Professional Development

Navigating the employment market and successfully pursuing job and internship opportunities requires effective tools and search strategies. At all professional levels, job candidates must be able to clearly describe their unique professional qualifications and how they will contribute value to the hiring organization. This 2-session course is designed to facilitate a heightened awareness of career goals and develop the essential ingredients for an effective job search campaign: resume, pitch, online presence, and networking and interviewing skills. Participants will construct a professional resume appropriate to their target industry or organization and submit it for review and feedback. A distinct version of the course for international students covers the nuances of networking and job search in the US and provides CPT and OPT guidelines. Students should enroll in the version that aligns with their background and may attend sessions only in the course section for which they are registered. This course is a required component of the two-course (0.5 point, total) SIPA Professional Development requirement; the other component may be chosen from among a menu of five electives (see SIPA U4041 through SIPA U4045). Students should complete both components of the PD requirement in their first semester.