Deciding upon a field of interest, choosing a major, and implementing a career strategy can seem like a daunting task. Many college students take it upon themselves to find a major, craft a resume and cover letter, and dive into professional interviews, but these tasks do not have to be completed alone, nor do they have to be completed simultaneously. Any college or university career services department’s mission is to provide valuable, dedicated facilities, resources, and guides to students and alumni.
Recommended Schools
It is pivotal that a career services department supply advisers, coaches, and opportunities to students so that they may explore potential career options under the guidance of professionals. Without proper direction, finding a career and searching through job openings is intimidating and stressful.
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Check out our “Things to Consider” section:
is knowing a school’s job placement rate something i should consider when choosing a school?
Yes, positive job placement rates are a reflection of the school’s end goal for you… which is to see you succeed and achieve your dream job! Positive numbers show their commitment to finding you a job after graduation.
What job placement rate should I look for?
Ideally, 90% or over is encouraging if you plan on locating a job after graduation through your college’s job placement services. But consider this: A lower placement rate, such as 85% is good also… IF the graduate is placed in their intended career as opposed to a placement rate where the graduate is just placed in a job, not necessarily what they studied.
How’s the best way to find a school’s job placement rate?
First, check the school’s website for their job placement rate. If you can’t locate the information, give them a call and talk to an Admissions Advisor. Also, many outside sources, such as educational and news websites also report job placement rates.
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This list of 30 colleges and universities with the most impressive job placement rates offers a group of schools that are dedicated to helping students find well-suited majors and careers under the aid of a well-established career services departments.
The below list outlining the 30 Colleges with the Most Impressive Job Placement Rates and Career Services for 2021 is meant to introduce students to educational institutions that produce well-trained, gainfully employed students. Listed in random order, the primary criteria for this list is based on:
- Statistics are drawn from databasing websites such as Online Education Database and NerdWallet,
- Based on the availability of information on career service and university websites,
- Statistical information released by a particular school concerning the percentage of students helped by the school,
- Career Counselors experienced in the field of job placement and career goals,
- Percentage of students either employed or enrolled in a graduate program after graduation, which, in some cases, was unavailable,
- Career Center departments that cater to the task of internships, job placement, career advisement, and employer relationships.
University of Massachusetts Amherst
The staff of the University of Massachusetts Amherst Career Services Department understands that building a career plan, completing all of the appropriate documents, and job-hunting require many hours of preparation and research. In order to expedite this process, UMass Amherst CSD has broken it down into steps to be taken throughout a college career. Students begin career planning during their freshman year, when they identify their skills, interests, and passions, as well as engage in volunteerism. Throughout sophomore and junior year, CS assists students in resume writing, refining skills, and finding internships and jobs to strengthen resumes.
In senior year, the department connects students with employers, schedules on-campus interviews, and hosts job fairs, giving students one-on-one opportunities with recruiters and employers. Students are paired with career advisers who stage mock interviews, give pointers on manners and etiquette during interviews and meetings with employers, refine resumes, and help to build a professional network. UMass Amherst students, faculty, and employers use CareerConnect to post resumes, skills, find job openings, sign up for workshops, and receive notifications about on-campus events. The Career Services website lists valuable tips to students and job hunters looking for further information. After graduation, alumni are encouraged to continue using CareerConnect to find jobs, attend workshops held on campus, and keep networking connections strong.
Purdue University
The Center for Career Opportunities at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, knows that choosing a major, and a career, depends entirely upon the vicissitudes of an individual’s interests and goals. What may seem like the correct career choice during a student’s freshman year may be entirely different from their choices as a senior.
The staff at the CCO assists students in whatever developments may occur during their college career and search for a job. The calendar on the Center for Career Opportunities well-planned website is fully booked with expos, workshops, panels, outreach opportunities, and fairs to help students decide upon the best path for themselves. There are crucial interviewing, etiquette, networking, and research techniques outlined on the website as well.
