Career Development's BEST (Barnard Experience for Seniors in Transition) Program is for all seniors. The main components of the BEST program are orientations, workshops, information sessions, scheduled interview opportunities both on and off campus, job listings, and resources for research about career fields and specific employers.

Why should you participate in the BEST Program?
All seniors face a period of transition. Whether you are considering advanced study, initiating a career, looking for an interesting service opportunity, an international program or you're undecided as to your next move, you owe it to yourself to investigate your options. Don't miss the chance to get unlimited, free, professional career advice. In addition, many organizations have specially designed training programs for recent graduates. The mechanisms to connect with them are in place for you through the BEST Program. As one recent grad stated "If only I had taken advantage of this program, I wouldn't be in limbo now!"

What kinds of opportunities does the BEST Program Offer?
Currently, the BEST Program database lists hundreds of organizations in a variety of career areas that have established formal arrangements with Barnard to recruit our students.... and the list keeps growing. The BEST Program strives to offer Barnard students a broad array of employers which includes banks, both consumer and investment; law firms; consultants; publishers; insurance companies; not-for-profit organizations; public relations and advertising firms; retailers; and some health research and government concerns. These employers recruit for a number of different positions ranging from financial analysts to research technicians, teachers to media planners, consultants to legal assistants. While some of the training programs are very structured, others are more individually oriented. Most are in the metropolitan New York area; a limited number are for other parts of the country, even around the world.

Getting Started:
Join us in the Fall or Spring for a BEST program orientation. Check the OCD Newsletter or the calendar in eRecruiting to find dates and times.
If you can't make a group orientation, view the orientation online. Please note that you must have Power Point installed on your computer to take the online BEST orientation. If you don't, you can download the Power Point viewer here. Also take time to acquaint yourself with the BEST Program Manual, which discusses essential topics such as: student responsibilities, BEST program listings/ Interview sign up, credentials, and follow-up communication.

For career fields with organized on- and off-campus recruitment, the calendar is generally as follows:
September-January: Consulting, Finance
February-March: Law, Publishing, Retail
March-April: Advertising, Education, Not-For-Profit, Research

Don't panic if you are currently undecided about what to do after Barnard! The BEST Program and the Office of Career Development can help you sort through the maze of career choices! The earlier you get to know us, and allow us to know you, the better your chances of focusing on a path that best suits your needs!