Career Roadmap
Build your experience year by year
Use this roadmap to plan meaningful experiences, develop career-ready skills, and prepare for opportunities after UCLA.
First Year: Explore and Build Your Foundation
Explore your interests, establish your academic foundation, and begin building relationships across UCLA.
Fall Quarter
- Attend Welcome Week activities and explore campus resources.
- Join one or two student organizations connected to your interests.
- Meet faculty, academic advisors, counselors, and campus leaders.
- Attend office hours and begin building faculty relationships.
- Create an account on 12twenty for jobs, appointments, events, and more.
- Create a UCLA ONE account and develop your academic plan.
Winter Quarter
- Complete Focus 2 to explore your interests, strengths, and values.
- Schedule an appointment with a Career Center counselor through 12twenty.
- Attend CORE Career Development workshops.
- Reflect on which courses and subjects interest you most.
- Create a first resume that includes academics, activities, and experience.
Spring Quarter
- Review your academic progress with your academic advisor.
- Explore campus jobs, volunteer roles, research, and summer opportunities.
- Use 12twenty to find career fairs and employer events.
- Identify skills you want to develop during your second year.
- Make a plan for staying engaged during the summer.
Summer
- Work, volunteer, take summer courses, or participate in job shadowing.
- Conduct an informational interview in a field that interests you.
- Update your resume with your summer experience.
- Reflect on what you learned and what you want to explore next.
Second Year: Build Experience and Direction
Clarify your direction, build professional skills, and begin gaining experience beyond the classroom.
Fall Quarter
- Grow your involvement within a student organization.
- Explore study abroad and global internship opportunities.
- Learn about undergraduate research opportunities at UCLA.
- Create or strengthen your LinkedIn profile.
- Explore Parker Dewey micro-internships and Forage projects.
- Use 12twenty to begin researching summer internships early.
Winter Quarter
- Use 12twenty to search and apply for internships.
- Attend career fairs and employer information sessions.
- Meet with a career counselor to discuss your direction.
- Conduct informational interviews with professionals and alumni.
- Review your resume and application materials.
Spring Quarter
- Pursue a leadership role within a student organization.
- Finalize your summer internship, research, work, or volunteer plans.
- Review your major and academic progress with an advisor.
- Identify skills and experience you still need to develop.
- Build relationships with faculty in your academic area.
Summer
- Complete an internship, research project, volunteer role, or study-abroad experience.
- Build relationships with supervisors and professional colleagues.
- Record your projects, accomplishments, and measurable results.
- Update your resume and LinkedIn profile before fall recruiting begins.
Third Year: Prepare and Position Yourself
Strengthen your professional profile, expand your network, and prepare for internships, employment, or graduate study.
Fall Quarter
- Take on additional responsibility in a leadership position.
- Update your resume with new skills, projects, and experience.
- Develop and practice your professional introduction.
- Use 12twenty to begin applying for competitive internships.
- Connect with professionals and alumni through LinkedIn and UCLA ONE.
- Begin researching graduate programs if advanced study interests you.
Winter Quarter
- Continue internship applications and prepare for interviews.
- Use 12twenty to find recruiting events and employer sessions.
- Review job descriptions to identify skill gaps.
- Use Career Center workshops for interview preparation.
- Build missing skills through courses, projects, research, or leadership.
Spring Quarter
- Finalize your summer internship, research, or employment plans.
- Research graduate-school requirements, exams, and deadlines.
- Identify potential recommendation writers.
- Prioritize your strongest and most relevant experiences.
- Confirm that you remain on track to graduate.
Summer
- Complete a substantial internship, research experience, or professional project.
- Request feedback and strengthen relationships with supervisors and mentors.
- Document your accomplishments and update your application materials.
- Prepare for fall recruiting or begin drafting graduate-school materials.
Final Year: Transition Beyond UCLA
Turn your UCLA experience into a clear plan for employment, graduate school, or your next professional step.
Fall Quarter
- Clarify your post-graduation direction with a career counselor.
- Update your resume, LinkedIn profile, portfolio, and application materials.
- Use 12twenty to apply for jobs and find recruiting events.
- Complete and submit graduate-school applications.