Drop-in services are available for students with any questions, and they can also schedule Career Appointments to discuss in detail their problems, concerns, goals, and plans with an experienced professional. The Career Closet is a clothing service available for students who require professional attire for meetings, interviews, or other important events.
Southwestern University
The Princeton Review’s Best 379 Colleges: 2015 Edition, lists Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, as the #8 school with the best Career Services Department. Individual advising at Southwestern’s CSD allows students the freedom to assess themselves and to discover what makes them feel the most fulfilled. Advisers help students identify what is unique about their personality, and apply that to a major and/or a job search so that a career coincides with one’s interests and passions, which is of pivotal importance.
Once students have accurately assessed themselves, they can discover what paths might best suit them with the university’s extensive career research resources, as well as in the fairs and workshops scheduled throughout the year. The CSD assists students in finding internships along with volunteer and leadership opportunities to learn more about particular interests, and to start building an impressive resume. For alumni, CSD has tools, workshops, free assessment resources (such as access to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator for gauging personality types), and training seminars.
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign offers world-renowned on-campus and online degree programs for its students that all result in massively successful employment rates/career paths (around 88% or higher). The UIUC Career Center hosts numerous exciting opportunities for students to connect with employers through literally record-setting job fairs at which hundreds of companies attend, such as the annual Illini Career and Internship Fair! UIUC provides programs that are specifically catered for undergraduate, graduate, and international students to assist them throughout their job search both inside and outside of their programs.
The Career Center is also largely focused on improving student diversity and connects students of color, as well as LGBT students, disabled students, and Veterans with intriguing groups, organizations, and workshops. This marvelous academic institution has particularly exciting opportunities for Health Profession students and supplies them with special accommodations and career preparation in a unique field that requires a more specific understanding of the industry. All students have access to career development professionals that dutifully assist in counseling and advising, interview preparation, resumé, and cover letter writing, and more!
University of Southern Mississippi
Career Services at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg works to establish deep connections and networking availability between students, alumni, and employers. Their mission is to create an environment in which employers and potential employees, students, and alumni can interact and communicate about job opportunities across the nation, easing the transition between graduation, or unemployment, to a career.
Counseling is available for help with difficult decisions and documents, and a team of professionals is available to help with all of the processes involved in executing a successful job hunt—resume building, cover letter writing, and interviewing and salary negotiation techniques. The Resource Center has all of the books, articles, periodicals, and self-assessment tests and surveys any job hunter might need during their exploration. The Cooperative Education Program connects students with employers within their major and assimilates them into a particular field, which not only gives a student invaluable experience but also financially supports their education.
Many employers often come to the USM campus to conduct interviews, which can potentially save students a large amount of time and energy. Eagle Employment is a fabulous resource for students and employers, in which students can find job and internship listings, locate a mentor through the mentor network, as well as increase networking connections. Eagle Employment is also open to employers who can post jobs and find resumes that meet their qualifications for a certain position. USM also has regularly scheduled workshops, and twice a year Career Services hosts a job fair where over 85 employers are in attendance.
Carnegie Mellon University
Many students want a degree that will land them the highest paying annual salary, in which case they should attend Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where the average salary for employed students after graduation was around $76,000 in 2013, and the highest reported salary was $175,000! Carnegie Mellon educates a large number of computer science and engineering majors, thus a large number of employers seeking Carnegie Mellon graduates include companies such as Apple, IBM, and Google.
The Career Services staff have created templates for resumes, cover letters, networking emails, references, and portfolios for students and alumni compiling job documents. Students can schedule meetings with Carnegie Mellon Career Consultants to review resume drafts and receive training on interviewing and networking. TartanTRAK, the university’s database for listing job openings, streamlines job hunting for both employers and employees.
Experiential Learning is an exciting CMU program in which students spend a short time in a college or federal community service position to gain more experience and understanding of what it means to be a diligent employee. Carnegie Mellon University not only has fabulous resources for building resumes and interviewing skills, but for real-world involvement in full or part-time positions.
