Your College Roadmap

A successful career starts with a plan. Here’s a year-by-year roadmap for making the most of your time at Batten — with the Career Development Program alongside you at every stage. Not sure where to start? Schedule an appointment and we’ll figure it out together.

Year
1
First Year

Explore & Discover

You have room to experiment. Take courses that interest you, meet your faculty, and start laying the groundwork for a career you’ll actually enjoy.

  • Take courses you enjoy — they tend to lead to careers you’ll enjoy too
  • Complete the FOCUS-2 self-assessment to explore majors and careers based on your interests, values, skills, and personality
  • Talk with faculty about career possibilities in fields that interest you
  • Activate your Handshake account and start exploring jobs and employers
  • Build your first resume — resume templates and guides are available through Career Development
  • Shadow a professional in a potential career field
  • Volunteer — Batten Engaged can connect you with opportunities in Hampton Roads
Year
2
Second Year

Focus & Develop

As you choose your major, start connecting it to career possibilities. A liberal arts education builds the critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving skills employers actively seek — learn how to articulate them.

  • Use What Can I Do With This Major? to explore career areas, employer types, and strategies to make yourself more marketable
  • Log in to Handshake and explore jobs, employers, and fields of interest
  • Undertake an externship in a potential career field
  • Join campus organizations and take on leadership roles
  • Volunteer and participate in experiences that develop essential professional skills
  • Schedule a career coaching appointment to build your development plan — book here
Year
3
Third Year

Act & Experience

This is the year to get into the field. Real-world experience is the most valuable thing you can add to your resume right now — and it makes your final year search considerably easier.

  • Complete an internship in your career field — see Internships for guidance on finding and applying for one
  • Try Micro-Internships through Parker Dewey to build skills and test career options on a flexible timeline
  • Attend CDP career and internship fairs to start building your professional network
  • Update your resume and upload it to Handshake
  • Practice interview skills with CDP staff — schedule an appointment
  • Apply for SHIPP summer funding to support a credit-bearing internship or research experience
Year
4
Fourth Year

Launch & Land

Focus your search, apply to positions and graduate programs, and make the transition from student to professional. The CDP is here for every step — and stays available to you after graduation as an alum.

  • Actively apply to full-time jobs, internships, or graduate programs — research employers and make professional contacts
  • Attend career events and build your network through LinkedIn and industry connections
  • Apply to national partnership programs — the NATO Innovation Hub and Washington Internship Institute are available through Batten
  • Consider Micro-Internships to help launch your career
  • Before you graduate: update your email address in Handshake to a personal address so you keep alumni access
  • Remember: CDP services are free for all Batten alumni — the relationship doesn’t end at graduation