Career Work Gets Moved to the Back Burner

Laura Amigone
Oct 29
2 min read

It’s the end of October—past the midpoint of the semester for most college students who started back in August. Midterms are wrapping up, projects are due, and the pace of the semester feels relentless.

This week with my college coaching clients, we’ve been revisiting the goals they set at the start of the semester. We’re looking at what’s working in their weekly routines, what’s not, and how they’re managing their time and energy.

And almost every time, one goal shows up quietly at the bottom of the list:

Career exploration, research, and action.

Why Career Planning Gets Delayed

It’s completely understandable. Between classes, clubs, jobs, and social life, career exploration can feel like something that can “wait until later" or "when I have free time.” But the truth

is—you'd rather do other things in your free time, later often never comes

Even as the semester gets busier, it’s possible to make progress on the career front. The key is shifting from “I’ll do it when I have time” to "something every week."

Small and Steady Wins the Race

When we actually look at how students spend their time, there’s often more available than it seems—especially when you consider how much gets lost to scrolling or distractions. Lack of time isn’t usually the issue.

The real challenge is breaking down career goals into small, specific tasks and scheduling them in advance—then protecting that time, even when the week gets hectic.

Just one focused hour a week can make a big difference.

Simple Career Steps to Add to the Week

Here are some quick, doable actions that can build real momentum toward your future:

Check your school’s career services website, make sure you get their emails.
Attend a career fair—even if you’re just observing this time.
Schedule an intro or exploratory appointment with career services.
Create or update your Handshake profile.
Add last summer’s job to your resume and get it reviewed.
Build your LinkedIn profile and start connecting with classmates, friends, and family.
Ask professors where recent grads in your major have gone to work.
Take an online career interests or strengths assessment.
Have one informational conversation with someone in a field that interests you.
Spend 10 minutes journaling about one potential career path each week.

Small, steady steps like these make career exploration feel manageable instead of overwhelming.

The Payoff

Not every student is naturally wired for long-term planning—and that’s okay. But when you make career reflection part of your routine, the benefits are huge:

Less anxiety about the future.
More confidence in interviews and applications.
A clearer sense of direction and purpose.

Don’t Wait Until Winter Break

If your career goals have been sitting on the back burner, now’s the time to bring them forward. Many summer internship applications have deadlines in December or January, and the prep work—resumes, conversations, research—takes time.

If you’d like help creating a realistic, bite-sized career plan that fits into your busy semester, let’s talk. Together we can outline simple steps that keep you moving forward—without adding stress.

👉 Book a Free Consultation Call to get started.