First & Second Year Students

The resources and tools found within this community have been designed and curated to support students in their first and second years at the University of Florida. This community covers two main student populations:

  • Freshman Students
  • Sophomore Students

This page contains important information and resources supporting your career and professional development at the University of Florida and beyond.

Take time to review the community – check out the articles and blog posts and explore the resources to learn more about ways to become career ready. You will also find things you can do now, like joining a related student organization, connecting with alumni, researching occupations of interest by career categories or pathways using real time labor market data to power your decision-making, or reading featured articles and blogs.


University of Florida Expectations for First and Second Year Students

Also, we want to inform you of some University of Florida expectations you must complete during your first and second year. Please review the information below:

  • Career Prep Process must be completed during your first year at UF. To learn more, please visit the Career Prep Process page.
  • Career Readiness must be completed during your second year at UF. To learn more, please visit the Career Readiness page.

First and Second Year Resources

CHOMP is an online, interactive, self-guided career and educational planning system designed to help you make decisions about your future career goals and education plans. CHOMP offers a variety of self-assessments in order to evaluate your level of career readiness and gain self-awareness.

CHOMP can help you identify…

  • Work Interests
  • Values
  • Personality
  • Skills
  • Leisure Interests
  • Majors and Occupations
  • How different majors at UF connect to careers

What Can I Do With This Major? is a website featuring 100 major profiles with information on common career paths, types of employers that hire in the field, and strategies to maximize opportunities.

Whether you’re exploring majors or searching for information about your chosen field, this website will help you connect majors to careers.

Gator Network is an exclusive platform for UF students, alumni, faculty, and staff to gain access to virtual UF communities and connections.


At UF, we’re dedicated to equipping you with the tools you need to launch your career journey early. That’s why we’ve curated a selection of introductory job simulations through Forage. Whether you’re still exploring your options or have a specific career in mind, these simulations offer a unique opportunity to:

Gain Practical Skills: Experience real-life job tasks that build competencies you can use in internships and beyond.
Earn a Certificate: Upon completion, receive a certificate to proudly showcase on your resume and LinkedIn, making you more competitive in the job market.

Explore Forage now and take your first step toward a successful career!

Career Resilience in the Age of AI and Automation: Future-Proofing Roles Across Industries

According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025, this decade may see the emergence of 170 million new jobs, even as AI-powered tools automate many tasks that define entry-level roles.

Maybe the future of work isn’t threatened …

By Ivy Exec
Ivy Exec is your dedicated career development resource.
Read more

Ten Tips to Protect Your Digital Privacy

Social and professional connection online is nearly inevitable these days, but how do we maintain privacy and curate the online experience that works best for us? Here are 10 tips to protect your digital privacy.

Keep your personal accounts on …

By Sara Smith-Paez
Sara Smith-Paez Health Promotion Specialist
Read more

What is Digital Wellbeing? An Interview with Health Promotion Specialist, Dr. Palani Te

What is digital wellbeing, what does it have to do with career success, and what should we be doing about it? I interviewed Lifelong Wellbeing Health Promotion Specialist, Dr. Palani Te (who goes by “Te”), to find out more.

 

By Sara Smith-Paez
Sara Smith-Paez Health Promotion Specialist
Read more

Thinking About Grad School? Don’t Miss the Graduate and Professional Schools Fair on Oct. 15!

If grad school is on your radar, even just a little, you need to check out the Graduate and Professional Schools Fair happening Wednesday, October 15, from 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. at the Reitz Union Grand Ballroom and Career Connections Center.

By David Adams
David Adams Senior Assistant Director for Career Pathways – Business, Public Service, and Tourism
Read more

From UF to Silicon Valley: Career Insights from a Gator at Meta

Earlier this month, UF students connected with Karan Goel, a Gator alum and current Software Engineer at Meta, to learn how he navigated his journey from Gainesville to Silicon Valley.

As the Assistant Director for Career Pathways: STEM at UF’s …

By Crystal Burton
Crystal Burton Assistant Director for Career Pathways: STEM
Read more

Sidebar

Job Market DataIn partnership withLightcast logo

As a first-and second-year student, you can use the Job Market Data Tool to explore potential industries and occupations. This tool can help you gain average salary insights, and learn about required education levels, top employers, and core tasks and skills associated with various occupations. Try filtering by industry to learn more about occupations within an industry to help you explore the possibilities.

Type in a keyword to select a relevant occupation. (If you'd like to see data for a specific location only, filter by state.)

