First Year Student

You DO NOT need to know what you want to do with the rest of your life when you start college.  Starting the conversation, however, can help you sort through alternatives and help you better map out possible options.

Meet with CCED staff to learn how to get started and develop a personalized 4-year career plan.

Assess your personal values, interests, skills and abilities through career self-assessment tools such as the:

• Strong Interest Inventory (SII) - We recommend the Strong Interest Inventory to help students match their interests with potential careers, providing insights into fields that align with their passions and skills.
• Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) - We recommend the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator to help students discover their personality type as it relates to their potential career goals. This tool offers insights into preferences, which can help guide academic and career choices.

Email careers@ithaca.edu if you'd like to take either assessment. 

The best way to find out  about an occupation is through research and by meeting people in the field.  Alumni and industry professionals can help you learn more through informational interviews and job shadowing.

Two excellent research sites to get you started are:

• O-Net
• The Occupational Outlook Handbook

There are many ways to get involved on-campus and in the Ithaca community.  Here are three:

• Student organizations
• Volunteer
• On-campus job

Get a summer job that will provide you with an opportunity to learn about a career field that interests you.  Here are some resources to help:

• Handshake
• CareerShift
• Internships.com