Students

We encourage undergraduate students to incorporate career development into their BU experience from the beginning, but we welcome working with you whenever you’re ready.

Activate Your Account in Handshake
Handshake is BU’s online career development hub, exclusively for students and alumni to access events, resources, appointments, internships and jobs, and much more. Log in to activate your account.

Explore Our Website and Blog
Our website has lots of helpful how-to information from resumes to interviewing and much more, plus a detailed guide on how to build your career readiness. Our blog, BU + Beyond, is full of helpful tips from BU staff, internship stories from BU students, and more.

Get To Know the Career Development Cycle
No matter where you are in your journey, our 4-step Career Development Cycle can help you identify and achieve your career goals.

Take the First Step with Self-Discovery
Thinking about yourself and what is important to you can help you make good decisions in pursuing future goals. Learn more about self-discovery, the first step in our Career Development Cycle.

Begin Building Your Action Plan
Career Beginnings for Undergraduate Students is a program designed to help undergraduate students (especially freshmen and sophomores) build an action plan for their BU experience. Check our calendar for the next session.

Making informed decisions for your professional future requires lots of information. Often the best way to gather this information is through first-hand experience—from coursework and student activities to internships, volunteer work, and much more.

Get Involved: On Campus, Off Campus, Online
Teamwork and leadership are among the top skills that employers seek, both of which you can gain through community involvement. Start with options available through Student Activities and the Community Service Center. Seek online volunteer opportunities in areas of interest to you. Explore your interests outside of the classroom, work with teams to achieve specific goals, and contribute to initiatives with purpose.

Take Classes Outside Your Major
Courses in new and different fields can help you build a diverse skill set, identify new interests, develop breadth of knowledge, find an area of academic interest outside of your major/minor, and work with people who have different perspectives. Find and explore new interests with interdisciplinary courses through the BU Hub.

Gain Experience
Not everything is called an internship, but it will all help you build experience, skills, and knowledge to find your future career path. Check out internship listings in Handshake, discover research opportunities through UROP, explore a new world by studying abroad, build transferable skills with volunteer work or part-time jobs, take advantage of BU’s experiential learning opportunities, or complete a skill certification, among other options. It all counts.

Explore Industries and Career Paths
Learn more about industries and career paths that interest you. Here are few places to get started:

• Firsthand: Guides on industries as well as information about many specific organizations
• Candid Career: Videos interviews with people about their careers representing thousands of companies, industries, and positions
• What Can I Do With This Major?: Guides that connect majors and careers, including typical careers, types of employers, and strategies for being a more marketable candidate
• CCD affinity and identity resources: Information and external links to help you start a deeper search
• BU Connects and LinkedIn: Real-world examples of career paths, affinity groups, and more

Consider Graduate School or Additional Training
Will specialized training or a graduate degree help in the industries and/or career paths that interest you? If so, dig in further to understand when to go; available programs or training options; required tests; and any recommended coursework, skills, or experience. Explore our graduate school resources to learn more.

Our experts can help whether you’re just getting started or well along the way. Stuck on the right decision for you? We can help with that too.

Attend Programs and Events
We offer presentations on a number of different topics, from resumes and internships to interviewing, networking, and LinkedIn. Plus, we host programs with graduate schools and employers. Some presentations are recorded; check the list of session topics to see what’s available. Check our calendar to see upcoming events.

Read Tips from Experts in the CCD Blog
Browse our blog, BU + Beyond, to read advice on topics from internships to graduate school and the job search and everything in between. Our contributors share advice from their experience, tips on making the most of your time at BU, and much more.

Learn from Alumni
Alumni participate in a wide range of events and programs across campus, including the career webinar series by Alumni Relations. Check BU’s calendar for upcoming events. Connect with alumni using BU Connects to learn more about their career paths, advice for students, and more.

Get Help with Your Resume or Cover Letter
Need to get started? Check out the resume and cover letter information on our website. Attend an upcoming session on resumes or cover letters (check the calendar) or watch a recording (see the list of session topics to see what’s available).

Already have a draft? Get some feedback with our resume tool (VMock) or schedule or drop-in for a review.

Meet Individually with a Member of the CCD Team
Conflicted or feeling stuck? Work one-on-one with a career professional, discussing topics like career goals and choice of major, career options, graduate school, and more. Considering a career in a health profession? Make an appointment with Pre-Health Advising.

A good first impression is key to making the most of any opportunity. From resumes and cover letters to interviews and networking opportunities, we can help you get you prepared to shine.