- Maintain relationships with faculty, supervisors, mentors, and alumni.
- Confirm your remaining degree requirements.
Winter Quarter
- Continue applying for jobs and preparing for interviews.
- Use 12twenty to find career fairs, employer sessions, and networking events.
- Follow up with professional contacts and request referrals when appropriate.
- Evaluate graduate-school offers and employment opportunities.
- Review your academic progress and graduation timeline.
Spring Quarter
- Finalize employment, graduate-school, or other post-graduation plans.
- Ask career counselors, faculty, and mentors for guidance when needed.
- Complete all degree and graduation requirements.
- Prepare financially and personally for your transition beyond UCLA.
- Thank the faculty, mentors, and supervisors who supported you.
Summer After Graduation
- Begin your job, graduate program, fellowship, or continued job search.
- Update LinkedIn and notify your network of your next step.
- Stay connected to mentors and the UCLA alumni community.
- Continue building skills and setting goals for your first professional year.
Transfer Students: Two-Year Career Roadmap
Transfer students follow an accelerated career-development timeline. Begin building relationships, exploring career options, and preparing for internships during your first quarter at UCLA.
Transfer Year One
Connect, explore, and gain experience
Establish your UCLA network quickly, clarify your goals, and begin preparing for internships and other professional experiences.
Fall Quarter
- Attend Welcome Week activities and other campus events.
- Connect with the UCLA Transfer Student Center and other campus resources.
- Join a student organization connected to your interests.
- Meet faculty, academic advisors, counselors, and campus leaders.
- Create an account on 12twenty for jobs, appointments, events, and more.
- Create a UCLA ONE account and begin connecting with alumni.
- Develop an academic plan and learn how to monitor your DAR.
Winter Quarter
- Attend Career Center career-development workshops.
- Meet with a Career Center counselor to discuss your goals.
- Use 12twenty to search and apply for internships.
- Attend HIRE UCLA, career fairs, and employer information sessions.
- Explore undergraduate research, campus involvement, and project opportunities.
- Build and practice your professional introduction or elevator pitch.
Spring Quarter
- Finalize an internship, research opportunity, project, or campus role.
- Conduct informational interviews with professionals and UCLA alumni.
- Review your resume and internship applications with a career counselor.
- Assess your academic progress with your academic advisor.
- Begin researching graduate programs if you plan to continue your education.
- Identify skills you need to develop before your final year.
Summer
- Complete an internship, research experience, professional project, or volunteer role.
- Build relationships with supervisors and professional colleagues.
- Record your projects, accomplishments, and measurable results.
- Update your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- Prepare for fall recruiting or begin graduate-school application materials.
Transfer Year Two
Prepare for your next step
Turn your UCLA experience into a focused plan for employment, graduate school, or another post-graduation opportunity.
Fall Quarter
- Reflect on your academic, leadership, work, and internship experiences.
- Meet with a career counselor and academic advisor to review your plans.
- Update your resume, LinkedIn profile, and application materials.
- Use 12twenty to apply for jobs and attend recruiting events.
- Complete and submit graduate-school applications by their deadlines.
- Confirm your remaining degree requirements and graduation timeline.
Winter Quarter
- Continue applying for jobs and preparing for interviews.
- Attend career fairs, workshops, employer sessions, and networking events.
- Follow up with alumni, faculty, supervisors, and professional contacts.
- Evaluate graduate-school offers and employment opportunities.
- Continue monitoring your academic progress and graduation requirements.
Spring Quarter
- Finalize employment, graduate-school, or other post-graduation plans.
- Continue using Career Center services throughout your job search.
- Complete all degree and graduation requirements.
- Prepare financially and personally for your transition beyond UCLA.
- Thank the faculty, mentors, supervisors, and alumni who supported you.
Summer After Graduation
- Begin your job, graduate program, fellowship, or continued job search.
- Update LinkedIn and share your next step with your network.
- Stay connected to mentors and the UCLA alumni community.
- Continue developing skills and setting goals for your first professional year.
Looking for more career guidance?
Explore the UCLA Career Center’s complete guide to career planning, resumes, interviews, networking, graduate school, and the job search.
