Career Exploration

Programs

Career Exploration Summit

The Career Exploration Summit (CES) is a virtual opportunity for undergraduates to explore and engage with alumni in brand name companies across various industries. The program will feature a series of 90-minute alumni panels across three days where students will have the opportunity to connect with alumni to explore careers while developing skills alongside a cohort of fellow Columbia students.

Panelist speaking on panel

Design Your Next Steps Series

https://columbia.joinhandshake.com/stu/events/1214452 Start where you are. Design Your Next Steps (DYNS) is a series of CCE and Employer workshops that will help you learn practical steps for effective engagement with employers and alumni, and guide you through the internship/job and graduate school search process.

Lionsbridge

Lionsbridge is a finance boot camp, a free 3-day in-person workshop designed to introduce Columbia first- and second-year students to the world of finance and to prepare them for internships and career opportunities. The workshop will occur in person, on campus from January 15 to January 17, 2025.

Resources

Employer Information Sessions

On-Campus Recruiting is designed to provide students the opportunity to attend employer information sessions and participate in on-campus interviews. Information sessions are a great way for students to learn more about an organization and its opportunities, as well as network with  Columbia...

Connecting Your Self-Knowledge to Career Options

You’ve generated a store of self-knowledge about your identities, interests, values, personality traits, and skills through our Explore activities or your reflection. Now, how do you connect this information to career options—specific industries, job functions, and organizations you might be interested in?

In the Know

Fall 2024 CCE Site Visit: Exploring Unexpected Careers in Sports at Major League Soccer

On November 14, 2024, a group of Columbia undergraduate students visited Major League Soccer (MLS), the governing body for the premier professional soccer league in North America. A panel session of MLS staff shared their career journeys, roles, responsibilities, and favorite memories and projects.

A student who received WEP funding works with a pipette at a lab

WEP awards over $140,000 to fund students’ endeavors in Fall 2024

The Center for Career Education (CCE) is excited to announce the completion of another successful application cycle for the Work Exemption Program (WEP) for the Fall 2024 semester. As an enhancement to financial aid for undergraduate students in Columbia College and Columbia Engineering, the WEP program provides Columbia Grants to support eligible students’ pursuit of unpaid internships, research projects, and community outreach.

Collin Woldt, Karla Puga, and Roar-ee.PNG

Lions in the Windy City: Career Insights from Collin Woldt CC '24 and Robert Mosher CC '04

During the Center for Career Education’s trip to Chicago this summer, Senior Associate Director of Employer and Alumni Relations Karla Puga had the opportunity to connect with two Columbia alumni: Collin Woldt, a paralegal at Kirkland & Ellis, and Robert Mosher, partner and co-owner of the Michelin-star restaurant Monteverde. Karla spoke with Collin and Robert about their career paths, experiences working and living in Chicago, and advice for current students and recent graduates.
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Fashion and Lifestyle Industry Showcase

On November 14, 2023, the Center for Career Education (CCE) invited undergraduate students and recent alumni interested in careers in fashion and lifestyle to participate in the Fall 2023 Fashion and Lifestyle Industry Showcase. Representatives from Christian Dior , COTY , EssilorLuxottica , FlexIt...

4 Social Science Skills to Use in the Job Search

Your Social Science Research and Analysis Skills Can Help You Find the Right Job For You By Tracy McGarry , Undergraduate Career Development Your skills as a social scientist can help you not only on the job, but also in evaluating and securing a job that is right for you! Here’s how you can...

Career Exploration for Creative Writers

If writing puts you in the zone and helps you clarify your thoughts, think about tapping into this talent for exploring career possibilities. Here’s a short list of our favorite writing activities to start creating your career story.
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Overheard at Telling Your Story as a First-Generation Student

On Monday, October 29 th , CCE, First-In-Family Programs, the Academic Success Program, and FLIP co-sponsored an event called Telling Your Story as a First Generation or Low-Income Student – Alumni Panel and Networking. It was an opportunity to hear from alumni about the ways in which their identity played a role in successfully navigating Columbia and the job search and how experiences inside and outside the classroom gave them skills that employers seek.