Dartmouth University
In Hanover, New Hampshire, Dartmouth College has a massive alumni network and career service resources. The Dartmouth Career Network is a group of over 23,000 Dartmouth alumni who can offer guidance to students. The Center for Professional Development website includes a calendar of events that guide students through implementing strategies for reaching goals outside of college. Of students that have dropped-in for appointments at the CPD for help with resumes, interviewing tactics, networking availability, and applying to graduate programs, 98% have reported a successful and helpful experience. Students who visit the CPD for job search guidance have been recruited by companies such as Google, Facebook, and Goldman Sachs.
Dartboard is the unique social networking website that connects students with potential employers and has helped over 3,400 people find work from over 1,700 employers. The Professional Development Accelerator is a new, two-year preparedness program for incoming students that implements a custom phone app, giving them an early start in career exploration. The Startup Experience collaborates with The Rockefeller Center in a two-day crash course on the needs, requirements, and plans in starting a new business.
Texas A&M University
In 2011, the Wall Street Journal called Texas A&M University in College Station, “the 2nd most popular university in hiring college talent.” Partnered with over 4,000 companies seeking employees, including several multi-billion dollar industries such as BP, Union Pacific Railroad, and CenterPoint Energy, in 2013 there were over 13,700 job postings representing over 60,000 unique positions. There are hundreds of seminars and workshops scheduled for Aggies (Texas A&M students), to which there are tens of thousands of participants.
For the past 10 years, the university has received Best Practice Recognition for exceptional Career Coordinator programs, mock interview programs, and website guides, as well as for many other outstanding services. Programs and advisory are available to all Aggies, alumni, and students. The award-winning career service staff has participated in many national career service events and have been recognized for their extraordinary service to their alumni and students, with such awards as the National Association of Colleges and Employers Award of Excellence.
Career Services amenities include workshops, work abroad programs, AggiExternships (a program in which students join an alumnus in their place of employment for a shadowing day), job postings, on-campus interviews, and a Career Resource Library.
Pennsylvania State University
Pennsylvania State University in State College, reports an 83% job placement rate, and students and alumni are welcome to take advantage of their career support systems throughout their lives in the job market. Students can begin their career quest with a short drop-in visit with one of Penn State’s full-time career counselors who advise students on interviewing, networking, internships, jobs and job shadowing, salary negotiating and picking an appropriate major. After an initial drop-in meeting, students have the option to sign up for individual counseling, which is much more in-depth and provides students with a professional mentor throughout college.
The Career Library is equipped with books, handouts, and other texts, videos, and numerous online information and analysis resources. There are dozens of workshops, programs, and academic career courses offered throughout the year, and Penn State is also heavily involved with the Peace Corps, giving students wonderful opportunities to engage in volunteer work. LionLink is the networking site that connects PSU students, alumni, and career coaches with one another, offering an opportunity to build professional relationships with others in similar fields.
Princeton University
From day one at Princeton University in New Jersey, Career Services shepherds students through the career processes in the 4-Year Career Action Plan—a customized strategy for each Princeton Student that matches their majors, interests, and personalities with an employer, internship, or school. This program separates job searching into manageable steps that parallel with each consecutive school year, starting from discovering majors and career development opportunities, to landing a position at an upstanding company. There are surveys, tests, fairs, panels, and workshops to help students “zero in” on the most fulfilling career, as well as prepare themselves for interviewing and accepting a fitting position.
“Princeternships” is a remarkable program in which students spend 1-3 days shadowing an alumnus at their place of work during academic breaks. Princeternships have greatly helped students either find their calling or abandon an unsuitable plan in order to find something more appropriate. About 87% of students have “achieved their post-graduate goals” just 6 months after graduation.
The University of Texas at Austin
Both the University of Texas at Austin McComb’s School of Business and the Department of Government report exceedingly high job and/or graduate school placement results for their students at 91-92.5%, which applies to both undergraduate and graduate students. Business school alumni, in particular, are virtually guaranteed an incredibly high wage, at upwards of $130,000 per year for some specializations!
