As a junior, it's time to think about your post-graduation plans. Will you be joining the workforce, heading to graduate school, traveling abroad, volunteering, taking a gap year, or something else? Whatever your plan, it's time to start taking active steps toward that goal.
You might be wondering…
“Can someone help me develop/improve my resume?"
Yes, we in the CCPD are available to help you either develop, update, or improve your resume. Please schedule an appointment with one of our counselors to do so.
“I haven't had an internship yet, is it too late?"
It's not too late! Attending one of our job fairs is a great way to obtain an internship. Additionally, engage with your professors and others in your network to obtain leads on opportunities. You can also view the list of internship opportunities under Internships.
“Can I earn academic credit for my internship?"
Obtaining academic credit might be a possibility and is even a requirement for some programs. All internship courses have pre-requisites that typically include having taken at least 30 semester hours at UF and having at least a 2.75 GPA, though there are some exceptions. Consult your academic catalog and adviser to be certain what the pre-requisites are. For most College of Sciences majors, 80 work hours equates to 1 credit hour. For most other majors, 50 work hours equates to 1 credit hour. Once you've secured your internship and discussed the possibility of receiving academic credit for your internship with your academic adviser, contact us to begin the process of registering for your internship course. *Note: If receiving academic credit, it must be received during the semester you're actively interning.* If it's not a major requirement for you, we don't recommend registering your internship for credit if it will put you into overload (more than 18 credit hours). During the fall and spring, typically you will not pay extra to earn academic credit for your internship as long as you're already registered for 12-17 credits. However, during the summer semester, you will likely have to pay out-of-pocket for any credit hours taken, including internship credits.
“I can't afford to take an unpaid internship. Do you have any recommendations?"
We encourage you to seek out paid internships either through your network connections or LinkedIn.
Add text for answer “I'm too busy for an internship. Are there other options?"
Even though internships tend to be the most obvious form of experiential learning, it's definitely not the only option. Other, potentially less time consuming experiential opportunities include volunteering, job shadowing, undergraduate research, and campus/student employment, to name a few.
“I don't have a LinkedIn profile. Do I really need one?"
We recommend all UF students have a LinkedIn profile, regardless of major. Additionally, we encourage students to become familiar navigating and utilizing LinkedIn, beyond simply having a profile.
Add text for answer “I am planning to go to graduate school. When should I start that process?"
Now is the time to begin this process. Research graduate schools and programs of interest, being sure to capture application deadlines, application expectations, costs, GA/TA opportunities, etc. We recommend creating a spreadsheet of all the programs you're interested in that contains all of the pertinent information needed to keep yourself organized. Also, don't forget to engage with your professors to ask if they have any insight into prospective programs, recommendations, or tips.
“I have an interview coming up but I don't have anything to wear. Is there a resource that I can use for professional clothing?"
Congratulations on securing an interview! We certainly want to help you make the best impression possible. As such, we are proud to offer the Career Closet as a great resource to you.
For more information regarding your professional development, including resume samples and more, refer to our student Career Development Handbook, accessible on our
Student Resources page.