Professional Exploration

Since professional exploration looks so different for each student, it’s important to create personalized goals that meet their needs. Whether it’s conducting informational interviews to learn more about various career paths or acquiring industry-specific skills through job simulations, it’s essential to have a plan. Creating 1-2 SMART goals and meeting with the school’s Career Consultant each academic year can keep students on track.  

It’s one thing to learn about a topic in the classroom or online, but it’s another to hear directly from professionals doing the work. Asking them for an informational interview or a brief chat about their role and career, can be a great way to learn more about potential career paths. Feel free to start with familiar people, such as family, friends, and professors, but be sure to reach out to industry experts, especially SCI and Pitt alumni through LinkedIn and Pitt Commons as well. There are some helpful tips included in the SCI curated resources handout.  

Participating in company site visits is a great way to learn from professionals doing the work, as well as see firsthand the facilities they work in. Site visits hosted by SCI or Pitt’s Career Center are usually posted in Handshake or are advertised through student organizations. SCI has additional access to popular employers through the simulations posted on their Forage account, so students are encouraged to check them out.  

Part-time jobs can be a great opportunity to build transferable skills as well as earn some money. On-campus opportunities exist, such as working in the library, being an undergraduate teaching assistant, SCI peer tutor, and more. Positions are posted on Pitt’s employment website and include ones eligible for federal work study. Local businesses are also in need of assistance, although restrictions apply if a student is studying on a visa.  

There are many opportunities to engage with industry professionals within the school by attending events like SCI Week, workshops, tech talks, and student organization meetings, as well as events held in collaboration with schools, like Pitt Business. At the university level, Pitt’s Career Center hosts a career fair twice a year, an Alumni-in-Residence program, employer information sessions, networking events, site visits, and more. All events are posted on Handshake, Pitt’s career services platform. There are also professional conferences, like Grace Hopper that SCI students have enjoyed attending.  

Professional exploration is essential for effective career decision making and understanding options for post-graduation. Pitt’s Career Center has Career Consultants that can assist with career planning, as well as ensure that the experiences are translatable to employers in resumes and interviews.