Career Preparation Activities

The goal of Capstone is to set you up for professional success. The Career Preparation activities encourage you to polish your career skills from different perspective.

“Opportunities don’t happen, you create them.” — Chris Grosser

Resume Building

Individual Activity

Create or update your resume, emphasizing relevant projects and internships. Have your resume reviewed by three (3) peers. Revisit your resume based on their feedback.

Submit the original resume, the feedback you received from your three peers, and the updated resume.

Practice LeetCode

Individual Activity

Improve coding skills by solving at lest three (3) problems on platforms like LeetCode.

Provide a list of problems solved and a brief reflection on learned concepts.

Mock Interviews

Individual Activity

Participate in at least two mock interviews to build confidence and refine communication.

Write a summary of the interview experience, including strengths and areas for improvement.

Portfolio Development

Individual Activity

Create or update an online portfolio showcasing your work. Have your portfolio reviewed by three (3) peers. Revisit your portfolio based on their feedback.

Submit the feedback received from your three peers and the link to your portfolio.

Attend Job Fairs or Industry Networking Events

Individual Activity

Network with employers at at least two (2) events.

Write a summary of contacts made, companies of interest, and potential follow-ups for each event (indicate the event and date).

LinkedIn Optimization

Individual Activity

Create or update and optimize your LinkedIn profile. Have your profile reviewed by three (3) peers. Revisit your profile based on their feedback.

Submit the feedback received from your three peers and the link to your profile.

Personal Branding

Individual Activity

Establish an online presence through blogs or social media. Create at least one blog post and one social media post to promote your blog post.

Write up goals for your personal branding over the short, medium, and long terms. Share links to the blog post and social media post.

Write a Cover Letter

Individual Activity

Find a job or internship of interest and write a cover letter for it. Have your letter reviewed by two (2) peers. Revisit your letter based on their feedback.

Submit the original job description, the feedback received from your two peers and the cover letter.

Join a Professional Association

Individual Activity

Join a professional association (such as ACM) and attend at least two events.

Submit membership confirmation and a summary of the events and the networking opportunities available.

Complete an Online Certification Course

Individual Activity

Complete a course relevant to your field (e.g., AWS, Google Cloud).

Submit the certification and a summary of new skills learned and how they apply to your career aspirations.

Public Code Repository

Individual Activity

Polish and make one of your code repository public (e.g., GitHub). Have your project reviewed by two (2) peers. Revisit your repository and its README based on their feedback.

Submit the feedback received from your two peers and the link to the repository.

Read Wait But Why Post on Career Picking

Individual Activity

Read the article How to Pick a Career (That Actually Fits You) to gain insights into how to approach career decisions thoughtfully. The post delves into understanding your values, exploring different career paths, and making informed, long-term choices that align with your passions and skills. This reflective activity can help you make more meaningful career decisions.

Write a reflection on how the insights influence your career planning.