The UT Austin administration begins preparing its students for the job market as their academic career comes to a close, and provides a huge number of resources upon which students may fall back on during their job search. Using a program known as “Handshake,” the UT Austin Career Services Department connects students with a vast amount of applicable recruiters, employers, networking contacts, alumni, and career services events. Students can sharpen their interviewing and resume writing skills with career coaches who are dedicated to the success of students of all academic pursuits. Students have open access to career counselors who guide them through their future choices and training resources.
Georgetown University
The McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, consistently reports impressive job placement statistics. Their success is due to dedicatedly preparing students to enter into the workforce, and establishing networking connections and relationships between students, faculty, alumni, and employers. Large companies that seek out degreed students from Georgetown University include American Airlines, Bank of America, General Electric, Goldman Sachs, and many other Fortune 500 companies and multimillion-dollar industries.
In 2013, GU reported that 91% of students were employed 3 months after graduation. Students begin developing their career strategies the summer before they enter into McDonough School of Business, which includes developing a career hypothesis, value strategies, and career marketing portfolio items. The Career Center offers comprehensive career curriculums to ensure that students are prepared before they arrive on campus, and to assist them through business school. Career coaches and advisers are also available to help students prepare resumes, cover letters, stage mock interviews, and address any concerns. After graduation, alumni have the opportunity to mentor students in their career search, keeping networking connections strong and well established.
University of Florida
The University of Florida in Gainesville, reports strong job placement statistics from students who have been dutifully prepared for a life outside of a structured college environment. UF has one-on-one resources to help students choose their majors, there are major fairs where students can explore their options, and CHOMP (Career Help for Major Planning) is an online program to assist in picking a major. When students are ready to start planning for their careers, there are numerous career fairs, virtual fairs, workshops, courses, panels, and showcases to take advantage of, where students can learn proper etiquette, techniques, and skills required in maneuvering in the job market.
The Career Center staff is readily available to answer any questions and help prepare necessary documents and reported a job employment rate of 91% in 2013. The Career Center website is well organized and provides prudent information and guidelines concerning interviewing skills, resume writing, and job hunting. Gator CareerLink is the networking site that connects students and alumni, providing a virtual space where individuals can post resumes and sift through open positions while networking with other UF alumni.
New York University
Career preparation at New York University is extensive and well-planned in the Wasserman Center for Career Development. Here, the planning starts early, and students meet with career coaches who provide personalized care and preparation with individuals. These coaches have access to state-of-the-art surveys and tests to narrow down a student’s skills and interests and, when it comes time, they also assist in resume writing and building interviewing skills. Students also have the option to connect with a professional mentor (typically an alumnus) who helps them understand what it means to be employed in their field of interest, and who also helps initiate networking relationships, critique resumes and offers guidance.
Together with both coach and mentor, students have the opportunity to uniquely and productively refine their goals. NYU Career Development also schedules career fairs, expos, and workshops. As a result of such diligent preparation, 94% of NYU graduates were employed full-time or enrolled in a graduate or professional school within 6 months after graduation, with a median salary for graduates between $53,350. Also in 2013, NYU reported that 93% of juniors either had part-time jobs or an internship. Students at NYU are well taken care of while in school, and well-prepared in the job market. In 2014, 94.7% of graduates were employed full-time or enrolled in a graduate or professional school within 6 months post-graduation.
Wake Forest University
At the Wake Forest University School of Business, the Center for Market Readiness and Employment begins the career process for individual students before orientation, continues after graduation, and also once students are employed. The CMRE exposes students to tools that will help them self-assess their marketable traits and skills, apply those skills to a major, and develop strategies for communicating with employers and securing employment. WFU gives students access to company profiles, industry events, and alumni networking through online databases.
The CMRE prepares students for the job market by engaging them in a series of workshops, courses, clinics, and mock interviews to ensure their comfort and readiness when speaking and networking with professionals. WFU has a team of career coaches that are specialized by the degree to give students the most in-depth and personalized counseling possible. In 2011, the university reported a 92% employment rate for students 6 months after graduation, a statistic that continues to increase each year. Wake Forest graduates have been employed and recruited by multinational, multimillion-dollar industries such as PWC, Earnest and Young, and other professional services networks.
