Start Strong Before You Arrive
Your career journey at Bentley begins this summer. Complete these steps to build your foundation, develop your story, and arrive ready to move. Students who complete this pre-work arrive more confident, ask stronger questions, and move faster once classes begin.
Your Pre-Work Journey
Set Your Foundation
Build your foundation through career platforms, CareerLeader, and coaching to gain clarity on your interests, skills, and direction.
Build Your Story
Strengthen your LinkedIn profile and resume to create a clear professional narrative to gain strong professional positioning.
Apply Your Strategy
Use the job search framework to focus your search, identify target employers, and take action to gain confidence in navigating the market.
What You Need to Complete
Before you begin building your professional story or exploring opportunities, it's important to establish a strong foundation. These tools and resources will help you understand your strengths, connect with career support, and gain access to the platforms you'll use throughout your time at Bentley.
Activate Your Career Platforms
Gain access to the tools that connect Bentley students with jobs, internships, employer events, and career coaching. Set up HireGrad, Handshake, and Interstride (if applicable) to ensure you're ready to take advantage of opportunities from day one.
Complete CareerLeader
CareerLeader is a self-assessment designed to help you better understand your interests, motivations, and strengths. By completing the assessment and reviewing your results, you'll gain valuable insights that can help guide your career exploration and future decision-making.
Schedule a Coaching Appointment
Meet with a career coach to discuss your goals, review your assessment results, and begin building a personalized career strategy. Starting this conversation early can help you make the most of the opportunities available to you throughout your Bentley experience.
Your professional story is how you communicate your experiences, skills, and goals to employers. Through your LinkedIn profile, resume, and feedback tools, you'll create materials that help employers understand who you are and what you have to offer.
Build Your LinkedIn Profile
Create or update your LinkedIn profile using the GCD checklist. A strong profile can help employers find you, expand your professional network, and support your internship and job search efforts.
Create Your Resume
Use Bentley-approved resume templates to develop a clear and professional resume that highlights your experiences, accomplishments, and involvement. Your resume will serve as a key tool throughout your career journey.
Refine and Submit
Use ResumeAI to receive feedback on your resume and strengthen your professional positioning. Once you've made revisions, upload your resume to HireGrad so it's ready to be reviewed during future coaching appointments and employer interactions.
Once you've built your foundation and developed your professional story, it's time to put your preparation into action. These activities will help you approach the job market with purpose and begin building momentum toward your goals.
Learn the Job Search Framework
Review the assigned materials to understand Bentley's approach to career development and job searching. This framework will provide a structured way to think about career exploration, networking, and opportunity identification.
Build a Target Company List
Identify 10 organizations that align with your interests, values, and career goals. Creating a focused list of target employers can help make your search more intentional and manageable.
Take Your First Action
Begin building professional connections by reaching out to a contact, engaging with an employer, or taking another networking step. Small actions taken early can build confidence and create momentum as you begin your career journey.
Apply What You're Building
Join live sessions throughout the summer to deepen your understanding, ask questions, and connect the pieces of your pre-work together. Each session builds on the work you've already completed and helps you prepare for the next step in your journey.