There are, of course, an abundance of career opportunities available for students with a Master’s degree, and your coursework - as well as the Columbia “brand” - will help market you to potential employers. However, it is very important that early on in your graduate program that you begin considering which industries and occupations you want to pursue, so that you can focus your efforts accordingly. Your degree by itself will not get you the job you want —finding a position in which you will be successful and satisfied takes a great deal of consideration, preparation and effort.

As a Master’s student, the time to complete your degree is typically brief. Therefore you will want to begin preparing for your job search early in your tenure at Columbia. If you are in a one-year Masters program, you should investigate the CCE On-Campus Recruiting Program, requirements, and options immediately, as many companies begin recruiting new employees as early as September for positions which will start after graduation (in other words, recruiting may commence up to nine months in advance of a start date). Similarly, students in three-semester or two-year Master’s programs are encouraged to start thinking about and planning for internship opportunities early on in their graduate study.

If you are international student, you have further considerations, as you will typically need to find a company who will sponsor your visa so that you can remain in this country to work. Again it is critical that you educate yourself as early as possible about the recruiting process, about visa requirements and constraints and begin targeting companies.

We strongly urge all students to take the following steps shortly after their arrival on campus:

1. Register on this website. This will ensure you are notified of upcoming events of interest.
2. Review the on-line calendar of the Center for Career Education for interesting and important events on a regular basis.
3. Learn about the services and programs offered by the Center for Career Education.
4. Start evaluating your interests, skills, values and personal traits to help focus your career search. Knowing yourself is the first step toward finding satisfying employment.

This in-depth timeline of suggested steps will help you achieve your career goals upon graduation.

To learn more about the key elements of the job search, visit the following sections of our website:

• Resumes and Cover Letters
• Conducting Industry Research
• Interviewing
• Networking
• Using LionSHARE
• Negotiating