Career Access Mentor Program

Greetings Mentees and Mentors!

This section includes relevant information as it relates to the CAMP II program, and should have everything you need to set your CAMP II relationship up for success!

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Quick Links

CAMP II Monthly Themes
Create Your Own Adventure
Career Access Professional Development Series
CAMP II Trainings

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Return to the Career Access Portal

Listen to former program participants describe what they gained from their Career Access Mentor Program experience.

CAMP II Monthly Themes

This calendar of events is designed to meet the beginning stages of your career access journey. Workshops and Challenges are subject to change.

October:

Professional Development:
Power Management Workshop (PMW)

Challenge-of-the-Month:
Add all of your Ocean Discovery, including CAMP-II, work to your Outlook calendar

November:

Professional Development:
Developing Our Professionalism

Challenge-of-the-Month:
Prepare a professional outfit for our next PD

December:

Professional Development:
LinkedIn

Challenge-of-the-Month:
Send LinkedIn requests to all Ocean Discovery staff

January:

Professional Development:
Informational Interviews

Challenge-of-the-Month:
Conduct an informational Interview

February:

Professional Development:
Calling Out Imposterism

Challenge-of-the-Month:
AmeriCorps Mid-Year Retreat

March:

Professional Development:
Resumes

Challenge-of-the-Month:
Participate in a job shadow organized by Ocean Discovery

April:

Professional Development:
Cover Letters

Challenge-of-the-Month:
Submit resume and cover letter for professional review

May:

Professional Development:
The Job Search

Challenge-of-the-Month:
Apply to a job!

June:

CAMP II Closing Ceremony & Reflection

July (BONUS):

Professional Development:
Financial Literacy

Challenge-of-the-Month:
Arrange a meeting with a financial consultant

Create Your Own Adventure

We understand that the job hunt is hard and may be completely new territory. As you gain more career knowledge and skills, you will move through different phases of your professional journey. In this section, you will find resources and opportunities for each career development phase you may find yourself in.

If a job is not your next step but rather returning to school, see the Graduate School section of the Career Access Portal, or visit Ocean Discovery’s College Access Portal for undergraduate support, depending on your educational pathway.

Career Development Phases:

Discuss which phase you’re in with your supervisor or mentor, and work with them to move to the next phase until you’ve secured the job you’re looking for! For additional support, reach out to Christina Contreras, College & Career Coordinator, if there is follow-up that she can assist with.

Explore

Are you unsure what’s next for you? Looking for guidance to help you take that first step? Check out this section to help you clarify what you’re looking for.

Get Ready

Have an idea of the career pathway you want to pursue? Are you ready to make a plan? Refer to this section to help you prepare for your career transition.

Take Action

You know what you want to do, you’ve made a plan, and now it’s time to put your career knowledge and skills to the test. Visit this section for steps you can take to enact your career plan.

Apply

Have you found some great job matches? Are you ready to apply? This section includes steps you can take to get the job you want!

What happens when you land the job?

Congratulations! You achieved your goal of obtaining your first professional job! We encourage you to keep in touch as mentor and mentee in your transition to your first job. If you choose to end the formal mentoring commitment, please inform Christina Contreras, College & Career Specialist. For resources on how to be successful as a young professional, return to the Career Access Portal and navigate to the section titled Being Successful at Work.

Phase 1: Explore

Try out any of the following exploratory exercises to gain clarity about the kind of career your passions and talents are most aligned with. Discuss your reflections with your supervisor or mentor, and contact Christina Contreras for follow up and additional support.
Complete this Career Exploration worksheet
Complete this Discovering Your PURPOSE activity
Investigate a new career using this Career Research Record Worksheet
Explore your options with What Can I Do With This Major?
Find out what your interests are and how they relate to the world of work with Interest Profiler
Use the California Career Center and the California Career Zone to explore how your interests can become your career.
The Salary Surfer provides comparative information about the earnings of recent California community college graduates.

Back to Create Your Own Adventure

Phase 2: Get Ready

Create your career plan using this Career Plan Template
Prepare your elevator pitch
Strengthen your personal brand online and on social media by developing your LinkedIn profile:
Get Started with LinkedIn
Learning LinkedIn for Students
How Do I Create a Good LinkedIn Profile?
Writing to be Heard on LinkedIn
2 Simple Steps To Rank Higher In LinkedIn Searches – Easy Keyword Optimization
Publishing on LinkedIn for College Students and Young Professionals – get noticed and stand out on LinkedIn
10 LinkedIn Tips for Students & New Grads
Best ways to connect on LinkedIn
How to network with alumni through LinkedIn
Find Jobs on LinkedIn – Best Practices
Searching on LinkedIn
How to Use LinkedIn Learning – tutorial on using LinkedIn’s professional development courses
The Student Job Hunting Handbook Series (LinkedIn)

Have questions about how else you can get ready? Want feedback on your LinkedIn profile? Set a meeting with Christina Contreras to address all the ways you can best get ready for your career transition.

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Phase 3: Take Action

With career goals and a plan, take some of these action steps to gain the confidence and meet the right people to assist in finding the perfect job.
Conduct an informational interview
Arrange a job shadow
Attend a career fair
Attend a conference (databank)
Attend a networking event
Meet with Shara for Career Coaching
Use the The Alumni Tool on LinkedIn to leverage your college’s alumni network

Ready to take action? Contact Christina Contreras for assistance in setting up informational interviews or preparing for any of the steps found in this career development phase.

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Phase 4: Apply

Now you’re ready to search for positions that really excite you, and apply. Take these steps to become a competitive job applicant.
Find job postings
Update your resume
Write a cover letter
Review application material with industry professional
Conduct a mock interview
Track your progress

For one-on-one support developing any of your application materials or preparing for an interview, let Christina Contreras know and she’ll set a coaching meeting with you to review your materials and get them to a competitive level.

Back to Create Your Own Adventure