Assemble Your Professional Attire
By having at least one professional outfit in your closet, you are ready for interviews or employer events. No need to break the bank, there are great options for those on a tight budget, including the Professional Clothing Closet where students can select up to 4 items to keep for free. And remember, virtual interviews are still interviews; professional dress required. Not sure what to wear? Learn about business casual and business professional plus tips for virtual interviews and remote work.

Build Your LinkedIn Profile
With millions of users, LinkedIn can help you build your professional presence and expand your network to explore career paths, stay in touch with those you know, and connect with potential internship/job leads. Check out our calendar for upcoming sessions on LinkedIn profiles and strategies. Some presentations are recorded; check the list of session topics to see what’s available.

Build Your Handshake Profile
Your Handshake profile does much more than you may realize. The more information you add, the more relevant your internship/job search results. Once you fill it out, you can share it. Turn on your campus profile to share it with fellow BU students and/or make it visible to employers so that they can find you.

Tailor Your Resume and Cover Letter
Once you have a starter resume and cover letter, customizing these documents for each position increases your chances for getting an interview. By highlighting your most relevant skills and experience, you will be more likely to stand out to the hiring manager. Get tips on how to do this on our blog and in workshops. Get feedback on versions of your resume with VMock and on cover letters with reviews.

Practice Interviewing
It’s never too early to start sharpening your interview skills. Start by using Big Interview to learn strategies to answer key questions and to practice: pick questions, record, and watch it back. If needed, come in for a mock interview appointment, and get tips on handling tough questions, nonverbal communication, and what to wear. Get some additional practice and feedback from employers and alumni during mock interview events, usually held in September and January.

Learn To Introduce Yourself and Practice Networking
With some planning and practice, you can be prepared for meeting new people, whether at a career fair or in the airplane seat next to you. An elevator pitch is a reliable way to introduce yourself and start a conversation; also known as networking. Need help getting started? Attend an upcoming networking session (check the calendar) or watch a recording (see the list of session topics to see what’s available).

Develop a Strong Personal Statement or CV
If you’re applying to graduate school, you’ll need a personal statement and a CV. Selection committees want to understand your motivations for applying and what you’ll bring to the field. Developing strong documents will position you to stand out among applicants. The CCD can review your CV or personal statement in an individual appointment. Considering a health profession graduate program? Make an appointment with Pre-Health Advising for help with your personal statement.

Organizations of all kinds actively seek BU talent for internships and jobs, recruiting in person and virtually.

Hear from Organizations at Recruiting Events
A great way to learn about organizations and opportunities, recruiting events include information sessions, drop-in meet and greets, tech talks, office hours, and much more. Held both in person and virtually, check our calendar for upcoming recruiting activities.

Meet Recruiters at Career Fairs
A career fair is an excellent way to research companies, meet recruiters, find an internship or job, and explore additional professional opportunities. Typically, our two largest fairs are scheduled for mid-October and mid-February, with smaller fairs (both online and in-person) occurring throughout the year. A list of attending employers is available in Handshake prior to each event. Check our calendar and look for announcements in our newsletter.

Explore Employers in Handshake
Browse the employers seeking BU talent in Handshake. New organizations large and small are approved to recruit at BU every day, from diverse industries and with locations around the world. Favorite any that interest you and you’ll be notified each time they schedule an event or post a new position.

Apply for an Internship Stipend
The CCD Funded Internships provide funding for eligible student internships through the Yawkey Nonprofit Internship Program. This is a selective program designed to support eligible students in pursuing unpaid internships at nonprofits.

Take Advantage of On-Campus Interviewing
Each semester, our team brings recruiters from numerous organizations to campus to interview students for internships and jobs. Apply for one of these positions, and, if selected, you’ll get to interview in person without leaving campus. Open to students in on-campus degree programs. Check out listings and application deadlines in Handshake.

Whether you’ve just started at BU or have been here a while, we can support you and your career development.

Activate Your Account in Handshake
More than just a job board, Handshake is BU’s online career development hub, exclusively for students and alumni to access events, resources, appointments, internships and jobs, employers, and much more. Log in to activate your account.

Explore Our Website and Blog
Our website has lots of helpful how-to information from resumes to interviewing and much more, plus a detailed guide on how to boost your career readiness. Our blog, BU + Beyond, is full of helpful tips and advice.

