Four Steps to an Empowered Career Search
Set yourself up to find the best next job for you
Maybe you recently completed your undergraduate degree, or perhaps you are in the middle of a significant career change. One thing is clear: if you are engaging in a career search, you want to find “The Right Job.” Of course, there is no singularly perfect job for everyone, but there are steps you can take that will empower you in your job search process so that you can find the best next job for you. While we recommend that you begin the career exploration and preparation process early, there is never a bad time to begin.
Here are four steps that you can take to begin your empowered career search — a job search that is unrushed and low-stress. Feel free to start with whichever step you can take action on now. Momentum and a bias towards action are key!
1. Explore career paths.
Ideally, you will want to update your resume to target a specific industry, role, and/or company, so it is important to research career paths early. Career advising can help students who are still exploring their career options. Career advisors provide a sounding board to help you clarify your values, interests, and skill sets, leading to a more refined perspective of your personal and professional goals.
I Schoolers: schedule a career advising appointment early!
2. Update your resume and LinkedIn.
Resume writing and LinkedIn updating are iterative processes. Start early when there’s no pressure for resumes and LinkedIn profiles to be perfect so that you can draft and rework them without worry. The sample resume on the I School Career Resources page provides a resume template option for inspiration, as well as helpful tips for writing the first draft of your more targeted resume and additional resume resources.
I Schoolers: you can submit requests for resume and/or LinkedIn reviews on the I School website; career advisors will provide feedback and can answer any specific questions or concerns through the review process.
3. Start informational interviewing and networking.
Informational interviewing is an informal conversation with someone working in a particular field or company that interests you. Through informational interviews, you can learn about the day-to-day realities of working in a particular field, the skill sets that help you thrive in that particular field, and tips about how to prepare for that field. These casual interviews can also help expand your professional network. Sample questions to ask during an informational interview can be found on the Berkeley Career Center website, and tips for how to ace your informational interview can be found in this Berkeley School of Information medium post.
I Schoolers: try the I School’s LinkedIn page and Slack #careers channel to connect with professionals for informational interviewing and networking, or consider attending an I School career event. Review I School’s “Networking Basics” to learn more about how to cultivate meaningful connections at these kinds of events.
4. Create space for personal reflection early and often.
Check-in with yourself about your priorities and values. What do you really enjoy doing? When are you in the flow — deeply engaged and satisfied with your work? What do you hate doing? (It’s important to know this so that you don’t end up falling into something that you’re good at but can’t stand!) What are your values in life? What purpose does work serve — in the next chapter in your life, and thereafter? How does your work connect to your values or enable you to live a life aligned with your values? Job searches can be overwhelming, and interviews and professional branding can easily feel inauthentic. Cultivate a space for deep listening and ongoing reflection to maintain authenticity and integrity throughout the career discernment process.
Remember that you don’t have to do this alone! You have a community of fellow students, alumni, friends, colleagues, and career advisors who are here to support you. Use your network, and strive to adopt an abundance (rather than scarcity) mindset: knowing that you are enough and that you will have enough throughout this process.
