1. Medgar Evers College
Career Management Services Center
Career Preparatory Plan

2. “You cannot escape the
responsibility of tomorrow by
evading it today.”
~Abraham Lincoln

3. What is The Career Preparatory Plan?
The Career Preparatory Plan is a tool students can use to assist
with progressing professionally while completing their college
education.
Proper planning is a key to success. It is recommended that
students use The Career Preparatory Plan as a guide in their
decision making process.
Using “The Plan” as a sort of road-map will help students see a
clear progression in their professional life.
“The Plan” can also give students a sense of accomplishment
when skills have been attained as well as show where additional
assistance may be needed.
Proper planning can assist students in:
Choose a major that’s right for them
Become educated in chosen professional fields
Decide on post-graduation plans
Learn about future employers’ expectations
Develop experience in the field
Acquire skills necessary to be successful in a profession
Keep up with industry trends
Expand professional network
Conduct successful job search

4. Keep in mind…
The Career Preparatory Plan is a
guide intended to help. If you feel
overwhelmed by any part, do not
hesitate to make an appointment with
a career coach who is ready to assist
you in creating a
personalized, step-by-step plan of
action!

5. Year 1
Exploration
Fall
Create a profile on College Central Network, complete
with an approved resume [Doc A]
Complete FOCUS Assessment [Doc B]
Attend CMSC workshop [Doc C]
Attend Career Expo
Attend Club Fair
Spring
Declare a major if one has not been decided on
Start Career Exploration [Doc B]
Conduct Summer Job Search [Doc D]
Engage in a volunteer opportunity
Attend Student Professional Development Workshop
Attend CMSC Workshop
Attend Club Event
Summer
Meet with Career Coach to create a personalized career
plan
Create a career e-portfolio
Conduct a job/internship/volunteerism search for the Fall
Take a course to enhance your skills (computer, writing,
math)

6. Year 2
Research and Plan
Fall
Update your resume
Pursue an internship in an area of interest
Attend CMSC workshop
Attend Career Expo
Attend a Leadership Conference
Join a club affiliated with your major
Make appointment with academic advisor to review your
academic progression plan
Winter
Make an appointment with a career coach, update your
resume and your career plan
Spring
Conduct internship/job search for the summer & fall
Consider study abroad (and start saving!) [Doc E]
Find a mentor/broaden your network [Doc F]
Engage in a volunteer opportunity
Attend CMSC workshop
Attend Student Professional Development Workshop
Summer
Engage in summer internship or study abroad
Review & re-assess your career plan
Update career portfolio
Secure internship/employment for the Fall
Take a course to enhance your skills (speech, time
management, parliamentary procedure)

7. What lies behind us and what lies
before us are tiny matters
compared to what lies within us.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

8. Year 3
Engage & Experience
Fall
Update your resume
Attend Career Expo
Attend CMSC workshop
Attend Leadership Conference
Consider holding office in a professional organization
Make appointment with academic counselor to make sure you are
on track with all courses needed for graduation.
Winter
Make an appointment with a career coach to make sure you are on
track with your career plan
Spring
Start to research post-graduation career opportunities
[Doc G]
Attend Graduate School workshops
(We offer free grad school practice tests)
Attend Graduate School fair
Attend CMSC workshops
Attend Student Professional Development Workshop
Engage in a volunteer opportunity
Review your peer and professional networks
Summer
Review skill set needed for careers you are interested in
Take a course to enhance your skills (i.e. graduate school test
prep, goal setting, IT licenses)
Conduct internship/job search for upcoming year

9. Year 4
Apply & Achieve
Fall
Update resume
Develop and execute a job search plan
Attend CMSC workshops
Attend Career Expo
Attend Networking events
Take GRE or other educational exams
Winter
Make an appointment with a career coach to work on a
commencement plan
Spring
Expand your network
Refine your skills

10. Doc A
College Central Network
To access the College Central Network website, go to
http://www.mec.cuny.edu/cmsc
Step 1
Click on the hyperlink at the top of the page that says “College
Central Network”
Step 2
Click on the icon that says “Students”
Step 3
Click on the area that says “Register Now”
Step 4
Create an access ID and a Password. Make sure you write
down this information for future reference.
Step 5
Create a profile and fill in all mandatory areas (indicated with a red
star). Choosing a job target will allow you to receive targeted
emails about jobs of your interest.
Step 6
Registration Complete
Congratulations! You are now registered to use our services.
Click the HOME button, located in the upper left hand corner
to access your home page.
Step 7
To Upload A Resume, scroll down to “Manage My Resume” and
click on, “Upload a Resume”.
Step 8
To Search for Jobs, click on “Opportunities Posted to My
School” and “Search Active Jobs”.

