CAREER CENTER PROGRAMS, SERVICES, AND RESOURCES

GETTING STARTED
Individual Counseling Sometimes it just helps to talk with someone about your future. Students can make appointments with trained career professionals just to explore possibilities or to get very specific help on the job search process or on applying for graduate or professional school.

Self-Assessment Surveys Students looking for career direction – or even an academic concentration – can complete a self-assessment survey such as the Career Liftoff Interest Inventory, the Campbell Interest and Skills Survey or the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Counselors then meet with students individually to interpret results and help them move ahead toward career exploration through internships and informational interviews.

CAREER EXPLORATION AND NETWORKING
“Breaking into Careers” Series A popular program series features panels of alumni talking about their careers and giving advice to students interested in pursuing their fields. Each semester features a series of programs on fields such as journalism, consulting, environmental, international diplomacy, teaching, marketing and sales, sports, human services, high tech, advertising and public relations, to name a few. Students not only gain information and advice but also learn to network with the alumni – from getting a business card to securing an internship.

Local Internship Program It’s no secret that one of the best ways to explore career options is by doing an internship. During both fall and spring semesters, nearly 100 internships are offered in the local community. Sites include law firms, investment firms, social service agencies, museums, communications groups, educational settings – the list goes on. Students submit a résumé for site supervisors’ evaluation, and there is usually an interview process. Upon selection, the student and supervisor agree on a schedule of 7-10 hours per week.

Externship Program During winter and spring breaks students have the opportunity to shadow alumni in their place of work for 1-5 days. Opportunities abound in a wide range of career fields, and a student simply applies directly to the site for selection by the sponsoring alumnus/a. Especially if students are still searching for a career direction, these externship opportunities are extremely helpful in either confirming a career direction or turning their focus in another direction.

Washington Summer Internship Program Students participating in internships in the Washington, DC area (including northern Virginia and Baltimore) are invited to participate in the Washington Summer Internship Program featuring alumni career panels, site visits, and alumni networking.

Summer Internships Through collaboration with 18 other colleges and universities, the Career Center offers a data base of nearly 5,000 internships opportunities across the country. Searchable by location and career field, this resource is helpful to students seeking significant summer internship experiences as they explore career fields and test their career direction. In addition, the Career Center has subscribed to career-specific internship resources, such as 'Human Rights Jobs & Internships' and 'Policy Jobs & Internships.'

Wall Street Program Approximately 25 juniors are selected to spend 2 ½ days in NYC visiting investment banks and the New York Stock Exchange in order to explore careers in investment banking. Site visits include presentations and panels with alumni and a simulation exercise in private banking. Students gain information about important summer internship opportunities which often lead to full-time analyst positions following graduation.

Publishing Seminar Biennially, an on-campus seminar hosts publishing professionals from NYC who present topics in the field and share advice and information about breaking into publishing. The event is scheduled on a Friday evening and all-day Saturday and features a keynoter, a luncheon speaker and concurrent panel presentations.

Making a Living Making a Difference Designed to encourage interested students to pursue careers in the not-for-profit sector, this program features alumni panels, workshops, and a listserv and helps students prepare for a job search in the public service sector. In addition, we offer a structured Public Service Management Skills workshop series to provide Liberal Arts majors exposure to core business skills.

Alumni Mentoring The commitment of alumni to The College is truly amazing! Through the Alumni Mentors database students can access contact information for approximately 2500 alumni who have volunteered to talk with students about their careers, share advice and offer support. The database of volunteers is incorporated into the Career Center software program, Experience®.

THE JOB SEARCH
Résumé and Cover Letter Writing Workshops To prepare applications for internship and job searches, students are encouraged to attend a résumé and cover letter writing workshop. It’s a great way to get advice and tips on preparing an attention-getting résumé and a polished letter of introduction. Before the workshop, we encourage students to check out the information on résumés and cover letters on our website.

Interviewing Workshops Presented by employers and professional staff, these workshops help students develop interviewing skills for a wide variety of career fields. Students are briefed on the content of the interview as well as the importance of appearance and non-verbal communication.

Networking Workshops & Receptions The Career Center understands the power of networking within a job search. Hence we offer several workshops and opportunities for students to practice networking in professional situations. To provide the most realistic setting for students, we invite alumni and recruiting employers to attend these receptions.

Mock Interviews Mock interviews are available to students who want to practice their interview skills and sharpen their non-verbal behaviors. Our interviewers are employers and professionals who have volunteered to help train our students. In addition, the Career Center's Director offers video-taped mock interviews for applicants to medical/dental/veterinary school.

Etiquette Dinner To learn professional etiquette in dining as well as in business settings, an annual etiquette dinner is offered to students. A professional trained in business and dining protocol presents practical information along with a formal dining experience.

Experience® If you hear your student talking about “Experience®”, that’s the software system we use to manage all of our on-campus recruitment for internships and jobs, our alumni mentors database, our career fairs, and other services. The great thing about this system is that is totally web-based and can be accessed 24/7 on any computer with an Internet connection. So, even if your student is studying abroad, it’s easy to stay in touch with the Career Center!

On-Campus Interviewing During the fall semester, employers come to campus to interview seniors for full-time employment. They return in the spring for a second round, including interviews for summer internships. A number of these employers offer information seminars about the organizations they represent and the career opportunities they offer.

MetroLink NY and MetroLink DC Through a consortia relationship with Yale, Swarthmore, and the University of Richmond, seniors submit résumés through Experience® and have the opportunity to interview with organizations in advertising, public relations, publishing, and law as well as other employers in the city.

CAREER FAIRS and RECRUITING DAYS
Fall Career Fair This major event brings to campus approximately 100 employers interested in meeting our students and talking with them about job and internship opportunities. The University Center is the scene of the event, which is held in late September. Students are encouraged to have résumés ready for this event and to dress professionally.

Spring Career Fair Held in early February, the Spring Career Fair brings to campus approximately 100 employers to talk with students about opportunities for internships and full-time employment. Summer camps, government, and non-profits join corporate recruiters for this event, open to all students.

The Government and Non-Profit Career Expo In collaboration with a number of selective schools, this Washington event features over 100 non-profit and government employers interested in talking with students about internships, jobs, and careers in the public interest. The Career Center has purchased membership to this event to provide students face-to-face

Education Recruiting Day Nearly 100 school districts attend our annual Education Recruiting Day to meet and interview students seeking jobs in teaching. While many Virginia school districts are represented, a number of out-of-state districts are also represented.

GRADUATE AND PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL FOCUS
Graduate School Admission This workshop presents information and advice on applying to graduate and professional programs including details on the various admission tests, personal statements, references, and appropriate application timelines. Similar information sessions for Law School Admission and Medical School Admission are presented, respectively, by the pre-law and pre-med advisors of the College.

Graduate and Professional School Day In late September, this event brings to campus representatives from 100 graduate and professional schools and programs across the country. Students can learn about specific programs and discuss the application process with informed representatives of the schools. Approximately one-third of our graduating seniors go immediately into graduate or professional school.

Ferguson-Blair Scholarship in Publishing Annually, a scholarship is awarded to a student who has been accepted for admission to one of the national Summer Publishing Institutes, at NYU, Columbia or Denver. The selection committee awards the scholarship to a student whose undergraduate record is distinctive and includes on-campus and/or internship experience in writing, editing, and journalism.

Credential Files To assist students and alumni in the management of their applications for graduation and professional school, the Career Center offers an online credential file service through Interfolio, Inc. Candidates can solicit confidential letters of recommendation from faculty, internship supervisors, supervising teachers, and employers which become part of their personal portfolio. Students can access accounts twenty four hours a day, seven days per week.