Get To Know the Career Development Cycle
No matter where you are in your journey, our 4-step Career Development Cycle can help you identify and achieve your career goals. Start with self-discovery to create a plan that incorporates your skills, interests, values, and personality.

Attend Introductory Sessions for Graduate Students
Attend one or both of our sessions for graduate students to help jump start your career planning. Check our calendar for the next session. Some presentations are recorded; check the list of session topics to see what’s available.

Limited time at BU means jumping into career planning right away. Our experts can inform, advise, and more. Stuck on a career decision? We can help with that too.

Attend Programs and Events
We offer presentations on a number of different topics, from resumes and cover letters to interviewing and job searching. Plus, we host programs with employers actively recruiting for open positions. Some presentations are recorded; check the list of session topics to see what’s available. Check our calendar to see upcoming events.

Read Tips from Experts in the CCD Blog
Browse our blog, BU + Beyond, to read advice on topics from resumes and the job search to advocating for yourself at work and everything in between. Our contributors share advice from their experience, tips on making the most of your time at BU, and much more.

Access the Terrier Network
Alumni participate in a wide range of events and programs across campus, including the career webinar series by Alumni Relations. Check BU’s calendar for upcoming events. Connect with alumni using BU Connects to learn more about their career paths, advice for students, and more.

Get Help for Resumes, CVs, Cover Letters
Need to get started? Check out the resume and cover letter information on our website. Attend an upcoming session on resumes or cover letters (check the calendar) or watch a recording (see the list of session topics to see what’s available).

Already have a draft? Get some feedback with our resume tool, VMock (all degree students). Schedule or drop-in for a review (on-campus degree program students only).

Meet Individually with a Member of the CCD Team
Conflicted or feeling stuck? Work one-on-one with a career professional, discussing topics like career goals, academic focus and career options, changing career paths, and more. Schedule in Handshake (on-campus degree program students only).

Relevant experience, skills, and knowledge come from many sources, including on or off campus work, coursework, team projects, student activities, volunteer work, and much more.

Find Internships and Jobs
Though not the only way to build your relevant experience, internships and jobs are a good way to prepare for a career path. Check out listings in Handshake as well as general or industry-specific job boards.

Take Advantage of Experiential Learning
With BU’s expanding experiential learning opportunities and programs, you can learn by doing without leaving campus.

Get Involved in Your Community
Teamwork and leadership are among the top skills that employers seek, both of which you can gain through community involvement. Start with options available through Student Activities and the Community Service Center. Seek online volunteer opportunities in areas of interest to you. Explore your interests outside of the classroom, work with teams to achieve specific goals, and contribute to initiatives with purpose.

Get Certified
Would additional skills help you launch your career? Build specific skills with certifications, boot camps, or other specialized training. One of many options, explore BU’s online options available from edX.

Explore Industries and Career Paths
Learn more about industries and career paths that interest you. Here are few places to get started:

• Firsthand: Guides on industries as well as information about many specific organizations
• Candid Career: Videos interviews with people about their careers representing thousands of companies, industries, and positions
• What Can I Do With This Major?: Guides that connect academic fields and careers, including typical careers, types of employers, and strategies for being a more marketable candidate (designed for undergraduate students, but helpful for others)
• CCD affinity and identity resources: Information and external links to help you start a deeper search
• BU Connects and LinkedIn: Real-world examples of career paths, affinity groups, and more

A good first impression is key to making the most of any opportunity. From resumes and cover letters to interviews and networking opportunities, we can help you get you prepared to shine.

Assemble Your Professional Attire
By having at least one professional outfit in your closet, you are ready for interviews or employer events. No need to break the bank, there are great options for those on a tight budget, including the Professional Clothing Closet where students can select up to 4 items to keep for free. And remember, virtual interviews are still interviews; professional dress required. Not sure what to wear? Learn about business casual and business professional plus tips for virtual interviews and remote work.

Build Your LinkedIn Profile
With millions of users, LinkedIn can help you build your professional presence and expand your network to explore career paths, stay in touch with those you know, and connect with potential internship/job leads. Check out our calendar for upcoming sessions on LinkedIn profiles and strategies. Some presentations are recorded; check the list of session topics to see what’s available.

Build Your Handshake Profile
Your Handshake profile does much more than you may realize. The more information you add, the more relevant your internship/job search results. Once you fill it out, you can share it. Turn on your campus profile to share it with fellow BU students and/or make it visible to employers so that they can find you.

