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Career Journey

Students must begin their career journey early. Below are steps students can take to help plan and prepare for careers after college.

Freshman Year

  • Create and update your eCONNECTION account, app located in your UHAccess homepage
  • Create a LinkedIn account
  • Create a resume and have it reviewed by Engineering Career Center (sample resume can be found in eCONNECTION under Resources - Document Library)
  • Schedule an appointment to review your resume and discuss/develop your career goals with an Engineering Career Center counselor through eCONNECTION
  • Learn about engineering student organizations by attending the engineering student organization fair held in the fall semester
  • Attend an engineering student organization meeting, information session, and workshop
  • Attend the Engineering Career Fair held in the Fall and the Spring
  • Attend the Energy Career Fair in the Fall and the UH STEM Career Fair in the Spring; log into your Cougar Pathway account to take an assessment test

Sophomore Year

  • Continue to follow Freshman Year Guidelines
  • Join a student organization committee to build experience and develop soft skills
  • Continue using eCONNECTION regularly to update your profile, identify events, upload your resume, learn about employers, apply to internships, and schedule appointments with an Engineering Career Center counselor
  • Create your cover letter
  • Update your LinkedIn account with relevant courses, student organizations you’ve joined, volunteer work and projects, updated headshot, and continue to add connections
  • Update your resume and remove any high school activities
  • Research companies that hire your major to build a target list. Consider including a variety of employers including ones that are smaller since they typically have smaller applicant pools.
  • Attend a career center/student organization workshop
  • Attend industry information sessions to learn about companies of interest, who they hire, what they hire for and much more
  • Work on your elevator pitch (examples and guides can be found in eCONNECTION under Resources - Document Library)
  • Network with industry representatives
  • Learn about leadership and volunteer opportunities through student organizations and/or the Career Center

Junior Year

  • Continue following previous guidelines including, using eCONNECTION regularly to update your profile, identify events, upload your resume, learn about employers, apply to internships, and schedule an appointment with an Engineering Career Center counselor
  • Continue to update your LinkedIn account
  • Practice your interviewing skills with the mock interview resource found in eCONNECTION
  • Participate in professional development activities hosted by student organizations or the Career Center
  • Attend national and/or regional conferences hosted by SHPE, NSBE, SWE or other engineering student organizations
  • Run for officer/leadership positions within your student organization(s)
  • Apply to, interview for, and secure an internship/job (this can also be done in your previous years). Complete the internship survey after the internship ends

Senior Year

  • Continue following previous guidelines
  • Update your resume and cover letter to include your Senior Capstone Project
  • Acquire references and recommendations
  • Apply to, interview for, and secure a full-time job
  • Complete the Engineering Career Center graduation exit survey

At or After Graduation

  • Stay engaged with the Engineering Career Center by participating in/leading professional development activities, helping students with resume reviews and so much more!