New Initiatives Enhance Resources for Student and Alumni Job Searches

As the economy gradually improves, new initiatives undertaken by the Office of Career Services (OCS)  in recent years are helping SIPA students and alumni to look for internships and jobs.

These include the launch of the SIPA Career Coaching Program, the hiring of a new senior fellow-research scholar, the creation of two new positions within OCS—director of employer outreach and director of alumni and EMPA career services—and increased communications with SIPA concentration directors regarding OCS’ employer outreach efforts. As a result, students and alumni are enjoying improved programming, including more formal employer information sessions and more extensive networking opportunities.

Begun in fall 2011, the SIPA Career Coaching Program invites SIPA alumni in a variety of industries to train as part-time coaches who can provide students with industry-specific knowledge and insight on current trends in the field. This program serves as a nice complement to the career advisers at OCS, who serve as experts in career development and can provide tips in resume and cover letter writing, as well as help students and alumni create and implement job search strategies.

SIPA also welcomed Harry Silver, a former managing director at Goldman Sachs and former senior adviser to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, as a senior fellow/research scholar. In one-on-one sessions, Silver can advise students on how to start a career in investment banking or management consulting, or how to navigate the U.S. federal hiring process. Students who wish to meet with Silver can make an appointment with him via SIPA Connect.

OCS also continues to expand its efforts to connect SIPA students and alumni. “We encourage students to create a profile and connect with people on LinkedIn,” said Meg Heenehan, executive director of OCS. “LinkedIn is an extraordinary tool for students to network with professionals in their field of interest. If they are interested in a particular field or organization, we can suggest names of SIPA grads working in those places.”

In addition, OCS connects students with alumni by hosting several networking receptions and numerous career panels in New York City and Washington, D.C. Career panel topics include energy, development consulting, human rights, impact investing, and political risk, to name a few.

Heenehan believes the job market is recovering, she said, and is optimistic about job prospects for current students. Last year, OCS posted almost 4,500 internship and job opportunities, up from 4,200 the previous year. OCS also hosted 140 employer information sessions in 2012-13, an increase from 109.

Patricia Macken, director of employer relations, encourages second-year students to start looking for jobs as soon as possible, and to attend information sessions and recruiting events. “It normally takes around six to nine months to find a job, and employers begin visiting campus early in the semester,” she said.

Macken also emphasizes the importance of practicing interviews, especially for those interested in consulting. “You need to practice. These interviews can be tough. You can’t just prepare the day before the interview. That’s why we have different case interview workshops scheduled throughout the semester as well as other workshops to help students prepare for behavioral interviews.”

Irene Coffman became OCS’s first director of employer outreach in 2011, a role that sends her throughout the United States and abroad to develop new relationships and reinforce existing partnerships with employers of interest to SIPA students. “Every year we meet with the directors of the different concentrations at SIPA and ask them to survey their students with regard to new employers they would like to see on campus. Their input drives our employer outreach and marketing efforts,” Coffman said.

Employers visiting SIPA this semester include the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the Central Intelligence Agency, the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), Human Rights Watch, Deloitte, Goldman Sachs, ExxonMobil, Doctors of the World, McKinsey, Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Eurasia Group, Catholic Relief Services, U.S. Department of State, and the Boston Consulting Group.

Students interested in attending OCS events should RSVP on SIPA Connect at least a week ahead of time.

Cathy Gibbons is the first director of EMPA and Alumni Services and brings in-depth knowledge of public service from her career in international development. She has experience working in key international development organizations, U.S. nonprofits and the United Nations. In this new role, Cathy offers advising, workshops and employer outreach tailored specifically to meet the needs of working professionals. Students and alumni interested in meeting with Cathy can also make an appointment via SIPA Connect.