels. This program meets during the winter quarter. Sessions are led by UCR Career Center Counselors and feature professionals/employers from various industries. Students participate in workshops, group discussions, reflective exercises and cohort team-building activities during the sessions.

More Info

Kai Buckner: kai.buckner@ucr.edu

Casie Vu: casie.vu@ucr.edu

Tami Thacker: tamarat@ucr.edu

ORBITS

ORBITS (Obtain Resources, Become Informed, Target Success) focuses on the development and exploration of career and life skills for first-generation second- and third-year transfer students. In addition to learning about the career-decision-making process, this two-quarter program helps students establish mentor relationships and includes on-site visits with employers. ORBITS takes place over fall and winter quarters.

More Info

Application Link: careers.ucr.edu/ORBITS24

Dr. Cheryl Love: cheryl.love@ucr.edu

John Perez: jonathan.perez@ucr.edu

Guadalupe Saldivar: guadalupe.saldivar@ucr.edu