Outline of Recommended Actions for Geoscience Students for Career Development

First Year

  • Declare your major in Geosciences
  • Make sure you have an academic advisor in Geosciences
  • Meet with the NBS Career Center staff member to review career development
  • Prepare a resume and have it reviewed by faculty or the NBS Career Center
  • Get involved on campus or in the community, join student clubs or organizations
  • Join organizations (e.g. Four Corners Geological Society)
  • Consider volunteering and leadership opportunities
  • Research and apply for internships and summer jobs in early fall
  • Focus on getting the grades you'll need to compete for jobs and graduate school
  • Network with professors, employers, alumni, friends and family

Second Year

  • Declare yourself as a geoscience major if have not already
  • Assess your career interests and goals
  • Update your resume and have it reviewed by faculty and the NBS Career Center
  • Research and apply for internships or summer jobs
  • Explore study abroad opportunities
  • Participate in Interview and Resume Workshops on campus
  • Continue to network with professors, employers, alumni, friends and family

Third Year

  • Up-date your resume and have it reviewed by faculty and the NBS Career Center
  • Research and apply for career related internships and summer jobs in early fall
  • Do a mock interview at the Job Fair or Career Day
  • Attend the GRE Prep and Strategies Workshop if you are planning on taking the GREs
  • Consider taking GRE exam late in your junior or early in your senior year if you are interested in graduate school
  • Become a leader in a student organization
  • Start a list of references for jobs and graduate school
  • Research fellowship and gap year experiences for after graduation
  • Attend the FLC Career Day and Job Fair
  • Consider attending the workshop "The Durangoan’s Guide to Dressing in  the Real World" and "Networking 101"
  • Go to the Is Graduate School Right For Me? Workshop
  • Explore graduate school options; visit several graduate programs
  • Continue to network with professors, employers, alumni, friends and family

Fourth-Fifth Year

  • Update your resume and have the NBS Career Center review it!
  • Continue to do career assessments
  • Buy interview clothes
  • Continue networking with new and former contacts
  • Collect reference letters from professors for a Career Center Recommendation File
  • Narrow your graduate school choices
  • Apply to graduate schools - references, tests, personal statements, applications
  • Apply for jobs, year-long internships and fellowships
  • Consider attending the Etiquette Dinner
  • Read your Career Center E-mails for internship, fellowship and job opportunities
  • Attend the internship & job fairs (Career Day and Job Fair)
  • Participate in networking opportunities
  • Attend a regional or national meeting (i.e., GSA, AAPG, SEG, AGU)