Northeastern University
The Princeton Review has ranked the career development department at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, like #1 for 4 out of the past 7 years. This department has over 250 programs available to guide students through developing their “VIPS” (values, interests, personality, and skills). Over 3,000 employers are constantly searching Northeastern networking sites for strong employees, and in 2014, the department listed around 1,800 new job openings. There are programs to strengthen salary negotiating skills, networking, and interviewing, as well as workshops to help discover majors and career options.
The Career Services Department has resources and websites that will match students with prospective employers, and the department guides students through the entire process, from resume and cover letter composition to interviewing, to deciding upon the best job offer. The Employers in Residence program connects students with employers from the Peace Corps, Raytheon (a company specializing in defense and homeland security), and Shawmut Design and Construction. This program is unique in that resident employers have offices inside the university and are available specifically to help students bolster their resumes and feel more confident.
96% of Northeastern students reported that after only one session with a career counselor they were more prepared and comfortable with the job search process, 100% of students said that they would return to continue workshopping their careers, and 92% were either employed or enrolled in graduate school 9 months after graduation.
Washington University in St. Louis
In 2014, the Olin School of Business at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, reported an average of about 93% of business school graduates who had received either full-time employment or an internship 90 days after graduation. “Hundreds of companies from around the world recruit Olin School of Business students…” These companies include Bloomingdales, Epic Systems, Deloitte, as well as many others. Median salaries for employed students start between $50,000 to $100,000—pay scales that will only increase with dedicated employment.
The Weston Career Center employs seasoned business professionals and draws upon their knowledge to train and prepare individuals for their job hunt. Students meet with advisers to devise their plans for interning, interviewing, resume writing, and salary negotiating. The WCC also has an array of online resources and schedules, training workshops, seminars, and fairs. The WCC received 100% and was award an A+ by the National OUT for Work Certification Program for its LGBT programs that connect lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, and transgendered students with gay-friendly companies and work environments. The focus of individualized care and guidance at WUSL is unmatched in its effectiveness.
Nichols College
This small, private school in Dudley, Massachusetts, Nichols College claims that 4 out of every 10 graduates go on to become a president or CEO of a reputable company or industry or become their own business owner. Nichols also reports a 93% employment rate. These impressive statistics are a result of Nichols’ dedicated career coaches who act as guides to students throughout their lives in and out of college. These coaches train students in interviewing, networking through social media, and searching for jobs and internships. Nichols “strongly believes” in a valuable, cooperative (and paid!) work experience, where students can gain knowledge in their field during an internship.
Nichols students have interned with the New England Patriots, the U.S. Department of State, and Warner Trade Publishing. Once a year, Nichols hosts “one of the largest college career fairs in New England, with over 65 employers including Starbucks, Walt Disney Studios, Liberty Mutual, Enterprise Rent-a-Car, and the FBI…” Nichols students receive peerless care and attention from the dedicated staff in the Career Services Department.
Michigan State University
Every year, Michigan State University in East Lansing receives glowing recognition across the globe for its success as an educational institution. MSU has also produced award-winning career guides alongside employer partners and reports a job placement rate of about 95%. The Career Services Network offers dozens of career workshops and courses throughout each semester that cover interviewing skills, resume writing, networking, advantageously using social networking websites, and many other important areas. Personal career advisers are available to help students through the steps of developing their plans after college.
The Informational Interviews program encourages students to meet with professionals so that they may gain more awareness about a certain position. The Job Shadowing program and the Career Exposure Series connect students with alumni and professionals, giving opportunities to gather even further perspective, with the possibility of employment! MSU’s unique Corporate Tours program takes students across the globe on trips to meet prominent employers within their areas of interest. What makes MSU award winners in their efforts is the connections, networking, and real-world experience that they establish between students, alumni, and employers.
