Module 2: Goals and Planning

Goal setting provides direction and helps turn long-term aspirations into achievable steps. Whether you're exploring career options, preparing for graduate school, or building professional skills, creating a plan – and revisiting it regularly – can help you stay focused while remaining flexible as your interests and opportunities evolve.

This module will help you identify meaningful goals, create an action plan, and develop strategies for tracking your progress and adjusting your goals over time.

  Resources

• “What Can I Do with This Major?” and/or MySkills Undergrad – Undergrad Degree Sheets
  • Alumni: You have access to “What Can I Do with This Major” through the “Resources” section of Handshake.
• SMART Goal Setting – A&S Academic Advising and Coaching (8/7/2020)
• My Next Move – browse careers by interest, bright outlook, career clusters, and job preparation level. Click on an occupation to view detailed information about job duties, knowledge, skills, education, salary, and outlook.
• Graduate School (if applicable): 
  • CU Career Services: Considering Graduate School (How to Prepare, How to Apply, and Pre-Law sub-pages)
  • Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs (APSIA)

  Homework

• Mentee: Review “What Can I Do with This Major?” and/or MySkills Undergrad Degree Sheets. 
• Mentee & Mentor: Read the SMART Goal Setting article. 
• Optional for Mentee & Mentor: Explore My Next Move and/or the Graduate School resources. Identify one or two careers or graduate programs that align with your interests. Review the knowledge, skills, education, salary, and job outlook associated with each option. AI tools may also be helpful for researching these career paths.

  Discussion

• Identify activities, experiences, and next steps that will help the mentee progress toward their academic and career goals over the next several months. Consider creating a simple timeline, roadmap, or checklist.
• Develop 2-4 SMART Goals for the coming academic year to help the mentee achieve those career and/or grad school options.
• Create a plan to regularly review progress, celebrate successes, stay accountable, and adjust goals as priorities and opportunities evolve.

  Extra Credit

• APSIA Career Guide - Explore career paths in international affairs, including common sectors, roles, skills, and opportunities.
• CU Career Services Identity-Based Career Resources
• O*NET Online
  • Search for occupations using a variety of filters (ex: Bright Outlook, Career Cluster, Industry, Job Duties, Professional Associations, etc.)
  • Browse by occupational/worker requirements and worker characteristics (ex: browse by your specific RIASEC result)
  • Research workforce characteristics data (wage, projected growth/openings, top industries)
• Generative AI and the future of work in America (McKinsey Global Institute, published 7/26/2023)
• Is Graduate School worth the cost (US News, published 3/17/2023)

  Module 1: Career and Interest Assessments Module 3: Application Materials and Job Search