Our Blueprint for Your Journey
Preparing for the future is multi-layered and sometimes messy. At the Center for Vocation and Career, we’ve created a basic blueprint to help students structure their effort and time as they navigate their vocational journey. You’ll note that some layers are larger than others and this is intentional. Building a solid base now will ultimately help our students land well later.
Our knowledgeable career coaches and specially-designed programs, and events will be there to help you on every step of your journey. We also offer resources and support for alumni, which means we're there for you at Wheaton and beyond.
.png)
Know Yourself
We start at the bottom of the blueprint pyramid because self-awareness is foundational when thinking about your future. Examining your vocations, interests, competencies, skills, strengths, and values sets you up for meaningful work: work that God has already wired you for. This is where you’ll want to exert most of your initial effort, and it’s where you’ll return as you explore and prepare, adding new layers from the learning you’ve done along the way. Get to know yourself >
Explore Career Possibilities
Exploration is the primary means for discovering what you will actually enjoy doing, rather than what you think you will enjoy doing. To do this well, you’ll need to first spend time getting to know yourself and then try something out. Discover what you like or careers you could see yourself doing through things like internships, job shadowing, or informational interviews. Be sure to also take advantage of our many exploration-related events like Taco Tuesdays, Canvas, Networking Night, and Externship Day. Explore Career Possibilities >
Prepare
Preparation includes assembling all the tools you’ll need to articulate who you are to prospective employers and graduate schools. Spending necessary time here will help you tell your story well through resumes/CV, cover letters, personal statements, and interviews. Prepare for Your Search >
Launch
Once you have leaned into each layer of your blueprint effectively, you are best poised to land in a role that aligns with your interests, skills, competencies, strengths, and values. Whether you land on Broadway, Wall Street, or Main Street, we know God will use you to build the church and benefit society worldwide. Learn More About Launching >
Faith
Finally, there is a theological base that infuses and undergirds every other area. Life looks different for us as Christians—as it should! Understanding and believing that our lives have purpose will affect our subsequent pursuit of our vocations.
The Blueprint Beyond Wheaton
Research shows that the average person will change jobs 10-15 times in the course of their career, and their career journey will be constantly evolving.
If that's the case, our lifelong approach to career and vocation using The Blueprint will help students navigate this process while at Wheaton and beyond as alumni. Whether they land on Broadway, Wall Street, or Main Street, we know God will use them to build the church and benefit society worldwide.