Clarkson University
In 2013, the overall placement rate for graduated students at Clarkson College in Potsdam, New York, was 95%, and has been the highest it has ever been for the last 5 years. Of those students, 75% were employed directly out of college. Career Services states that “one in five Clarkson University graduates is the CEO, vice president or owner of his or her own company,” and many Clarkson graduates have taken leadership positions at reputable companies. U.S. News and World Report have called Clarkson one of the finest educational institutions in the country.
Career Services also reports that the number of students applying for graduate schools is steadily decreasing as more students are choosing to take on careers immediately after graduation. There are events and campus recruiting opportunities, as well as job fairs and workshops, scheduled throughout the year where students have the opportunity to connect with potential employers. Knightlink is the (constantly updated) Clarkson networking website that connects employers with Clarkson students. Students can feel relief from the pressure of choosing a career with the help of the 6, full-time employees at Career Services who are available to help students with interviewing tactics, resume building, locating job openings, as well as any other possible concerns.
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Emory University
For three consecutive years, Emory University’s business school, Goizueta, in Atlanta, Georgia, has had the most impressive job placement rates of any school in the world, according to Poets and Quants, at 95% 3 months after graduation and 98% 6 months after graduation, with an average full-time base salary of $107,000. The most lucrative degrees are in human resources, consulting, and finance, where starting salaries range up to $135,000. Classes within the curriculum train and tailor students in business fundamentals and interviewing processes, and career service support engages before students arrive on campus.
Hundreds of students who graduate from Goizueta Business School have gone on to become integral parts of multibillion-dollar corporations such as Google, numerous national and international banks, airlines, and auto industries. Graduates living in the southeastern and northeastern United States, have nearly a 40% full-time employment rate. Compared to the national employment rate of 5.8% in November 2014, it is a virtual certainty that students of Goizueta at Emory will have gainful employment just several weeks post-graduation.
University of Denver
Global industries, corporations, and companies are always on the look-out for the University of Denver graduates to fill important employment positions. Companies that hire DU graduates include Apple, the Denver Nuggets, Teach for America, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. In 2013, 96.4% of Denver graduates had received employment or enrollment in graduate school 6 months after graduation. DU has specialized career planning services to help students plan their strategies from scratch.
Career councilors assist students in discovering what is unique and marketable about themselves and apply that to finding a major, internships, interviews, and employment. Online amenities include self-assessment surveys, virtual career fairs, and libraries. DU has written handbooks and copious guidelines, and students are highly encouraged to take advantage of the events, industry speakers, expert panels, and courses offered at the university. Career and internship databases keep DU students, alumni, career councilors, and employers informed of who and what is available in the job market.
North Dakota State College of Science
North Dakota State College of Science in Wahpeton, has educated and trained a strong workforce of students and alumni and reports an employment placement rate of 98%. What makes NDSCS so successful is its focus on programs and degrees with a high employment rate in the job market, dedicated attention to individual student’s needs and concerns, and the Cooperative Education program, which is an exceedingly valuable opportunity, both educationally and financially.
Co-op students take two career courses, educating them on life in the job market, and work part-time, or full-time, paid jobs, giving them experience in their field, the possibility for full-time employment after graduation, and a richer, more in-depth education overall. Once a year, Career Services plans a massive career fair, to which over 200 employers are invited who represent every available degree or program at the college. The NDSCS Career Services Department is always available to assist students and alumni with their resume writing and interviewing skills, as well as guide them through the career discovery process, and there are valuable guides and templates available on the Career Services website.
Bentley University
Career Services at Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts, is a straightforward, simple, and massively successful department. This university boasted a 98% “knowledge rate” in 2013, a statistic that was calculated according to those alumni that were either gainfully employed, or enrolled in a graduate program. Of that 98%, 82% reported employment, and 16% reported enrollment at another educational institution.
Career guidance is implemented within the curriculum so that every Bentley student has some formal knowledge and/or experience in job hunting, whether or not they have visited the Career Services Department in person. Bentley has resources for virtual and live networking with alumni and connects students with an alumnus mentor to act as their guide. This special process allows for direct, one-on-one experience between students and alumni, and there are scheduled lunches, panels, and on-campus events that are directly correlated with this program as well.
