Senior Initiative

REGISTER NOW for the Senior Initiative is a job readiness program in which career coaches and counselors assist graduating students with navigating today’s job market and ultimately excelling in their desired careers.  Through a series of customized workshops and events, seniors will learn how to effectively search and apply for jobs; market themselves to prospective employers; communicate effectively in and out of the workplace, and make lasting connections with other professionals. The Senior Initiative participants will attend core workshop, participate in a series of workshops and programs, and attend several career-building events throughout the year. After core workshops and programs are completed, students will receive a certificate of completion.

The application deadline for the Spring 2013 Senior Initiative program is Sunday, February 3, 2013 at 11:59PM. 

Senior Initiative Spring 2013 Core Workshop Schedule

All workshops will be held at Career Development from 6:15 pm. - 7:15 pm

Section 1

• Monday, February 4 (Advance Resume & Cover Letter Clinic)
• Wednesday, February 6 (Conducting a Comprehensive Job Search in a Tough Market) 
• Monday, February 11 (Interviewing 101)
• Wednesday, February 13 (Marketing Yourself 101)

Section 2  

• Tuesday, February 5 (Advance Resume & Cover Letter Clinic)
• Thursday, February 7 (Interviewing 101)
• Tuesday, February  12 (Conducting a Comprehensive Job Search in a Tough Market)
• Thursday, February 14 (Marketing Yourself 101)

Core Workshops

Advanced Resume & Cover Letter Clinic

In many cases, your resume and cover letter are the very first things a potential employer sees about you.  As seniors looking for full-time positions upon graduation, it is crucial to have compelling, succinct and relevant documents that highlight your achievements, qualifications and fit for a particular position and organization.  Learn what it takes to get your resume and cover letter the attention it deserves.

Marketing Yourself 2.0: Creating a Career Campaign

70-80% of jobs go unadvertised.  What does this mean for Seniors looking for their full time jobs? You must be networking!   Though students know that networking a crucial part of the job search, many are still unclear how exactly to go about doing so.  Learn how to locate, contact and follow up both in person and online with professionals and build upon your network.

Conducting a Comprehensive Job Search in a Tough Market

In the current economic climate, one needs to employ a variety of tactics to effectively implement your job search. Learn how to develop a strategy to effectively search for jobs in both the open and hidden job market. 

Interviewing 201

A resume and cover letter will get you an interview, but the interview is what gets you the job!  Though you’ll never quite know exactly what will be asked during an interview, proper training and practice can prepare for whatever comes your way!  Learn what to do before, during and after an interview to make the best possible impression, communicate your message and land the job.

To learn more about the program, email Robert Earl at rbearl@barnard.edu

Additional Requirements

Career Fairs

Career fairs are an excellent way for you to meet potential employers and recruiters from various industries and sectors. Please plan to attend at least one (1) of the many fairs offered at Barnard or Columbia University.

• Barnard Job and Internship Fair Spring 2013
• Columbia University Career Fair Spring 2012

Take a Barnard Student to Work Day

Take a Barnrd Student to Work Day is one-day event will be held on February .You will visit the workplace of your alumna match and participate in a job shadow and informational interview. If you are exploring more than one career option, this day will allow you to get a first-hand look at a company’s culture, along with the day-to-day aspects of a particular industry or position. And most of all, you get the invaluable opportunity to network with enthusiastic alumnae and build connections in your field of interest.

Career Assessment

You will be assigned a career counselor and coach who will work independently with you on your career development and job search.  If you are unsure of what you want to do for work, you can take career assessments that will help you discover your interests, preferences, and personal styles—exactly the information you'll need to choose a career you can be passionate about.

• Strong Interest Inventory-This personality instrument helps indicate your preferred manner of taking in and evaluating information and will identify your preferred style of working, decision-making and communicating. It can help you evaluate how you are likely to operate in a particular setting and job.
• MBTI -The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator can help you select a career field that is a good fit for your personality make-up.