Whether you're about to start your university studies, are working towards an undergraduate or graduate degree, or are a new alum, here are some of the many ways that you can move forward to connect yourself with professionals and find your path towards your career. Most of these resources are free — just add your time and ideas.
Schedule a Career and Internship Advising Appointment
Current SGSUP students and recent alumni can meet with SGSUP's Career Counselor.
Alumni who are over six months past graduation will be directed to schedule an appointment with a Career Specialist through ASU Alumni Career Services.
Career/Internship Appointment Services:
- Resume and/or Cover Letter Review
- LinkedIn and/or Handshake Profile Review
- Mock Interviewing
- General Advisement on Internship and/or Job Searching
(Non-MUEP Students) You can schedule a career/internship advising appointment here
MUEP Students: Matthew Gomez advises MUEP students on topics related to the planning profession and developing a career in the field. This includes topics such as choosing electives and area of focus, applied experiences, professional development, AICP certification, and connecting with the professional planning community. Schedule your MUEP appointment - HERE
Career Development Resources
ASU Continuing and Professional Education - Free courses on a wide variety of topics
Free GIS software & online training – ASU Libraries’ Map and Geospatial Hub offers access to Esri GIS software and online training, as well as links to online training in QGIS, JMARS, Leaflet and more. Also explore Google Earth and its mapping capabilities.
Free Adobe Creative Cloud for students - Read how to obtain a free license for the Adobe graphics suite as an ASU student
Coursera – Online courses developed by 190+ leading universities (including ASU) and companies. Some have a charge, but free options include themes of career development, graphic design, GIS and more.
Skillshare.com – Resource for lessons on design, illustration, photography, business analytics and more. Free classes
Linkedin Learning (formerly Lynda.com) - Video courses with an emphasis on technology and business. Requires a subscription fee, but available for free through many public libraries.
Why join a professional organization? You can gain exposure to the latest initiatives and ideas, and meet professionals. Consider volunteering to help!
American Meteorological Society (Student membership $20/yr, includes membership in local chapters)
American Planning Association (no cost to students, includes membership in local chapters like APA Arizona)
Arizona Association of Environmental Professionals (free to students)
Arizona Geographic Information Council (no charge to join the listserv)
Association of American Geographers (Undergraduates $38/yr, Graduate students $49/yr)
National Association of Environmental Professionals (Student membership $60/yr)
PHXGeo Meetup (an informal group for those in the Phoenix area who like maps, GIS, OpenStreetMap, cartography and anything in between. Membership is free to all!)
WTS – Advancing Women in Transportation (Student membership $30/yr)
Video: Lightning Talks on Geography, GIS & Urban Planning Careers - Five lively 10-minute talks, presented at ASU's Career Navigator, October 2019
Video: Careers in Urban and Environmental Planning - A panel discussion by a diverse group of Arizona planners, from SGSUP's Planning Career Fair, April 2019
Planetizen Training for Urban Planners - An extensive series of videos on numerous urban planning themes
For examples of geography, GIS and urban planning careers, and more advice from professionals, visit our Careers in Geography, Careers in GIS and Careers in Urban and Environmental Planning pages.
A resume is the first tool in an internship or job search. Here are some resources from ASU Career Services:
A portfolio is a living and changing collection of records that highlights and showcases samples of your best work, along with life experiences, values and achievements. A digital portfolio can be a useful tool in marketing yourself to employers, to professionals that you'd like to interact with, or to colleges and universities where you'd like to pursue a degree.
- What is a digital portfolio? What should I include? Look here.
- Here are portfolio tools that are free to ASU students and alums: Digication or Google sites.
- In Digication, start with an easy-to-use SGSUP Template designed especially for our students. Here's a preview of the template, and here's how to work with it:
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- Create: Follow the “Create a Portfolio from Scratch” Instructions found here: Create a Digital Portfolio, and search for template “SGSUP."