Online career service amenities include LinkedIn communities, interviewing engines that help students practice interview questions, and Glassdoor, which is an online resource where employees submit reviews, salaries, and interview information about their employers, giving Bentley students a leg up on the benefits of certain positions.
University of Pennsylvania
Students in the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia are recruited by many highly profitable companies and industries each year. Wharton employers include Bank of America, Citi, Ernest and Young, Google, as well as many other multinational, multimillion-dollar industries. In 2014, the university reported a 98.6% employment rate 6 months after graduation with an annual base salary of $125,000.
After graduation, many Wharton students have gone on to create their own companies, which, with a degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Business, is highly conceivable and attainable. The Career Management team at UP “has deep and expanding relationships with companies ranging from the Fortune 500 to start-ups, and more than 650 companies make offers to MBA graduates each year.” Wharton students have access to many online research tools and amenities for finding job listings and engaging in self-assessment.
Career Management organizes informal meetings, on-campus interviews, workshops, career courses, and employer information sessions attended by over 150 employers. Alumni, students, and the career management staff are united in the Global Alumni Network where over 92,000 alumni in a wide range of professions can connect with students, faculty, and other alumni.
Babson College
In 2014, Money, a magazine partnered with CNN, ranked Babson College, a small business school in Babson Park, Massachusetts, the #1 college in America. U.S News and World Report, a college ranking database, has ranked Babson the #1 college in entrepreneurship 18 times and Entrepreneur Magazine and The Princeton Review have given the university the #1 rank for entrepreneur programs for 3 years in a row. These incredibly impressive rankings are attributed to the vast success of Babson students—in 2013, 99% of Babson College graduates were employed 6 months after graduation.
Top employers of Babson students include PricewaterhouseCoopers, Bank of America, EY, Staples, and EMC. The college has access to a state-of-the-art self-assessment and career services website and online training tool called CareerBeam, which is accessible only by Babson students. Career Advisors, Employers-in-Residence, and Alumni Industry Advisors are available to assist and critique resumes and cover letters, giving students individualized attention and tips from business professionals.
Once a year, Career Services hosts the Career Expo to which over 70 employers are invited to meet with and talk to students about future employment and internship opportunities. What truly makes Babson College such a successful institution is that the academic curriculum is designed to train students in leveraging opportunities, practicing innovation, creating economic and social value, and taking risks.
Dickinson State University
Dickinson State University in North Dakota utilizes numerous online tools and programs and offers unique coursework to students and alumni. DSU does not require its students to take career guidance courses, but there are fabulous amenities to expedite the career hunting process. Focus 2 is a state-of-the-art program used by colleges to help students discover their best career options. This program separates the career discovery process into different sections for all levels of students.
Dickinson uses Hawk4Hire, an online recruiting and job search website that gives students and alumni free access to degree-required job listings and internships, opportunities to view and sign up for on-campus events, and space to post resumes for view by employers. The Career Ladder Program is a unique and highly competitive program that connects students with potential employers who offer opportunities in a strutted sequence of positions, which provides real-life experience in a particular major or field, assimilating students into professional lives before leaving their academic environment.
The staff in the Career Services Department is available for help with resumes and cover letters and also stages mock-interviews. In 2011 Dickinson reported a 99.2% employment rate of graduates who were either employed, in the military, or continuing their education, and has maintained this rate for many consecutive years.
Syracuse University
Located in New York, Syracuse University reports some of the best job placement statistics in the country. In 2013, of the 3,039 students surveyed, nearly 100% of graduates had full-time jobs 6 months after graduation, and top employers of Syracuse graduates include Macy’s, JP Morgan, Earnest, and Young, and Ross Stores. This incredibly high rate stems from a philosophy of individualized attention to students.
Career counselors are available to help students choose majors, find internships, build career strategies, craft resumes and cover letters, review interview tactics, and secure employment after graduation. Internships are highly recommended to ‘Cuse students, as they not only count as credit in the academic curriculum, but they also give a student much-needed experience, the chance to explore potential fields of interest, and opportunities to network with professionals.
