Contact Us
Edinburg: ESTAC 2.101
Email: careercenter@utrgv.edu
Phone: Brownsville (956) 882-5627
Phone: Edinburg (956) 665-2243
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Career Exploration
Trying to decide on a major is difficult, but figuring out your future career can be even more intimidating.
Things to keep in mind:
- Your major does not necessarily tie into a specific career
- The average American changes career about 4 to 5 times throughout their life
- The college experience you have at UTRGV depends on you. Your experience is unique and is determined by what you want, who you are, and what interests you.
Career Exploration
If you search online for terms like "career planning" or "career exploration," you will be overwhelmed with the millions of results you will find. At the Career Center, we are here to help you sort through all the information. We will not focus directly on the ultimate outcome but rather on helping you explore careers and the planning process. We are committed to getting to know you and your unique qualities, keeping up to date on specific careers and industries, and always staying focused on your priorities.
Always keep in mind that career planning and professional development is an individual activity. Not everyone goes through the same process. In today’s world, the career you pursue may influence your entire lifestyle, income, social status, living location, and the people you interact with. Factors such as the economy, labor market, technology, and personal life changes will require you to adapt and re-examine your career plan. You are encouraged to actively connect with the Career Center’s staff on your career planning process. With consistent guidance, we are confident you will be prepared to make your own decisions, set your goals, and actively plan your future career. To start your career plan, we encourage you to schedule a Career Exploration appointment with our staff by logging on to Handshake.
Career Resources
Getting to know yourself is one of the first steps in the career planning process. We recommend several career resources that may help you through this process.
Schedule a Career Exploration Appointment today on Handshake. To help our staff get to know you better, we recommend completing a Career Family Tree and/or the Career Role Models worksheets and bringing them with you to your appointment.
ONET
ONET may serve as a guide, based on your interests, to match you to career paths. You can also explore their detailed descriptions of your chosen career. Once you select an area that interests you, you will be able to review the description and requirements for that career path to decide whether or not it is a good fit for you. You will also be able to see the salary for your location, employment trends, and job opportunities.
Navigating ONET:
- To take the quiz, “I want to be a…. FIND IT NOW”, to find possible career paths
- To look up specific careers- Type in keywords in Occupation Search
- If you know the general area you’d like to work in- Select Browse in the “Find Occupations” area. In either 'Career Cluster' or 'Job Family,' select an area that is within your major. Once selected, a list of occupations will appear.
Cover Letter
A great cover letter should not just repeat your resume in a shorter form but should tell the employer what it is about the job that is attractive to you and why you want to work for that employer. You will also need to include the unique skills and the qualities you bring to that job and the company.
Basic elements of a cover letter
- Greetings: Address your cover letter to the proper person.
- Opening: Write a personable, inviting opening paragraph that highlights how your skills are a
perfect fit for the job. - Hook: Highlight your past achievements as they relate to the job you're applying for.
- Skills: Highlight additional relevant skills, such as computer languages or certifications.
- Close: Briefly recap your strengths as a candidate, and include your contact information.
Sample Cover Letters
Resume and Job Search Process
Are you interested in applying to jobs but each one requests a resume. What is a resume and why is everyone asking for one? Think of a resume as a verbal selfie. It does not include everything about yourself but rather highlights your education, skills and experiences that best meet the type of job you are seeking. If applying to on campus jobs, you must upload a resume to your Handshake profile. Review our tips below and schedule an appointment, so we can help review your resume.
Resume Notes
- What’s should I include, what should I leave out
- Reverse chronological order – listing all your experiences from most to least recent
- Purpose of a resume
- Don’t be repetitive!
- Keywords to use on resume- Power Verbs
- Include any certifications earned
- References is a separate page
- Type of paper to use
- Check your spelling and don’t lie
Resume Musts
Name, Address, Phone Number, Email Address, Education, Experience
Resume - Optional
Objective, Certifications, Accomplishments, Memberships/Affiliations, Languages, Publications, Military, “References available upon request”
Resume - Never Include
Height, weight, age, DOB, marital status, sex, race, health, social security #, reasons for leaving past jobs, name of boss, picture of yourself, salary info, “Resume,” Religious or political affiliations
Resume Examples
Resume
A resume speaks volumes about an individual. There are different types of resume:
Chronological resume
This is the most common type of resume format used. The chronological format lists your most recent employment history (or education) first, with your jobs appearing by date in a timeline. This is the traditional method of formatting a resume, and places more emphasis on your job titles and your employment history over your skills. Chronological resumes generally work best for job seekers with a stable career progression in one or two fields.
Functional resume
The functional resume will focus far more on your skills and achievements, rather than job titles and places of employment. Functional resumes give you the platform to display your skills and experiences. This format also lets candidates gloss over gaps in their work history or play down positions that were not relevant etc.
