Four Year Plan for Entrepreneurship & Career Development

Begin career preparation in your first semester at Marietta College!

Marietta College ensures students not only gain expertise in their chosen majors but also build adaptable skills and mindsets to thrive in an ever-changing job market. With personalized guidance and preparation, Marietta graduates are empowered to navigate multiple career transitions and continue growing as professionals and individuals. We believe that with self-knowledge, proactive planning, and access to opportunities, Marietta students can craft fulfilling careers that align with who they are.

Marietta College students engage in strategic career planning based on self-discovery, research, and informed decision-making with support from our career coaches and counselors. The process empowers students to identify multiple possibilities that offer strong potential for satisfaction and success. Whether aspirations are in Accounting, Environmental Science, Theatre, or other fields, Marietta provides resources to hone essential skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, and adaptability. A broad liberal arts curriculum sharpens these skills, readying students for diverse career paths.

Career planning is fluid, ongoing, and unique to each student’s interests and goals. Students are encouraged to meet frequently with the staff of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Career Development to receive one-on-one guidance and assistance. They are also invited to take advantage of numerous opportunities to participate in career development workshops, mock interviews, business startup competitions, networking events, internships, practicums, apprenticeships, and job shadowing throughout their college years. With an open mindset and strategic support, students gain clarity on how their values, abilities, and passions align with post-graduation opportunities.

Plan to assist students with career preparation.

The following 4-year plan will help guide you through what you should be doing each year to prepare for life AFTER COLLEGE. 

In your first year 

  1. Visit MyMarietta, find the links to PathwayU and Handshake. Use your Marietta College email and password to access these platforms.
    1. Complete the Self-Assessment form on PathwayU.
    2. Become familiar with Handshake and learn how to make appointments with a career coach.
       
  2. Create a virtual and/or physical business card. Less is more. Only include your name, email, and phone number on the card.
     
  3. Follow CECD on social media and Linktree.
     
  4. Check campus resources such as Handshake, MyMarietta, digital and physical bulletin boards, and your email on a regular basis for information on career development workshops, summer jobs, competitions, internships, and other opportunities. Make sure to take advantage of as many of these opportunities as possible.
     
  5. Practice your “elevator pitch” — how you introduce yourself in networking opportunities.
     
  6. Consider joining a student organization or club that interests you. Employers value these activities.
     
  7. Explore the many opportunities available to study abroad.
     
  8. Schedule an appointment with a career coach on Handshake to discuss:
    1. The results of your Self-Assessment on PathwayU and your career goals
    2. Your professional résumé
    3. Summer jobs and internships

During Your Second Year

  1. Update your Handshake profile and your business card.
     
  2. Draft your first cover letter for a potential job or internship.
     
  3. Create an account on LinkedIn and develop your professional profile.  Start building your network on LinkedIn
     
  4. Check social media and campus resources such as Handshake, MyMarietta, digital and physical bulletin boards, and your email regularly for information on career development workshops, summer jobs, competitions, internships, and other opportunities. Make sure to take advantage of as many of these opportunities as possible.
     
  5. Look into leadership opportunities within student organizations and clubs.
     
  6. Practice your “elevator pitch” — how you introduce yourself for networking opportunities.
     
  7. Explore different career paths through informational interviews or job shadows.
     
  8. Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor to discuss your career goals and seek their feedback.
     
  9. Schedule an appointment with a career coach on Handshake to discuss:
    1. Your experiential learning requirements
    2. Your LinkedIn and Handshake profiles, résumé, business card, and cover letter
    3. Summer jobs and internship applications

Throughout your third year

  1. Update your LinkedIn and Handshake profiles, résumé, business card, and cover letter.
     
  2. Conduct an informational and/or mock interview with a professional in your field or with a career counselor.
     
  3. Check social media and campus resources for information on career development workshops, summer jobs, competitions, internships, and other opportunities.
     
  4. Practice your “elevator pitch” — how you introduce yourself for networking opportunities.
     
  5. Speak with your academic advisor and/or a career counselor to evaluate the skills and experiences needed for your post-grad goals.
     
  6. Prepare for graduate schoolentrance exams (if applying).
     
  7. Schedule an appointment with career coaches on Handshake to receive assistance with your career-related questions and activities.
     
  8. Look for a summer internship.

Before you finish your fourth year

  1. Polish your resume and cover letter, and be ready to tailor them for each specific job opportunity.
     
  2. Use the available tools, including Handshake, LinkedIn, to identify and apply for positions.
     
  3. Check social media and campus resources for information on workshops, mock interviews, networking events, and job fairs to prepare for life after college. Make sure to take advantage of as many of these opportunities as possible.
     
  4. Talk with your academic advisor about graduate school, and confirm that all graduation requirements will be met.
     
  5. Create a spreadsheet to keep track of the jobs and graduate school programs that interest you (complete with application requirements and deadlines).
     
  6. Connect with professors, mentors, and alumni for guidance and job leads.
  7. Prepare for graduate school entrance exams (if applying).
     
  8. Use the schedule appointment function in Handshake to book interview rooms and borrow from the Career Closet to ensure you are ready for virtual and/or in-person interviews.
     
  9. Schedule an appointment with a career coach on Handshake to receive assistance with your career-related questions and activities.