Career Development Office || Students

Career Exploration

Students excavating artifacts at a dig

To help you identify your interests, talents, skills, strengths, values, personality and work style, you can talk with a Career Coach or complete free or low-cost career assessments through University College. Bring printouts of your results to an appointment with a Career Coach.
The Liberal Arts Career Development Office also has some simple worksheets to help you get started, which you can pick up during walk-in hours.

Read information online using the links below and others you find through internet searches and in books available at IUPUI (see the Careers by Major links for lists of resources):

Talk with people about their careers - why they chose them and how they got started in these careers.
- You can do this informally, whenever and wherever you hang out
  and meet people - coffee shops, bookstores, standing in line at the grocery store ... anywhere!
- You can also make a point to contact people you know, or discover through your own research, and those who are recommended to you by people you respect.
  - When you make a specific appointment to meet with someone
    or talk with them on the phone, this is called an Informational Interview.

Get an inside view of a career through a day or week of job shadowing.
- You can do this through the IUPUI Externship Program or you can arrange these yourself.
- Our Career Coaches would be happy to talk with you about setting up your own job shadowing experiences. Just stop by during walk-in hours or schedule an appointment.

Gain real experience and "try on" a career through an internship.
- You can get involved with an internship any time of the year, especially since we’re located in downtown Indianapolis where lots of businesses, nonprofit organizations and government agencies are located.
- There are also internship opportunities on campus.

Volunteer with organizations that have a mission that is important to you.
- This is a great way to get experience and meet people you can talk with about their careers.
- You may discover career options that really appeal to you ... or discover that something about which you care deeply is not feasible for you as a career (this is something Sloane Thompson, our Director, learned while she was in college ... and it changed her career direction as a senior.)

Attend career events and other events on campus, which give you lots of opportunities to meet people engaged in activities and involved with organizations that interest you.
- Make a point to introduce yourself and spend a few minutes talking with the presenters and anyone in attendance that has similar interests, passions or goals.
- Make sure you’re subscribed to JagNews and the Liberal Arts student listserv so that you know about upcoming events.

Get involved with one or two student organizations each year ... or start your own student organization.
- Serving as an officer and being an active participant in an on-campus organization are great ways to develop your skills and to meet people who have similar interests and values as you.
- These organizations often bring speakers to campus and coordinate events that provide opportunities for you to learn about careers in fields related to the mission of the student organization.
- The Office of Student Involvement also offers programs and seminars throughout the year that help students learn about their strengths and develop their leadership skills.

425 University Blvd
Cavanaugh Hall 243
Indianapolis, IN 46202
Email: libacdo@iupui.edu