Launch Your Career

Connect with employers who want to hire Cal State LA students. Use Handshake to find career events and employers who are ready to hire college students. 

• Go to the Handshake Events tab; attend events labeled employer info, hiring, or career fair.
  • Dress professionally; visit the Career Clothing Closet.
  • Prepare your professional intro; use our Professional Brand Worksheet and Brand Review.
• Go to the Employers tab in Handshake; filter by industry (e.g., music, biotech, healthcare).
  • Follow employers you’re interested in to get job/event updates.

• Add class projects and campus experiences to your résumé; use our College Résumé Sample as a guide.
  • Career Readiness Skills (external page) - Give examples of these career readiness skills when describing your class projects, internships, volunteer and work experiences, and student organization involvement.
  • Industry-specific Skills (external page) - Give examples of the industry skills you built in your major when describing your class projects and list them in the skills section.
  • Skills-First Initiative (external page) - Give examples of these standardized skills from common jobs when describing your work experience.
• Earn certifications for in-demand skills and add them to your résumé.
  • Complete virtual job simulations on Career Experiences with Forage (external page); add them to your projects or as certificates on your résumé.
  • Earn certificates on LinkedIn Learning.
  • Use the Credential Value Index (external page) to explore useful certifications.

Plan to apply for early-career jobs or graduate programs 6 months before graduation.

1. Find Opportunities and Apply
   1. Use Handshake to search for full-time jobs hiring Cal State LA students.
      1. Don’t wait for perfect qualifications; apply if you're interested and can do most of the job duties.
   2. Visit Applying for Grad Schools for general guidance about exploring graduate and professional school pathways.
   3. Unsure what to apply for? Explore with:
      1. What Can I Do with This Major
      2. Careers in Los Angeles by Industry (external page)
      3. Focus2 Career Assessments
2. Customize your Résumé and Cover Letter
   1. Use our Résumé & Letter Builder to get started.
      1. Use our College Résumé Sample in the builder.
      2. Get feedback with the AI Review or Submit for Human Review feature.
      3. See formatting tips in our College Résumé Guide.
   2. Write your cover letter with our Cover Letter Guide and use our samples in the builder.
      1. Use the AI Review or Submit for Human Review to improve your letter.
3. Get Ready to Interview
   1. Use our Interview Practice System
      1. Choose a mock interview; select general, industry, or admissions.
      2. Get step-by-step feedback using the AI Review feature.
   2. Visit the Career Clothing Closet to dress confidently for interviews in your field.