World Campus Career Roadmap

Three-dimensional image of map pin on roadway. Image text: "Your World. Your Roadmap. Your Future. A flexible path to explore, build, prepare, and achieve."

Penn State World Campus students have a wide range of backgrounds and life experiences. This roadmap is designed to meet you where you are and help you take action toward your goals. Review the stages and begin with the one that feels most relevant right now. You may move back and forth as your priorities shift.

Where are you right now?

Most students shift between stages as their goals and circumstances change. Each stage includes actions you can take now and resources to help you move forward. This roadmap, like your career, is not linear, and your path may not look like anyone else’s.

Stage 1: Clarify Your Direction

Understand what matters and where you might go.

Milestones

  • Clear understanding of strengths, interests, and priorities
  • Identification of 2–3 possible career or academic directions
  • Awareness of priorities and considerations (i.e., time, location, or financial needs)
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Take Action

  • Reflect on your experiences (work, course work, and life) — Think about what you enjoyed, what you did well, and what you would want to keep doing.
  • Identify your strengths and skills — Consider what comes naturally to you or what others rely on you to do.
  • Complete a career assessment — Use the results to better understand your interests, values, and preferences.
  • Pay attention to your day-to-day experiences — Notice what types of tasks give you energy and which ones drain you.
  • Schedule a career coaching appointment through Nittany Lion Careers — Talk through your ideas and get help clarifying your interests, strengths, and potential directions.
  • Start connecting your experiences to possible paths by looking for patterns between what you enjoy, what you’re good at, and roles that use those skills — Use job descriptions, career tools, or conversations with others to see where those patterns show up.

Penn State Resources

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Stage 2: Explore Your Options

Connect your interests to real paths.

Milestones

  • Target roles or career directions identified
  • Clear understanding of qualifications needed for those roles
  • Defined next step: build skills, gain experience, or move forward

Take Action

  • Research career paths — Use tools like O*NET and the Bureau of Labor Statistics to learn what people do in your targeted roles, where they work, and what skills are required.
  • Align your academic and professional goals — Connect your program to potential careers by reviewing job descriptions and identifying where your course work and skills align.
  • Talk to people doing the work — Use LionLink or LinkedIn to connect with alumni and professionals and ask about their experiences.
  • Build and engage your network — Create or update your LinkedIn profile and begin connecting with classmates, alumni, and professionals.
  • Attend events and employer sessions — Join virtual career fairs, information sessions, and industry panels to learn directly from employers.
  • Conduct informational interviews — Have short conversations with professionals to better understand day-to-day work, career paths, and expectations.
  • Get involved to explore interests — Join student organizations or professional groups to build skills and explore areas of interest.
  • Compare your options — Look at the skills, experience, and education required across different roles to see what fits best.
  • Evaluate education pathways — Consider whether a certificate, additional course work, or a graduate degree supports your goals.
  • Use available support — Meet with career services, speak with faculty, and connect with your academic adviser about course plans, career paths, or graduate school options.

Penn State Resources

Additional Resources

Stage 3: Build Your Experience

Develop skills and position yourself for opportunities.

Milestones

  • Demonstrated skill growth through measurable outcomes or projects
  • Résumé aligned to target roles and reviewed by a career professional
  • LinkedIn profile complete and active
  • Résumé and materials tested through targeted applications or feedback
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Take Action

  • Gain relevant experience — Take on new projects or responsibilities in your current role, or pursue internships, contract work, freelance projects, research, or volunteer experiences.
  • Explore opportunities aligned with your goals — Use Nittany Lion Careers and LionLink to identify internships, jobs, and connections related to your interests.
  • Build core skills — Focus on universal skills such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and technology, including emerging tools like AI.
  • Continue your education strategically — Enroll in targeted Penn State courses, certificates, or microcredentials, and connect with your academic adviser to stay aligned with your program.
  • Identify opportunities to demonstrate leadership skills — Seek leadership roles, join projects, participate in research, or create your own opportunities.
  • Create a results-based résumé — Highlight what you have accomplished, not just your responsibilities.
  • Tailor your résumé for your target roles — Use keywords and language from job descriptions to improve alignment with applicant tracking systems (ATS).
  • Build your professional presence — Develop and update your LinkedIn profile to clearly reflect your experience, skills, and goals.
  • Show your work when possible — Create a portfolio of work samples (projects, presentations, writing, code) to demonstrate your skills.

Penn State Resources

icon of person walking along arrow pointing up and right

Stage 4: Move Forward

Execute your search, advance, or transition.

Milestones

  • Targeted applications submitted and tracked
  • Participation in multiple interview formats
  • Confidence in communicating your value and experience
  • Offer, advancement, or next-step plan secured

Take Action

Build your strategy

  • Develop a targeted job search strategy based on roles, industries, and locations.
  • Track applications and opportunities to stay organized.
  • Understand hiring timelines and plan ahead.

Apply with intention

  • Tailor your résumé and cover letter for each application.
  • Apply through Nittany Lion Careers and relevant external platforms.
  • Take advantage of career fairs, information sessions, and recruiting opportunities.

Prepare for interviews

  • Use InterviewPrep or mock interviews to practice common interview formats, including behavioral interviews (using structured examples), technical or role-specific interviews, case- or scenario-based interviews (if applicable), and video or asynchronous interviews.

Complete application steps thoroughly

  • Online applications and applicant tracking system screenings
  • Skills or technical assessments
  • Work samples or case exercises

Network intentionally

  • Connect with alumni, employers, and faculty to support your search.
  • Identify references who can speak to your work and experience.

Penn State Resources

Continuous: Stay Engaged

What to do at every stage of your journey.

Milestones

  • Active and growing professional network
  • Consistently updated professional materials
  • Clear record of skills, experiences, and results
  • Ongoing engagement with Penn State career and learning resources
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Take Action

  • Stay connected to support — Schedule regular check-ins with World Campus Career Services when you’re revisiting your career plan.
  • Build and maintain your network — Use LinkedIn and LionLink to connect with classmates, alumni, and professionals.
  • Keep your materials current — Regularly update your résumé and LinkedIn profile as you gain new experiences.
  • Track your progress — Keep a record of accomplishments, skills, and experiences as they happen.
  • Engage with opportunities — Attend career events, workshops, and employer sessions through Penn State.
  • Stay connected academically — Engage with your academic college and faculty for guidance and opportunities.
  • Stay informed about the market — Monitor job descriptions and industry trends to understand what employers are looking for.
  • Keep an eye on opportunities — Save and track roles of interest to better understand hiring patterns and timelines.
  • Adjust as you learn — Reflect regularly and refine your direction as your goals and experiences evolve.
  • Connect within your industry — Participate in professional associations and utilize industry resources.

Penn State Resources

These habits can help you stay prepared for opportunities and navigate today’s hiring process with confidence.