24 Ways to Jumpstart Your 2024

Happy new year! Whether you call them resolutions, goals, intentions, or something else, stepping into a new year with a sense of purpose can help set you on track for success in any part of your life. Below is a list of 24 ideas for how to bring your career goals into greater focus in 2024. 

Take Action

Make it a priority to take action in your career journey (rather than thinking about taking action — no judgment, we’ve all been there!) Taking even small actions will help you see consistent progress and is highly empowering. The following resolutions are places to start.

1. Read ‘This Week at the Career Center’. We send a weekly Sunday newsletter with a digest of everything you need to know for the coming week. Simply read the newsletter to stay informed and, where appropriate, take further action to sign up for a relevant opportunity. 

2. Complete your Handshake profile. The key to success on Handshake is completing your profile—80% of students who complete their profile get messaged by an employer.

3. Join a career cluster. Explore our 7 career clusters and make sure you have indicated your career interests in Handshake to receive more tailored resources and updates. (Also in Handshake, go to Settings > Notification Preferences to make sure you have indicated you want to receive general emails.)

4. Take a self-assessment inventory. Taking a self-assessment inventory such as Focus 2 will help you get to know yourself better. And discovering what brings you joy, what you’re good at, and what’s most important to you will help you make more fulfilling career choices!

5. Join Eagle Exchange. Use Eagle Exchange to explore career possibilities, ask career-related questions, build your professional network, find alumni mentors, and more.

6. Attend events. Jump out of your comfort zone and attend an upcoming career program or event. We offer workshops, panels, career fairs, as well as specialty programs to help you reflect on your interests and explore careers. 

Stay Calm

If you’re feeling a bit anxious about finding a job or internship, you’re not alone. It’s a common feeling. Try a few of the following ideas to calm your nerves and stay balanced.. 

7. Build your resilience. Resilient people are most successful. And the good news is that resilience is a muscle that everyone has and can learn how to strengthen. 

8. Develop a plan and stay organized. Your search will take time, so start early, stay organized, and be patient. Develop your own personalized exploration plan or job/internship search plan to set goals and deadlines for yourself throughout the semester. Use this sample tracking sheet or Huntr to keep track of your search progress. 

9. Stay positive. Ignore those negative voices that tell you you’ll never find a job/internship; that negativity won’t get you anywhere. BC students who are dedicated to their search and are able to articulate their skills tend to do very well in the marketplace. And when you need a little boost of that confidence and positivity, visit the Career Center!

10. Reframe the “should” statements in your life. You will likely face many external pressures when it comes to your career. Commit to reframing your mindset to be intentional about the decisions you make.

11. Take breaks from your search. If and when you find yourself getting overwhelmed or overly stressed about your search, step away. Get outside, do something you enjoy, move your body. Come back to your search when you are feeling more balanced and refreshed. 

Find Your People

One of the best things you can do for your well-being and your job or internship search is to surround yourself with positive, supportive, and honest people. In addition to friends and family, find your career champions—people you can speak to about your career goals, questions, and concerns. 

12. Meet with a Career Coach. Our career coaches are here to partner with you throughout your career journey. Schedule an appointment with a coach to begin discussing your goals and plans for the year. 

13. Connect with your peers. Talking to other students about their internships can be really helpful. Use the BC Summer Experience Database and Handshake to find students who have completed internships you are curious about. Not sure how? Come to Career Center drop-ins and ask a Peer Career Coach!

14. Connect with BC alums. Use Eagle Exchange to reach out to BC alumni and find mentors to help you explore career options and navigate your job/internship search.

15. Get to know your professors and administrators. Attend faculty office hours and discuss your career goals with them. You can even ask them questions about their own career journeys and how they chose their path. Professors can be valuable mentors and potential references. 

16. Join a student organization. Get involved with a student organization to meet new people. You may even discover a new skill, talent, or activity you enjoy! 

Be Prepared

While most of your career journey can feel out of your control, how you present yourself to employers is 100% within your control. Focus on the following to ensure you are as prepared as you can be for your job or internship search. 

17. Create a great resume. Everyone needs a great resume and there is no excuse to not have one. Start with the templates on our website and attend drop-in hours to get feedback on your resume draft. 

18. Practice your interviewing skills. These days, many organizations conduct virtual interviews. Use the Big Interview platform to build your confidence in your interview skills so you are ready to wow employers. 

19. Review and revise your online presence. It is absolutely essential to curate how employers see you online. Follow this checklist to complete an inventory of your digital accounts and make a plan for them going forward.

Think Outside of the Box

There are plenty of opportunities to build skills and gain experience beyond formal jobs or internships. You may want to consider these ideas to help supplement your experience and boost your resume. 

20. Complete a project. Projects are short-term experiences that offer an opportunity to build skills and explore a career field in a more hands-on way. Check out the project opportunities on Forage. 

21. Shadow an alum for a day. Reach out to an alum on Eagle Exchange and request to shadow them for a day to learn more about what it is like to work in their industry. 

22. Volunteer for an organization. Volunteering is not only a rewarding experience, it also provides you the opportunity to build skills and make connections at an organization. Check out the Volunteer and Service Learning Center for opportunities. 

23. Develop a new skill. Take a LinkedIn Learning course to become proficient in a technical skill, such as Excel, Google Analytics, or Adobe or to learn more about an industry you are considering.

24. Get a part-time job. Working at a part-time job on campus or at another organization allows you to gain real-world experience in addition to earning a paycheck. Whether or not it is directly related to your career aspirations, you will build skills that all employers are seeking. (We hope you’ll consider applying for a student employment role in the Career Center at some point! We’ll be hiring Peer Career Coaches this spring for next academic year.)

You’ve got this! 

Rachel Greenberg
Director, Career Center