- Customize: Add, edit, and remove pages, add text and media, upload files, record video, and design the portfolio to your liking. Find how-to videos and lists at Digital Portfolio Help Resources.
- Publish: When you first create your portfolio, it will be private -- visible only to you. Once you've added content and customized the portfolio to your liking, change your Privacy Settings to “Public." Now you can share your url with potential employers, admission committees, or any other organizations that would be interested to know your professional story.
- Here are website hosting tools that have some free site-building and hosting options: Wix, WordPress, SquareSpace, Weebly, Adobe Portfolio, or Network Solutions (and find free photos at http://unsplash.com)
- Here are examples of digital portfolios created by our students: Beth Freelander (Digication) | Taylor Moran (Digication) | Hannah Trostle (Digication) | Adrian Zambrano (Weebly)
Here’s a checklist for building a strong student or new graduate LinkedIn profile, and a step-by-step video
Do you need a professional portrait?
Professional headshots are an important component of your personal brand. Arizona State University students, alumni, staff, and faculty can get a FREE professional headshot on the Tempe and Downtown Phoenix campuses. Free, self-service photo booth that produces professional quality headshots emailed to you within minutes.
Photobooths are located on two ASU locations:
1.) Tempe Campus: located in the Memorial Union on the 1st floor near Desert Financial Credit Union and Pitchforks. The Photo booth is available for use during the Memorial Union open hours, no appointment necessary.
2.) Downtown Phoenix Campus (DPC): Student Center @ the Post Office on the 1st floor next to ChangeMaker Central. The Photo booth is available for use anytime the Student Center is open, no appointment necessary.
Learn more about Arizona State University's professional headshot photo booth services here.
For online students, it is recommended to watch the following short video to know the best tips for taking a professional portraits using a smart phone.
Many nonprofits could benefit from expertise that you have -- whether creating a map, gathering or analyzing data, or finding new ways to reach out to community members. Find an organization that advocates for something you’re passionate about, and reach out to them. For example, a GIS student helped a local conservation organization analyze their membership, producing a report on how and where membership had grown. A planning student worked with a nonprofit to understand the process of organizing an annual community event, and wrote up a handbook that will allow groups in other locations to host similar events. Not sure what organizations exist in your community? You can find out a great deal from a web search; and Idealist.org or Volunteer Match may provide additional ideas. This could develop into a for-credit internship, too.
Professional organizations can also use help from students. Volunteering with a professional organization is a great way to build connections with professionals, while you build skills. Check out a list of planning/GIS and geography organizations in the previous section of this page. Our school also hosts student organizations that offer great professional development opportunities.
GISCorps, sponsored by the professional organization URISA, coordinates short-term, volunteer-based GIS services to communities in need worldwide. You can learn about the initiative at https://www.giscorps.org/, and can apply to become a volunteer at https://www.giscorps.org/become-a-volunteer/.
Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT) is an international group dedicated to humanitarian action and community development through open-source mapping. Learn the basics of OpenStreetMap; then volunteer on any HOT project. Connect with YouthMappers ASU to meet other students involved in this initiative.
TIP: If you volunteer, keep a record of the hours you spend and your responsibilities. These hours can contribute to 'experience' requirements for government jobs especially, and jobs of any kind.
Preparing Future Faculty (Graduate College)
PFx is a two credit, one-semester course, of seminars, discussions and activities designed to expose doctoral and MFA students and post-doctoral fellows more fully to an insider's view of a practicing scholar-professional. The main goal of the program is to enable participants to transition successfully to employment in an academic, alternative-academic, or nonacademic community. Students become equipped with a realistic knowledge of academic, industry, non-profit and entrepreneurial cultures and career expectations.
Instruction Junction (The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences)
https://instruction.thecollege.asu.edu/
One-stop shop for teaching resources in The College, including Canvas, course development, tools, and training events.
