Career Services

Student Resources

Events

Career Panels and Networking Opportunities
In conjunction with Harris School student organizations, career panels and networking opportunities are offered as a way for students to connect with specific fields, industries, and/or surrounding specific career development challenges faced by students. Previous events have included Working in Policy, a Woman’s perspective; Minority in Public Policy Networking Night; Creating change beyond the School District, Education Policy Career Panel Discussion.

Fast-Start Friday
Hosted on the first Friday of the fall quarter, this intensive training allows students a fast start approach to their career development. Previous events have included a national speaker on the hidden secrets to the job search.

On Campus Recruiting
The Career Services Office facilitates recruiting events for organizations that are interested in interviewing and hiring public policy students. When an employer schedules an event at the Harris School, the Career Services staff will advertise the event and gather any information, which might include resumes, cover letters, transcripts, and writing samples, requested by the company. Career Services staff works with the agency to develop a customized recruiting approach which might include a presentation, an informal information session, or schedule interview times with interested students.

Real World Perspectives Series
This popular series provides students with an insiders view on such topics as Economic Development, Foundation Management, Public Advocacy, and Urban Development from senior level industry leaders.

Recruiter in Residence
Recruiter in Residence program allows students individual and small group access to employers. Recruiters host workshops about “How to write a resume the (company name) way” and/or are available for general questions.

Workshops

• The Ins and Outs of Resume Writing - Designed to teach students to use their resume as a strategic asset.
• Writing Effective Cover Letters, Quickly - Reviews four-step process to crafting effective cover letters, five mistakes to avoid, and at least six time-saving strategies.
• Interview Skills – Converting Interviews to Offers - Interactive session helps students work together to overcome some of the biggest challenges to interviewing.
• Job Offer and Salary Negotiations - Gives students resources and tools to overcome common pitfalls to become successful salary negotiators.
• Preparing for the Academic Job Market – Designed for PhD students, this session introduces the academic search process, provides tips and resources in securing academic positions.
• Navigating Employment with an F-1 or J-1 Visa - Overviews the requirements and timelines of an international student interested in working while in the United States.
• Networking Skills - A number of workshops throughout the year reinforce the importance of networking. From an interclass networking event during orientation to employer receptions, students receive tips and strategies to make the most of each opportunity.

Web Resources on the Student Intranet

In addition to the web pages on the public domain site, Career Services maintains a page on the student intranet that contains a wealth of resources to help students define their career objectives, acquire knowledge of potential career paths in public policy, connect with alumni and other policy practitioners, and identify available job and internship opportunities. Students can access the site at https://students.harrisschool.uchicago.edu, using the username and password assigned for accessing the computer lab. Resources available at this site include:

Career Services Calendars, published quarterly
Students can also refer to the Harris School Events Calendar at http://harrisschool.uchicago.edu/Calendar/ for the most up-to-date information on career services programming.

Harris School Alumni Career Network
Career Services maintains a list of Harris School and University of Chicago alumni who have generously volunteered to share career information and advice with students. Contact information is provided, and students can initiate a relationship by requesting a brief informational interview.

Online Jobs/Internships/Fellowships Database
The Career Services Office maintains an online database to publicize jobs, internships and fellowships to current students and Harris School alumni. The postings represent opportunities that employers have referred directly to the Harris School, from alumni and/or various other avenues. New opportunities are posted daily, and students can search the database by geographic location, policy area, or organization.

Harris School Resume Database
Employers search this database to identify potential candidates for jobs and internships. Students are encouraged to post their resumes to the database during fall quarter each year. Several students have received employment offers simply from posting their resume.

Summer Internship Survey Results
To discover where Harris School students have interned, what they did, and how they felt about their employer and the experience, students can refer to these survey results.

Career Services Guides
Reference guides are available in PDF format on the following topics: resume writing, cover letter writing, interviewing, salary negotiation, employment resources for each focus area, and the international job search.

Tools

Business Cards
Networking is the key component to any career development plan. Business cards are a useful tool in helping make those connections. The Harris School allows student to purchase business cards for this purpose. Students must place orders at specific times during the year.

Career Library Resources
This library contains a: 1) computer and printer for job searches; 2) fax machine for employment-related inquiries; 3) typewriter; 4) bulletin board with job postings and additional career-related information; 5) series of handouts on resume and cover letter writing, interviewing, and salary negotiation; 6) collection of books and newsletters regarding employment; 7) select group of employer handout files; 8) shelf of archived student internship survey results. Employer handout files and books can be borrowed with permission. Library resources are open for student use Monday through Friday during business hours.

Customized Career Counseling – Walk-Ins and Office Hours
Career Services staff works with each student to develop a customized career development plan for their time at Harris and beyond. These appointments allow students individual time to consult with trained staff members about such topics as networking, organization/field background, interviewing, and salary negotiations.

Group Internship Program
Group Internships are an intensive 10-week paid internship program for students of the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy Studies in domestic and international organizations, public sector organizations, and non-profit agencies. The number of internships and participating organizations vary from year to year. Past participating organizations have included Mexico Ministry of Finance, Coca Cola Foundation, and Ounce of Prevention.

Mentor Program
Initiated by Irving B. Harris in 1988, the Mentor Program matches Harris School students in one-on-one relationships with leading policy professionals in order to “bridge the gap” betweens students’ classroom experience and the practice they plan to enter after graduation.

Mock Behavioral and Case Interviews
This essential practice allows students to receive individual feedback about strengths and improvement areas with interviews. Mock interviews are tailored to meet the demand and requirements of a specific employer or provided as a general overview tool.

Resume and Cover Letter Reviews
The Career Services staff offers assistance and resources to help students develop their resumes, curriculum vitae, cover letters, writing samples, and other application materials. Students may either schedule an appointment for a materials review or submit documents for critique via the Career Services page on the Harris School student intranet (https://students.harrisschool.uchicago.edu).