Credentials and Courses

Tech Career Skills: Developing Your Personal Brand

Taught by Dux Raymond Sy
In today’s competitive environment, having a strong personal brand positions you as an industry expert, promotes your influence, and opens…

Excel: Managing and Analyzing Data

Taught by Oz du Soleil
In this course, Oz du Soleil—an Excel MVP, author, and trainer with a passion for clean data and reliable reporting—equips…

Harness Your Anxiety for Good

Taught by Morra Aarons-Mele
In this course, New York University neuroscientist Dr. Wendy Suzuki shares practical wisdom to help individuals harness the power of…

Designing a Presentation

Taught by Tony Harmer
Perhaps the most essential skill for all knowledge workers, sales professionals, business owners, and educators is the ability to design…

Business Etiquette for Gen Z

Taught by Madecraft
Good business etiquette sets the right tone in a professional setting and can position you for long-term success. In this…

Cultivating a Growth Mindset

Taught by Dr Gemma Leigh Roberts
Mindset is a choice. People with a growth mindset—who choose to believe that talent and ability can grow—experience better performance,…

Reasons Not to Worry: Stoicism in Chaotic Times

Taught by Next Big Idea Club
Ever wondered why we all worry so much about things beyond our control? In the 2022 book Reasons Not to…

How to Create Great Customer Experiences

Taught by Sam Stern
Creating exceptional customer experiences is a vital goal for every company. In this course, customer experience (CX) expert Sam Stern…

The Step-by-Step Guide to Rock Your Job Interview

Taught by Anna Belyaeva
In this course, founder of The Career Diet and career coach Anna Belyaeva provides a step-by-step guide to prepare for,…

Nano Tips for Landing Your Dream Internship with Sho Dewan

Taught by Sho Dewan
Welcome to our Nano Tips series, where LinkedIn Learning creators deliver impactful lessons in literally seconds. In this installment, gather…

Create Your Dream Career: A Transformative Guide for Women

Taught by genConnectU
While you may hear the occasional story of someone lucking into their dream job, or discovering their life’s calling through…

Decision-Making Strategies

Taught by Mike Figliuolo
Learn the art and science of business decision-making from leadership trainer and coach Mike Figliuolo. Mike outlines the four styles…

Networking Foundations: Networking Basics

Taught by Kevin Wallace
When someone begins to study networking, they’re challenged with knowing where to start. This is due to the wide spectrum…

Teamwork Foundations

Taught by Chris Croft
Whatever job you do, it’s likely you work in a team. Your performance will depend on your ability to work…

Introduction to Career Skills in Data Analytics

Taught by Robin Hunt
Are you ready to take the first step on your journey as a data analyst? Whatever your goals, you don’t…

Learning to Say No with Confidence and Grace

Taught by Melody Wilding
Turning down requests at work can be tough. If you’re a high performer who serves as a resource for other…

Leadership Strategies for Women

Taught by Daisy Lovelace
Countless sources have documented the difficulties women face in reaching the top tiers of today’s businesses. Women leaders face different…

Writing a Cover Letter

Taught by Jenny Foss
Cover letters matter. When done right, they spell out clearly who you are, what you have to offer, and—most importantly—why…

Managing Your Career: Early Career

Taught by Valerie Sutton
What do you enjoy doing, and how are you uniquely qualified to build a rewarding career out of your interests,…

Managing Stress for Positive Change (2022)

Taught by Heidi Hanna
In the workplace, stress is often viewed in purely negative terms—it’s seen as a response that should simply be minimized…

Career Resources

Experiential Learning encompasses diverse personal and professional activities, engaging you beyond the classroom to gain practical insights, develop knowledge and …

Hi, Gators! In this short video I walk you through creating a winning resume from scratch. All you need to …

Looking for Federal Work Student and other part time jobs? The Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships is here …

Alumni Connections

  • Legal Secretary Various
Meet Maria
  • Economic Analyst Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland
Meet Christian
  • Image Quality Scientist Intern Canon Medical
Meet Adam

Contact & Location

Phone
352-392-1601
Address

J. Wayne Reitz Union
Suite 1300
PO Box 118507
Gainesville, FL 32611-8507

Career Service Hours

Monday 8:00 am- 5:00 pm
Tuesday 8:00 am- 5:00 pm
Wednesday 8:00 am- 5:00 pm
Thursday 8:00 am- 5:00 pm
Friday 8:00 am- 5:00 pm

We are located on Level 1 of the Reitz Union.