Tailor Your Resume and Cover Letter
Once you have a starter resume and cover letter, customizing these documents for each position increases your chances for getting an interview. By highlighting your most relevant skills and experience, you will be more likely to stand out to the hiring manager. Get tips on how to do this on our blog and in workshops. Get feedback on versions of your resume with VMock and on cover letters with reviews.

Practice Interviewing
It’s never too early to start sharpening your interview skills. Start by using Big Interview to learn strategies to answer key questions and to practice: pick questions, record, and watch it back. If needed, come in for a mock interview appointment, and get tips on handling tough questions, nonverbal communication, and what to wear. Get some additional practice and feedback from employers and alumni during mock interview events, usually held in September and January.

Learn To Introduce Yourself and Practice Networking
With some planning and practice, you can be prepared for meeting new people, whether at a career fair or in the airplane seat next to you. An elevator pitch is a reliable way to introduce yourself and start a conversation; also known as networking. Need help getting started? Attend an upcoming networking session (check the calendar) or watch a recording (see the list of session topics to see what’s available).

Organizations of all kinds actively seek BU talent at all levels for open positions, recruiting in person and virtually.

Hear from Organizations at Recruiting Events
A great way to learn about organizations and opportunities, recruiting events include information sessions, drop-in meet and greets, tech talks, office hours, and much more. Held both in person and virtually, check our calendar for upcoming recruiting activities.

Meet Recruiters at Career Fairs
A career fair is an excellent way to research companies, meet recruiters, find an internship or job, and explore additional professional opportunities. Typically, our two largest fairs are scheduled for mid-October and mid-February, with smaller fairs (both online and in-person) occurring throughout the year. A list of attending employers is available in Handshake prior to each event. Check our calendar and look for announcements in our newsletter.

Explore Employers in Handshake
Browse the employers seeking BU talent in Handshake. New organizations large and small are approved to recruit at BU every day, from diverse industries and with locations around the world. Favorite any that interest you and you’ll be notified each time they schedule an event or post a new position.

Take Advantage of On-Campus Interviewing
Each semester, our team brings recruiters from numerous organizations to campus to interview students for open positions. Apply for one of these roles, and, if selected, you’ll get to interview in person without leaving campus. Open to students in on-campus degree programs. Check out listings and application deadlines in Handshake.

There is no typical career path for a BU graduate. Alumni pursue careers in every field and all over the globe and their BU experience helped them find their path and get career ready. Employers value BU talent. With more than 35,000 employers actively recruiting, we have 10,000-20,000 positions posted at any given time.

Within 6 months of graduation, the majority of undergraduate alumni start a career with employment, graduate school, national service, or the military. For those who head into full-time employment after BU, the average salary is above the national average of their peers.

We also know that those who start incorporating career development earlier are more prepared to launch their careers at (or soon after) graduation. For example, those with internship or other hands-on experience while in college are more likely to have full-time employment and are more likely to have a higher salary than those who don’t.

And 10 years after graduation, most BU alumni report being highly satisfied with their career and many are still in the same field they entered after graduation.

How do we know? Because we survey alumni every year. Explore our outcomes reporting.

You may know exactly where you want to go or you might not. In either case (or something in between), we help students understand and navigate career development using our 4-step Career Development Cycle.

The first step focuses on understanding yourself, including your interests, skills, values, and personality. The second is all about exploring your possibilities and options. The third and fourth focus on skill building, personal branding, and pursuing the options that most interest you.

Finding the path that’s right for you involves exploration, starting with your major. While you can do almost anything with any major, you’ll gain some different skills with biology versus history. In addition to our supportive staff, we have resources to help BU students understand where they might go, including What Can I Do With This Major? and Candid Career.

Learn more about career development at the CCD.

For any questions about specific programs, contact BU Admissions or the school/college you are considering applying to.

Full-time and part-time undergraduate and graduate students who have matriculated into an on-campus degree program are welcome to use all our services and resources. Alumni who have graduated from an on-campus degree program are also eligible for access to the CCD’s services and resources.

Online degree students/alumni are welcome to use everything with the exception of appointments (both career counseling and document reviews) and on-campus interviews. All students and alumni are welcome to attend career fairs through the Center for Career Development. Additional resources are available through the Office of Distance Education.

• Exchange students are welcome to utilize the information available on our public website and blog.
• Students enrolled in and alumni of certificate or non-credit/non-degree programs are welcome to utilize the information available on our public website and blog.
• All students and alumni are welcome to attend in-person career fairs through the Center for Career Development.