Resources for finding internships and researching career strategies are abundant and diverse at SU, with special attention focused on persons with disabilities, international students, the LGBT community, multicultural students, and women. Career services encourage and train students to leverage their internships to make the most out of employment potentiality. ‘CuseConnect is a LinkedIn group available only to Syracuse affiliates that keep networking connections strong and allows students, alumni, employees, and career coaches to post important documentation, job listings, and resumes.
Kansas State University
The Kansas State University, located in Manhattan, KS, provides many resources for graduating students, such as training for those seeking jobs, career advisement, as well as offering connections to impressive employers looking for recent graduates. Through its “Handshake” program, students and alumni can register for job fairs or schedule on-campus interviews.
Kansas State University’s Career Center offers online job listings for students, as well as, amazing internship opportunities sure to boost your real-world experience and your resume. They also provide mock interview exercises to upgrade your marketability when trying to land that dream job.
KSU is dedicated to providing every student with a diverse wealth of possibilities when searching for a career. Their exceptional faculty provides options for all walks of life, such as those who need assistance as Individuals with Disabilities, or as International, LGBTQ, and Multicultural Students.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology offers important advice and guidelines for those seeking employment after graduation. As well as recent undergraduate needs, such as beginning your first career, MIT’s Career Advising & Professional Development Center can help you navigate those seeking a graduate degree, too.
The Employer Connection Program was designed to allow potential employers the opportunity to hire the cream of the crop in recent graduates. They work closely with MIT to ensure that recent graduates, who are adequately trained, are at-the-ready upon graduation.
The career center at MIT is dedicated to finding the right fit for you. Your Career Counselor will have a genuine interest in your success by asking you what your career goals are, what makes you happy, and what you would like to accomplish along life’s highway. CAPD’s goal is to empower their students; first through quality education, and then beyond!
What is the importance of knowing a college’s job placement rate?
For most students, their main objective is to obtain an adequate beginner’s position upon graduation, with the hopes of laying a solid foundation on which to build upon. Naturally, when considering a degree program that will fit your needs, you may also want to inquire about their job placement rate.
Although a positive job placement rate is a plus, it should not be the only factor considered in choosing a degree program. But what good is a high job placement rate? What does it say for the college you are considering? Typically, employers prefer to work with colleges that offer the “cream-of-the-crop” in graduating students. Those who attend highly respected degree programs and graduate with excellent academic grades are naturally proven to be the best employees; therefore, increasing your employment options.
In addition, a high job placement rate is proof that a college’s Career Services department works hard for its graduates to find them a good fit in their new career. Programs that offer options, such as internships and co-ops help to build networking opportunities and are exceptional qualities to look for in a college.
Do online schools offer job placement services?
Yes, most online accredited colleges and universities offer Career Centers to help you navigate your way through graduation and finding the right job for you. Fortunately for you, a school’s job placement rate and the students’ overall satisfaction rate for all services offered is a reflection of the capabilities of the school.
Through properly accredited online distance learning programs, you can receive the same quality education as the brick-and-mortar establishments offer. These many benefits include 24 -hour, seven days a week availability to Student Help Centers for technical issues and online library services, along with exceptional job placement counselors to help you plan your future.
WhAT benefits CAN I EXPECT THROUGH MY school’s Career Services department?
Taking advantage of your school’s Career Services benefits does not begin only when you graduate. As part of your tuition costs, you can take advantage of their services from the beginning of your journey and beyond.
Sure, primarily, you can expect the Career Services at your school to help you find full-time employment after graduation, but what else can you expect? Perhaps you may need help sharpening your resume writing skills, or simply to find a career choice to work towards. The Career Services Center will also help you find a suitable graduate program, assist you with interview preparation, help you with financing options, and provide you with networking opportunities that you can use forever.
“Excellence is to do a common thing in an uncommon way.”—Booker T. Washington