Welcome to the Graduate Student Career Action Plan, a dynamic roadmap designed to guide you through your job search journey and professional development. Adopting a curious mindset about yourself, Emerson, your industry, and your network is essential as you embark on this exciting path.
This action plan thrives on an iterative process, allowing you to continually refine and improve your approach through exploring, connecting, experiencing, and clarifying. Feel empowered to circle back and pick what you need anytime; there’s no rigid structure. While the plan suggests a timeline for the job search process, it is important to recognize that you can engage in this work.
Explore: Take time to understand your skills, interests, and values and how to connect to different industries, companies, and roles through research.
Connect: Engage with peers, family, and industry professionals, including alumni, to learn about career paths, industries, and insider tips.
Experience: Build your experiences and skills through classes, campus leadership, on-campus employment, internships, and more.
Clarify: Make time to reflect and clarify your learnings and goals. Redirect as needed.
We encourage you to start early and integrate these steps throughout your entire program or semester-by-semester. Remember, this is not a checklist to be completed but a strategic guide to cultivate your skills, network, and achieve your career goals.
Enjoy the questions, activities, and experiences you have along the way.
If you prefer a PDF version, click here to get your copy of the Graduate Career Action Plan!
PRE-WORK
Get to Know Yourself
Congratulations! You’ve applied, been accepted, and started your graduate program at Emerson College! You already have an updated resume. Now, it’s time to add that you’re currently in a graduate program. Bring your education to the top of your resume, name Emerson College, virtual or in Boston, program title, and your expected graduation year.
In addition to your resume, tell your LinkedIn and professional network that you’re starting a graduate program at Emerson College.
Career Changers: Review your experience to recognize your accomplishments. Yes, you have great experience already and now it’s time to focus on the transferable skills you can take with you. Review the eight Competencies for a Career-Ready Workforce from the National Association of Colleges and Employers to help identify which skills you’ve used in your previous work experiences and how they apply to your new focus.
PHASE 1
Congratulations on the decision to get your graduate degree at Emerson College. In the first phase of your program, while you’re adjusting to getting back into school, regardless if you started right after your undergraduate degree, you have years of professional experience, or you are a career changer, get to know yourself and Emerson. Learn how to get the most out of your time as a student, write a few goals, attend events, and get to know people, systems, and resources. As always, reach out to your career advisor with any questions about how to use your time to set yourself up for success.
Get to Know Yourself
☐ Write your goals for your time studying for your Graduate Degree at Emerson College. You can use the SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) goals method to define the specifics of the goal and outcome. Consider your skills, strengths, interests, and values. Meet with your career counselor to set a plan to make the most of your education. (Explore)
Consider the following questions around your goal:
- What support do you need to accomplish this goal?
- What part of a process within your goal is still not clear? What are the easier parts? What are the challenging parts?
- How does your goal fit with your plan, way of life, and values?
- How will you know you have reached it?
☐ Clifton Strength Assessment Activity: Take Clifton’s Strength Assessment to understand your top five strengths. Understanding your strengths, how they show up in your work, and how you work with others can help you deepen your education and career possibilities. (Explore)
☐ As needed, update your resume, LinkedIn, and other portfolios.
Get to Know Emerson
☐ Create a Handshake account to stay updated with Career Center events and job and internship postings. (Connect)
☐ Create an Emerge profile to start networking with current students and alumni in your industry. (Connect)
☐ Review resources on the Emerson Career Development Center site to review tips on Resumes, Cover Letters, Networking, Interviewing, Portfolios, Job Search Strategies, and more! (Explore)
☐ Coming this fall, spend time on the Career Center Blog for specific guides on career development, including How to Get and Keep a Mentor, AI and the Job Search, Tips for Career Changers, and more. (Explore)
☐ Whether you’re in a virtual or in-person program, you can participate in graduate programming. (Experience) Check out the following programs and resources specifically for graduate students:
- Graduate Student Association, graduate student organizations
- Emerson Grad Life Blog
- Virtual Campus resource on Canvas
- Department specific events
- Take advantage of the resources from the Iwasaki Library
- Attend relevant Career Development Center events
☐ Receive up-to-date events and engagement opportunities within the Career Center and graduate program accounts. (Connect)
Career Center Social Media Accounts:
Graduate Program Social Media Accounts:
We know this is a lot during your graduate program, reach out to Emerson Care Center for wellness support at emerson.concerncenter.com.