TeachOnline (ASU Online)
TeachOnline is managed and curated by the ASU Online Instructional Design and New Media (IDNM) team. The mission of this site is to share instructional resources and online course design best practices with Higher Education professionals and online instructors.
Faculty and Staff Services (ASU Library)
https://lib.asu.edu/services/faculty
Teaching and research support services for faculty and staff.
Additional Career Development Resources for Diverse Populations
diversityinc.com — Comprehensive resource with career advice and job search postings for a number of diverse groups. Includes “Top 50 Companies for Diversity” list
DiversityJobs.com — Large job board which finds job listings from company career pages, other job boards, newspapers, and associations
EqualityMagazines.com — Contains job postings and career advice geared toward African-American, Hispanic, Veteran, and female workers. Includes links to digital magazines for each of these populations
eeoc.gov — U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; Search appellate briefs to locate any possible civil rights violations or lawsuits against companies
diversity.com — Job board that offers a variety of diversity job posting options
prodivnet.com — Professional Diversity Network: a network to help diverse candidates find the right job match
diversityemployers.com — Jobs with employers committed to diversity
shpe.org — Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers. Committed to bringing together leading Hispanic talent and top STEM organizations, SHPE provides dedicated career services to its members
hispanicpro.com — Job listings for Latino/Hispanic candidates, as well as an area to post resumes
naaap.org — National Association of Asian American Professionals: provides networking opportunities for Asian-Americans, as well as links to local chapters
bbala.org — Black Business Association: includes list of top African-American employers, as well as career advice and networking opportunities
nativeamericanjobs.com — Career search website for Native American students
nheec1.org - National Hispanic Environmental Council. The nation's largest and oldest Hispanic environmental organization.
AbilityJobs.com — Job site where all postings are from employers specifically seeking to hire people with disabilities
TheSpectrumCareers.com — Jobs portal designed to promote inclusive employment of the autism community
SourceAmerica.org — SourceAmerica is a national nonprofit agency whose mission is to create employment opportunities for people with significant disabilities by securing federal contracts through the AbilityOne Program for its network of community-based, nonprofit agencies. The AbilityOne Program is the largest single source of employment for people who are blind or have other significant disabilities in the United States
Cira Jobs— A site featuring resources on resume and cover letter development and also job search functions
askjan.org — The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) is a source of free, expert, and confidential guidance on workplace accommodations and disability employment issues.
Resume Builder - According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 17.9% of people with a disability are employed. To help level the playing field Resume Builder has created a comprehensive step-by-step guide that can help people with disabilities create an impactful resume that can highlight their skills and value to potential employers. This guide includes important insight such as laws that protect their rights, workplace discrimination, and harassment to ensure they receive a fair chance at achieving their career goal.
equalitychamber.org — Greater Phoenix Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce: non-profit organization which supports and promotes the LGBT business and professional community
hrc.org — Human Rights Campaign: great resource for LGBTQ issues, including employment issues. Home of the Corporate Equality Index
lambdalegal.org — Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund: provides up-to-date information about laws, current legislation, and court cases associated with employment. Site also displays a grid, which includes information on states, counties and cities with non-discrimination policies
transwork.org — Transgender job bank [“LGBT friendly job postings of progressive employers.”]
MyVisaJobs.com — Contains information on U.S. companies who have sponsored H-1B Visas in the past
Interstride — Job market research and job postings for a variety of international markets and countries. Excellent information for international students or those looking to work internationally
ASU Handshake— Handshake Filter- On the “Jobs” tab, you can open up all filter options and scroll down to select specific Work Authorization filters that meet your needs
corporategray.com — Facilitates connection between veterans and veteran-friendly employers
vetjobs.org — Postings for transitioning members and veterans now in the civilian workforce
Recruitmilitary.com — Free military-to-civilian recruiting firm
usajobs.gov — As the official website of the U.S. Government, USA Jobs connects job seekers to federal employment across the U.S. and abroad