Professional Development

Onboarding
A graduate-level job search requires a good deal of preparation as the competition for management positions is high. Because national career fairs begin as early as September, most nationally ranked graduate business programs require students to complete career preparation materials in the summer. The assignments you will complete through the summer will ensure you are ready to start your career search within days of starting classes in August.

Introduction to Career Services
This assignment familiarizes you with the services and programming you will participate in during your time as a graduate student. We wish to ensure you understand the expectations of you as a student in the Whitman community, and how you can best take advantage of the resources available to you.

Self-Assessment: CareerLeader
Most graduate students intend to make a career shift at the conclusion of their degree program; however, often, students have not fully analyzed how their skills and experiences will match their future career interests. CareerLeader as an assessment tool was developed specifically for graduate students. The assessment tool is completed online and provides reports of your competencies and potential matches to career fields. Additionally, you will receive a report that defines your values/needs, which the career center uses to assist you make decisions about career matches.

Career Research
The best candidates understand how their education, professional work experience, and leadership experiences fit to the career path they desire. Often graduate students are making a shift and are therefore less aware of the nuances of how their life experiences match to their new career path. This assignment provides students the opportunity to understand the skills required for their new career, and the names of corporations they may wish to target in their job search efforts.

Whitman-Style Resume
The Whitman-style resume provides a format that allows you to articulate your education and professional work experience in a clear and concise fashion. Additionally, you will be asked to create a document that speaks to your new career path, by citing skills and experiences that demonstrate you have the competency to perform the work required in your new job. This section will provide you guidance to making the transformation, and you will be given the opportunity for personal meetings to review the content. This is one of the most difficult assignments for students, so you will want to make as much time available to this task as possible.

Orientation
In August, newly admitted students attend a series of workshops focused on further developing career search competencies. The goal of these workshops is to ensure you have a full understanding of the recruiting cycle, and how to take action to secure the right career for you.

The Recruiting Cycle
This workshop will provide you a timeline of the typical recruiting cycle implemented by major corporations. By understanding how corporations engage with candidates you will be able to build a timeline to support the implementation of a successful career search.

Networking and Informational Interviewing
Business relationships and contact are still the number method for obtaining the right career placement. A business portfolio or ‘rolodex’ of business contacts will be key in securing your career placement; therefore the Whitman School has received permission for graduate students to access the Syracuse University alumni database. This workshop will review the rules for using the system, and provide ‘best practices’ in connecting with alumni.

Business Correspondence
Persuasive and articulate communication skills are a minimum competency for a business leader; therefore your communication through the career search process must be well done. This workshop will provide you guidance and templates to launch your efforts. You will learn to customize your communication, which will set you apart as a candidate.

Interviewing
The job market continues to be very competitive in the United States. Candidates who are poised and articulate find themselves best positioned for securing their coveted job offer. This workshop will review what steps you will take to ensure you are prepared for the interview, and can set yourself apart as a candidate.

Ongoing
Through the academic year, the Whitman Career Center partners with the Graduate Programs Office to provide programming that allows students to build management and leadership skills. Programming includes alumni mentoring, executive chats, and corporate tours.