PHASE 2
During the middle of your program, begin understanding your professional identity by prioritizing your values, building your personal brand, and learning about your leadership style. Continue to get to know all the programs Emerson College offers, especially career-focused events hosted by the Graduate Student Association and the Career Development Center, and programs to learn about alumni making it big in their field. Explore your field and research how to use your transferable skills across different roles and industries.
Get to Know Yourself
☐ Values Priority Activity: When thinking about your career, specific jobs, and how you spend your days, identify which values are most important to you. Reflect and research how and where these values show up in your career. (Explore)
☐ Personal Brand Activity: Use this guide to create your personal brand. Your personal brand involves authentically showcasing your unique strengths and qualities through various channels, like social media and networking, to create positive impressions and align with your goals and values. Consider: How and where does your personal brand appear outside your professional version of yourself? (Clarify)
☐ Leadership Style Activity (Part 1): Take your time with this Strength-Based Leadership Style Activity. Review now, reflect, reassess, and dive in because there is a great deal to process in this section. Part 2 is in Phase 3. (Clarify)
☐ International Students: Reflect on your global journey and the skills you utilized to get to where you are. Write down your thoughts and underline the words and phrases that reflect your resilience and adaptability. You may be able to weave this story into an impactful cover letter that sets you apart from other applicants at a future internship or job opportunity. (Clarify)
☐ Based on your top five CliftonStrengths, identify your leadership style. What type of roles fit the Venn diagram of your leadership skills overlapping with your interests in your industry? (Clarify)
☐ Take time to reflect on your learnings from the above activities and lessons from your courses. Consider: How do you want to use this knowledge to elevate your current position, as a career changer, or as you continue to build your career? (Clarify)
☐ Recommendation: Are you stuck figuring out what’s next for you in your career or how to use your degree after graduation? Want a nontraditional career route but want to use valuable skills from your graduate program? Make a Career Coaching appointment with your career advisor on Handshake. (Clarify)
As needed, update your resume, LinkedIn, and other portfolios.
Get to Know Emerson
☐ Your professors are incredible sources of knowledge and support throughout your time here at Emerson. Get to know them! They can provide key information about finding jobs in your industry and references. (Connect)
☐ Engage with opportunities from your department and the alumni office to learn about other students’ and alumni stories and experiences. (Explore)
Check out:
- Making It Big In 30 Minutes Podcast
- Emerson Stage
- Engagement Lab
- Bright Lights Cinema Series
- Department specific events for example, but not limited to, WLP Reading Series, Publishing Series, and Scholar Series, Pizza and Politics, SMC Student Events
☐ Stay updated with relevant CDC and program-specific events via Handshake and social media accounts. (Experience)
Get to Know Your Industry
☐ Find, follow, and join industry-specific blogs or professional networks to stay current on what’s happening in your industry. Subscribe to newsletters, as well. (Explore)
☐ Research: Are there companies/employers whose message, products, brands, and services you believe in and want to work with? List some names and state why they appeal to you. Subscribe to their newsletters, research who works there, and their professional history. (Explore)
Coming this fall: Review your program’s Industry Guide to learn everything you need to know about a career in your industry. You can find them on the Career Center Blog. (Explore)
PHASE 3
As your time in graduate school at Emerson College comes to a close, deepen and expand your learning into how to use your skills professionally. Prepare for and begin the job search process with the support of your professional network inside and outside of Emerson College and meet with your career advisor for personalized guidance. Start early and remain consistent in your learning and growing process.
Get to Know Yourself
☐ Interview Preparation Activity: Based on strengths, write STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) stories for interviewing, and practice (how to answer “tell me about yourself,” and “strengths/weaknesses” questions. (Clarify)
☐ Writing an Elevator Pitch Activity: One of the hardest parts of job searching is describing who you are and what you want to do. This activity helps you become clear and concise in communicating these important pieces of information. (Clarify)
☐ Leadership Style Activity (Part 2): Time to connect your strengths and leadership skills to a talent style. This activity will help you articulate your skills based on the CliftonStrengths themes and work-based competencies. Use the same document from Phase 2. (Clarify)
☐ Now that your time at Emerson College is coming to a close, reflect again on your skills, strengths, interests, and values. How will you use this new insight to build your career? Based on these reflections, write professional goals for the next few years. Meet with your career counselor to set a career plan before you graduate. What have you learned about yourself in developing these new skills? (Explore)
- How can you make sure you remember what you have learned?
