Focus Your Career Options

Once you have narrowed down your career options, you will want information about networking opportunities, potential employers, and ways to find job and internship opportunities. Below are a variety of ways to get started on this process.

Employer Lists and Company Research

Identify companies in your desired industry to directly target them in your job or internship search. Company website job boards may be the best place to find open positions. Below are some useful resources in identifying companies and getting an in depth look at the companies themselves.

  • Handshake
    Handshake is where UC Davis students and alumni connect with employers. Over 100 internships and jobs, both on and off campus, are posted every day. Whether you’re looking for an internship or your next career, Handshake can help.
  • CareerOneStop Employer Locator
    Allows you to search by keyword, occupation, industry and location to find contact information for a specific employer or list of employers.
  • Glassdoor
    Allows you to read employee reviews of companies and provides information, rankings and articles about major organizations.
  • LinkedIn
    Has a company directory that includes member companies and organizations listed by industry. There are several tutorials on LinkedIn on how to use LinkedIn for networking for jobs and internships.
  • U.S. Census Bureau North American Industry Classification System
    You can search by keyword for a comprehensive list of industries based on the U.S. Census.

Professional Associations

Joining professional associations related to the industry you are interested in allows you access to professionals in the field and networking opportunities which can lead to potential jobs and internships. Involvement can also provide you insider updates on industry trends and best practices. One of the best ways to identify the relevant association is to perform an internet search, but there are some resources provided below to get you started. There are often state and local chapters of national organizations that you can easily connect with.

Informational Interviews and Job Shadowing

Informational Interviewing

Informational interviews are one of the best ways you can network with professionals and learn about career options.

The informational interview is a focused 15-30 minute meeting and is an opportunity for you to ask a professional, working in a career of interest, a series of industry and job-related questions. It is a great way to gain an insider's viewpoint of a career in which you are interested. You can find professionals for an Informational Interview through your current network of professors, TAs, coworkers, advisors, the Aggie Alumni Association, website directories or calling the main phone number for an organization. You may also choose to contact a professional through LinkedIn.

Be sure to send a thank you note or email within 24-48 hours of the informational interview.

Job Shadowing

Job shadowing allows you to spend time (from a few hours to multiple weeks) with a professional currently working in your field of interest. It allows you to observe what it is actually like working in a specific job and allows you to build relationships with professionals in the industry.

Use similar approaches as with the informational interview to organize a period of job shadowing.