11. Doc B
focus career &
education planning tool
“Career exploration and planning involves thinking about which
educational and occupational paths will provide you with self-fulfillment in
all aspects of your life, not only in the present, but also in the future.”
FOCUS is a web-based career and educational
planning tool designed to help you choose a major,
select the right courses and plan your career path.
Students who use FOCUS make better decisions
about their goals and plans, and learn how to self-
manage their careers.
Access FOCUS & Create Your Student User Account
1. Go to www.mec.cuny.edu/careerservices
2. Locate the Self-Assessment area and click where it says
“FOCUS”
3. Click where it says, “If you are a first time user and need
to create an account, click here.”
4. Enter the following Access Code: mec45
Note: Create a profile, choosing a user name and password you will easily
remember. Make note of your user name and password for future reference.
Once on the site you will be able to use the following modules:
Career Readiness: Start thinking about your career
Self Assessment: Learn something about yourself
Explore the Possibilities: Research any career
Career Portfolio: Manage your researched careers
Recommended tools and website: Helpful links
When you have completed all assessments you should make an appointment
with a career coach to go over your outcomes and develop a plan of action.

12. Doc C
Workshop Calendar
For the latest updates on event and activities
check out our calendar
http://meccmsc.webs.com/apps/calendar/

13. Doc D
Conducting A Job Search
Conducting a job search can be a lot of work. However if you prepare yourself for
the task you will achieve your goal and should be able to find a job that best suits
you.
Here are a few abbreviated* steps you should to take in order to conduct a
successful job search.
Prepare
Resume
When starting your search you should already have an approved resume that can
be modified if need be to fit the job that you are applying for.
Cover Letter
You should know how to format a cover letter which again will be tailored to the job
description.
Mock Interview
You should also start to practice your interviewing skills now, so as soon as you are
called for an interview you will be ready.
Search
What are you looking for
Remember the job you do today starts to build the foundation of where you want to
go. Money should not be your only driving force for a job. Start to think of how
your job matches with your major and can contribute to you having a career.
What are you qualified for
Even if you are a non-traditional student remember that you will probably still have
to start with an entry level job in your field of choice. This may mean a salary that
you are not use to, but the pay off is the experience gained and again laying the
foundation for your career.
Document
Make sure you keep a record of jobs you apply for, the contact information, and the
documents you sent.
*For more information on conducting a job search attend one of our workshops or
make an appointment with a coach.

14. Doc E
Study Abroad
Medgar Evers College has a Study Abroad program which is open
to all students and a great opportunity to expand on your
experiences.
http://www.mec.cuny.edu/study_abroad/
Deborah Stengle
Director
718.270.5136
dstengle@mec.cuny.edu

15. Doc F
Obtaining a Mentor
Choosing a Mentor
• Be clear on why you want a mentor.
• When asking someone to be your mentor, explain why you’re asking and what you’d
expect out of the relationship
• Before asking someone to be your mentor, consider first simply asking for their input
on a single specific. After a few times you can assess if you want to ask them to be
a mentor.
• When looking for a mentor look to older family members or friends, neighbors,
spiritual leaders, community leaders, the networks of your friends and colleagues, or
officials of professional or trade associations you belong to. Avoid asking your direct
supervisor at work. You want to be free to discuss workplace issues as well as your
plans for future advancement.
The Relationship
• Look for ways you can reciprocate the help your mentor offers. At the very least, you
can occasionally spring for lunch or, say, send a fruit basket. You don’t want to be all
take-take-take.
• Show gratitude. Never let your mentor feel taken for granted! Also, supply feedback.
If your mentor suggested something that really worked out for you, report back.
People love hearing about their part in a success story.
• Don’t become too dependent on your mentor. The idea is that one day you will
eventually be able to fly on your own. In fact, you may not take every bit of advice
your mentor offers. Continue to think for yourself.
Keep in mind
• Mentoring can take many forms. It can be a monthly lunch, a quarterly phone call, a
weekly handball game, or merely a steady E-mail correspondence. Your mentor
does not even have to live in your city or region.
• You can have more than one mentor. In fact, you can have a whole committee if you
want, and call it your Board of Directors. Choose different mentors for different facets
of your professional (and even personal) life.
• Finally, if someone refuses the request to be your mentor, don’t be hurt or offended.
This is not personal! Potential good mentors are very busy people. Thank him or her
for the consideration, and ask for a referral.
Modified from:
http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2010/01/13/13-tips-on-finding-a-mentor

16. Doc G
Graduate School Information
The Career Center host workshops on
Writing Your Personal Statement
Financing Graduate School
and
Maintains a website with Graduate School Information
http://cmscgradinfo.webs.com