- When deciding about your career, what resources do you need to help you decide? How do you suppose you can find out more about it?
- What have I learned about myself?
- What values require my constant attention?
☐ Recommendation: Do you want to build new habits that encourage your professional growth? Do you want to build a career based on your values? Make a Career Coaching appointment with your career advisor on Handshake. (Clarify)
As needed, update your resume, LinkedIn, and other portfolios.
Get to Know Emerson
☐ You’re almost done with your time at graduate school! Now it’s time for deeper reflection. Part of the job search is to recollect your previous experiences and that includes your understanding of learnings from classes, peers, internships, etc. (Clarify)
Reflect on the following questions:
- How can you make sure you remember what you have learned?
- When deciding about your career, what resources do you need to help you decide? How do you suppose you can find out more about it?
- What are your next steps, and by what date or time will you complete these next steps? What will keep me on track?
- How far have I come? What did it take to get here?
☐ Attend relevant CDC and program-specific events found on Handshake. (Connect)
☐ Request to keep your Emerson College email address. You can review the process here. (Connect)
☐ As you network and prepare to apply for jobs, ask professors to be a reference early. Stay tuned for more information on how to ask for references soon. (Connect)
☐ Fill out the First Destination Survey when the Career Center sends it to you a few weeks before graduation.
Get to Know Your Industry
☐ As you conduct informational interviews or career conversations with industry professionals and alumni, reflect on the following questions:
- What areas within your industry would you like to gain experience in or learn about?
- Which populations, problems, or areas of challenges would you like to work on?
- How is your industry changing? Then, based on your skills, experience, and interests, what roles would you like within your industry? (Clarify)
☐ International Students: On internship and job applications, you will often see the question, “Do you now or in the future require visa sponsorship?” The answer may depend on your specific situation and goals. Learn different perspectives on this question and ways to communicate with potential employers by scheduling an appointment with your career counselor. (Explore)
Get to Know Your Network
☐ Conduct informational interviews to learn more about 1) the skills you need for jobs, 2) the current climate of the industry, and 3) advice from folks in the industry. Tip: Go into networking with curiosity! Informational interviews are about building professional relationships rather than asking for jobs. (Connect)
☐ Network Mapping Activity: You have a larger network than you realize. Do this activity to identify who is in your network and how you can build a professional relationship with different people you already know. (Clarify)
☐ International Students: It’s never too early to start forming connections with people in your industry. Statistically, 85% of jobs are filled through networking, so it’s important to build your portfolio and your online presence on LinkedIn and Emerge. Networking is also different from culture to culture. What is it like in the U.S., and how it’s different from your culture? Meet with the Career Development Center to learn ways to reach out. (Connect)
ALUMNI
Congratulations on completing your graduate degree at Emerson College! You are now a member of the esteemed Emerson alumni community. This is just the start. Continue to reflect on your skills and experience, stay involved with fellow Emersonians (students and alumni), remain updated on changes in your industry, and keep connected with your professional network throughout your career. Stay in touch with the Career Development Center. As an alum, you can access three appointments per year with a career advisor.
Get to Know Yourself
Continue to grow and develop your skills in every job or role you take. Remain a lifelong learner!
Get to Know Emerson
Stay connected with other Emerson alumni and current students. Remain active on Emerge and other networking platforms. Take advantage of professional development and career events offered by the Alumni Relations office. Plus, as an alum, you can access three sessions a year with the Career Center! Take advantage of these lifelong resources.
International Students: Stay connected! Emerson’s Alumni Office and the Career Development Center are here to support your lifelong career in the U.S., your home country, or anywhere in between. Whether you would like to expand your network, polish up a resume, or get some feedback on career growth long after you graduate, you can always reach out to us to get support.
Get to Know Your Industry
Stay updated with what’s happening in your industry.
Get to Know Your Network
Constantly engage with your network whether or not you’re looking for a job.
We value your feedback on this Graduate Career Action Plan. If you’re willing, you can fill out the feedback form here. If you’d like to provide feedback on the activities, you can do so in this feedback form. Additionally, if you’d like to discuss further, make an appointment with your career advisor through Handshake.
If you have any questions, please contact us!
