Individualized Career Plan
It doesn’t matter when you begin your career and professional development journey.
What matters is that you start.
The Center for Career Development at University of Bridgeport supports students at every stage by using an Individualized Career Plan (ICP) tailored to your unique goals and experiences. Rather than focusing on what year you are in, the Center operates on a tiered system, recognizing that everyone progresses at their own pace. Whether you’re exploring career options or preparing to enter the workforce, the Center meets you where you are and helps you move forward with confidence.
The ICP is a personalized roadmap designed to guide you through your career development journey throughout your time at UB. It helps you identify your career goals, outline actionable short-term objectives, and track progress with support from a career advisor.
The ICP is structured around a three-tiered Career Development checklist that ensures students build professional skills and experiences gradually:
Tier I focuses on foundational preparation, including resumé building, career assessments, and establishing connections with Career Development. Students are expected to complete key foundational career tasks, including updating their resumé, setting an appointment with Career Development, completing a LinkedIn profile, and taking the Focus2Career assessments.
Based on assessment results, they will research their top three career options and attend a career workshop. Students should also join a campus group or club. Once all items are completed, they should meet with a career advisor to begin their ICP.
Tier II transitions students into major and career alignment, beginning their ICP and taking steps toward securing internships. In this phase, students are expected to declare their major and officially begin their ICP. They should identify and apply for an internship aligned with their goals.
Participation in a Career Development workshop is required, and students must complete the first set of goals outlined in their ICP.
Tier III emphasizes real-world experience, including completing internships, networking, attending recruitment events, and preparing for full-time employment. Students in this stage will complete their internship and the Pre-Internship/Career Readiness course. They should increase their LinkedIn network to 75-100 professional connections and schedule a mock interview.
Additional expectations include attending three job or recruitment fairs, taking on a leadership role in a student group or club, participating in a Career Development workshop, finalizing a professional portfolio with a career advisor, and completing at least one interview with a prospective employer.
Importance of completing the ICP
By actively engaging in the ICP each year, students gain clarity on their career direction, build a strong professional profile, and graduate with the skills and experiences needed to be competitive in the job market. It ensures students are not only academically prepared but also professionally ready. Ongoing collaboration with career advisors helps students stay on track, adjust goals as needed, and make the most of opportunities available during their college years.
The first step
Create or update a resumé using the UB Resumé Template created by the Center for Career Development team in the Career Development Canvas Shell