Building Column

Career Education

SIPA's Career Advancement Center (CAC) provides students and alumni with 45-minute advising appointments, the SIPA Career Coaching (SIPACC) Program, and Professional Development seminars and workshops to promote proactive career management and advancement.

Career Advising

CAC career advisers provide students and alumni with career advice, job search strategy, resume and cover letter reviews, and general career information. CAC career advisers also conduct MBTI assessments and mock interviews for students and alumni, as well as encourage professional communication and interpersonal skills. While students and alumni are welcome to meet with any adviser at CAC, each concentration and program has a specific CAC adviser assigned to enhance their professional development. 

During a 45-minute appointment, a CAC career adviser can:

  • Establish steps that should be undertaken by advisees in order to advance their career knowledge.
  • Critique resumes and cover letters.
  • Conduct mock interviews.
  • Help create job search strategy.
  • Offer other career advice at their discretion.
  • Share their general knowledge about various opportunities related to the advisee’s SIPA concentration or specialization.

Make an Appointment  Career Advising Staff

Professional Development Requirement

Professional Development (PD) is a requirement for most SIPA students in two-year programs. PD is a two-seminar bundle that includes:

  • One mandatory (non-credit) two-session PD seminar, Building Your Professional Profile. Note: Students with two years or less of professional experience should register for the Building Your Professional Profile seminar indicated as PD Plus; Students with greater than two years of professional experience should register for the Building Your Professional Profile seminar indicated as PD.
  • One mandatory (non-credit) single-session elective PD seminar where students may choose from topics such as Negotiating Everyday Collaborations in the Workplace; Understanding the Disruptive Power of AI; Effective Public Speaking at Work; Navigating a Global Workplace; Networking for Mid-Career Advancement; and Using the MBTI in Team and Communication Contexts.

All students are encouraged to complete the Professional Development requirement during their first semester at SIPA. 

Registration for all Professional Development seminars is in SIPA Connect, in the Events tab.

A waiver of the PD requirement may be granted under certain circumstances:

  • Students who are on leave from their jobs
  • Students who have worked on a full-time, professional basis (internships not included) for a minimum of four years in a field relevant to their concentration and career goals
  • Students pursuing a joint degree who have completed an equivalent PD requirement in another program

To request a waiver, complete the Internship and Professional Development Waiver Form. The form must be completed and submitted along with a current resume. Once reviewed, the CAC will contact you regarding your waiver status. All students who are granted a waiver are required to make an appointment with an adviser at the Career Advancement Center to review their resume and internship/job search strategy.

SIPA Career Coaching (SIPACC) Program

SIPA alumni serve as Career Coaches offering guidance to current students and alumni who are contemplating various career choices or seeking information about particular fields of interest. The SIPA Career Coaches are not recruiters; thus, you should not ask them for jobs or introductions. However, you may ask for industry-specific information, current trends in the field, advice about entry into a particular field, and other guidance questions related to your job search.

Interested students and alumni may schedule up to three 30-minute coaching sessions per semester. During each appointment, a SIPACC coach will:

  • Dispense industry-specific job advice in their field(s).
  • Share their knowledge about various career opportunities related to your SIPA concentration or specialization.
  • Establish steps that should be undertaken in order to advance in a particular industry.
  • Offer other career advice at their discretion.

SIPA Alumni-Student Mentoring Initiative

As part of SIPA’s efforts, the school launched a SIPA Mentoring Initiative as a pilot program during the 2021-22 academic year. Due to its success, we are pleased to continue this program for both SIPA students and alumni volunteers. 

The purpose of this program is to connect current SIPA students with alumni volunteers to provide career guidance and support during the students' graduate studies and professional advice for after graduation from SIPA. 

The program is a joint initiative of the Career Advancement Center, Alumni Affairs, and Student Affairs. A committee of staff from these offices make mentor/mentee matches based on student interests and other information provided by the students and alumni.

Students who have questions or would like additional information should contact Meg Heenehan, Executive Director, CAC, at [email protected], Alumni who have questions or would like additional information should contact Susan Storms, Director of Alumni Affairs, at [email protected].

Career Events

Throughout the academic year, the Career Advancement Center (CAC) organizes numerous career panels and workshops to help current students with their job/internship search and professional development. These events usually focus on specific career paths, such as consulting, international development, investment banking, humanitarian affairs, or working at the United Nations. By participating in these events, students will become more informed about their field(s) of interest and have opportunities to network with people in the industry.

  • WASHINGTON, D.C. CAREER CONFERENCE

    Each January, the Career Advancement Center (CAC) hosts the Washington, D.C. Career Conference, our signature event connecting SIPA students with career opportunities in the nation’s capital and beyond. The conference helps students deepen their understanding of potential career paths, expand their professional networks, and gain first-hand exposure to organizations in Washington, D.C.

    This annual event features:

    • Keynote Speakers & Alumni-Led Panels: Sessions led by distinguished professionals and SIPA alumni offering insights into careers in Washington, D.C. and around the world.
    • Employer Site Visits: Visits to a variety of companies, agencies, and organizations, with this year’s focus on multilaterals. Students gain an inside look at workplace environments and connect directly with employers, including SIPA alumni.
    • Alumni/Student Networking Reception: A gathering of approximately 150 alumni and students, providing a valuable opportunity to connect with the broader SIPA network in Washington, D.C.
    • Career Chats with Alumni: Led by Alumni Relations, these optional small-group discussions give students the chance to learn from alumni experiences and advice.

    Registration will open in late October or early November. Current students will receive a notice via SIPA Connect about upcoming information sessions to learn more about the conference and the registration process. Please note this conference is open to all SIPA students.

  • The Career Panel Series is a collaborative effort between the Career Advancement Center (CAC) and SIPA’s concentrations and programs, designed to help students gain insights from alumni working in fields aligned with their interests, explore potential career paths, and build meaningful professional connections. These concentration/program-specific sessions feature an alumni panel on designated dates during the academic year.

    Registration will open on designated dates provided by CAC on SIPA Connect. 

  • Each semester, the Career Advancement Center (CAC), in collaboration with the Office of Alumni Relations, hosts an evening networking reception for SIPA alumni and students at the Kellogg Center. The fall semester features the Alumni-Student Private Sector Career Night, and the spring semester features the Alumni-Student Nonprofit and Public Sector Career Night.

    These signature events provide students with direct access to SIPA alumni working across a wide range of industries in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors. Students have the opportunity to:

    • Gain insights into specific career paths
    • Learn directly from alumni about the skills and experiences that shaped their professional journeys
    • Build connections for informational interviews, internships, and full-time roles

    Registration will open in early October on SIPA Connect.

  • Each semester, the CAC offers numerous extracurricular workshops to help students develop their professional skills, navigate job and internship search, and propel overall career advancement. Workshops are conducted by industry experts, SIPA alumni who are working professionals, and CAC career advisers. Past CAC workshops have included: Networking Strategies; Targeting Your Resume and Cover Letter to the Job Description Using AI; Mastering Job Search as an International Student; The LinkedIn Series;­­­ Career Pivot: Strategies for Success; Interviewing Skills for International Students; Behavioral Interviewing; Summer Internship Funding for Unpaid Internships; and others.

     

  • Every year, the CAC hosts over 200 employer information sessions, providing valuable information for students to learn about various organizations and available opportunties. Senior executives, human resources representatives, or SIPA alumni come on campus to talk about their organization's history, culture, and organizational structure, as well as to describe typical graduate-level career paths and opportunities.

    Register for Employer Information Sessions