Career development
Career development is an ongoing process consisting of four main recurring steps. These steps include knowing yourself, exploring career options, getting focused and taking action. Your career readiness depends on you and the action steps you take.
Knowing yourself
Self-assessment is the first and most important step in the career-planning process. Having the ability to integrate your interests, values, skills and personality into an understanding of work environments tasks and responsibilities will help you determine career options that fit you. As a Buckeye, you have many opportunities to engage in career assessments. Here are a few that we highly encourage you to use.
1 Focus career assessment
This assessment will allow you to gather information to get to know yourself, provide you with career fields to research and explore and introduce you to career readiness competencies. There are three assessments you should take and analyze the results. Next, schedule an appointment with a Buckeye careers coach through Handshake to discuss the results and ask questions.
2 Dig deeper into your talents and strengths
Buckeye Careers offers additional assessments students can take advantage of including Myers-Briggs Career Report and Strengthsfinder 2.0. Contact Buckeye Careers in the Office of Student life for more details.
Exploring career options
After evaluating the things you do well, your interests and what is most important to you, it is time to identify and explore career fields in public health that interest you.
1 Make a career advising appointment
Meet with the college's career counselor or a Buckeye careers coach to discuss career options and get help from an experienced career professional.
2 Prepare for your field experience
Get a head start on your required field experiences including the MPH Applied Practice Experience, MHA administrative residency and BSPH capstone, volunteering and other internship opportunities that provide you with the opportunity to explore career options.
3 Attend career fairs
Meet with prospective employers during the many career fairs held at Ohio State during the academic year.
4 Network, network, network
Find ways to network with employers and alumni. Some of the ways include attending career fairs, employer information sessions, or joining Alumnifire. A full listing of university career events can be found on Handshake. You can also conduct informational interviews with alumni, faculty, family, and friends who have careers in the fields that interest you.
5 Research public health careers
The Occupational Outlook Handbook allows you to browse jobs in many sectors and research what certain jobs may entail including median pay, education required, projected number of new jobs and how the growth rate compares to other occupations. Public Health Careers.org is another useful resource to search public health job opportunities across the nation, connect with state and territorial health departments in all states, see various career paths and job functions in public health and hear from professionals in the field of public health.
Get focused
1 Develop your resume and cover letter
Review resume tip sheets and videos, attend resume workshops, review cover letter tips sheets, get your resume reviewed by a career advisor and know how to tailor your resume and cover letter to a job description so you can best position yourself in your search for a career.
2 Get career ready
Educate yourself on career readiness. Get started with these resources:
3 Create a Handshake profile
Handshake is Ohio State's university-wide job-posting system. Your profile allows you to search and apply for positions and attend career events.
4 Create a LinkedIn profile
Using LinkedIn allows you to begin networking virtually.
5 Practicing interviewing and networking
It takes dedicated practice to know how to put your best self forward for interviews and networking opportunities.
Take action
1 Write career goals down
Write out and set career goals for your job/internship search.
2 Attend workshops and learn on your own
Find workshops and watch educational content to help hone your job search skills.
3 Attend career fairs and employer events
Use what you learn from career advisors, job-search workshops and practicing your interviewing and networking skills and put them into practice at career fairs or employer events.
4 Learn how to navigate job offers and salaries
Research tips and strategies on accepting a job offer and salary negotiation.