Career Advancement
Lifetime Support for Career Advancement
A benefit of being a graduate of Wellesley College is continued access to Career Education resources. Dedicated Alumnae Career Advisors and Industry Advisors are here to help you navigate your career journey, make meaningful connections, overcome obstacles, and celebrate success at every stage.
We offer one-on-one advising, resume and cover letter reviews, interview practice, professional development webinars, and advice on new trends that will impact your job search process. Our experienced staff can work with you to address whatever you are facing, including making a career pivot/change, advancing in your current career field, re-entering the workforce, or finding an “encore career” after retirement.
Connect using Handshake and The Wellesley Hive
Alumnae maintain lifelong access to Career Education technology platforms. Handshake is Wellesley's online platform for finding jobs/internships and making appointments with advisors. The Wellesley Hive is an interactive virtual space for professional networking and mentorship with other Wellesley alums and current students. For ease of use and security, your Wellesley username and password are required to log in to both platforms.
Fall 2024 Alumnae Webinars
Should I Pursue a Graduate Degree in International Affairs, Policy, Public Administration, or Government?
This session was hosted by Briana Suarez from the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs. APSIA graduates find meaningful careers addressing issues in the public, private, non-profit, and multilateral sectors. The flexible training and interdisciplinary nature of APSIA degrees also enable graduates to change jobs and tackle new areas as their careers progress. This webinar will allow participants to explore graduate programs related to their specific learning and career goals and provide attendees with graduate school resources and fellowship information.
Alum Book Club
Thurs, Dec. 5, Noon – 1:00 PM ET
Alum Career Book Club: A Curious Mind: The Secret to a Bigger Life by Brian Grazer and Charles Fishman and Face to Face: The Art of Human Connection by Brian Grazer
Curiosity is a powerful concept that can fuel your career exploration or transition, and help you build relationships in your field. Film and television producer Brian Grazer has written two practical books that underscore the importance of tapping into your genuine curiosity and creating authentic connections to help you expand your career possibilities. Read one or both books, and join us for an inspiring conversation.
Wellesley MAP (Mentorship Affinity Program)
Wellesley MAP is an ongoing commitment to mentorship at Wellesley, which matches alums and students in virtual groups based on career interests and shared identities. The goal of this program is to create supportive mentorship connections that foster participants’ sense of belonging, identity development, values, exploration of possible career paths, and connectedness within the larger Wellesley community. Designed to support personal and professional development and growth, mentorship groups will provide opportunities to ask questions, seek guidance, share stories and resources, and offer informal networks for career development.
The MAP program will run from February to May 2024 and is open to all current Wellesley sophomores, juniors, seniors, and alums.
‘Ask a Career Coach’ Drop-In Series
We will continue our informal ‘Ask a Career Coach’ drop-in sessions. You probably have questions if you are an alum in career transition – looking for a new industry or position, contemplating graduate study, navigating a role change or promotion, returning to the workforce, or planning for an engaged retirement. We invite you to mark these dates on your calendar and join us with questions. Chances are, others share your question and when Wellesley alums come together there is inevitable sharing and support! There is no formal agenda or presentation in these sessions; we’re here to respond to career questions and offer ideas and perspectives to help in your transition.
- Monday, September 16, Noon – 1:00 PM ET
- Tuesday, October 22, Noon – 1:00 PM ET
- Thursday, November 14, Noon – 1:00 PM ET
Registration is not necessary and participants can drop in via this Zoom link.
Opportunities for Alums to Engage with Students via Internships
Interested in creating an internship for a Wellesley student, or sharing an existing opportunity with the Wellesley network? This helpful resource outlines how.
Alumnae Career Advancement Team
Alumnae Career Advisors are here for one-on-one advising about career pivots, re-entry into the workforce, resume and cover letter reviews, interview practice, and more. You can schedule an appointment to meet with an Alumnae Career Advisor through Handshake using your Wellesley credentials.
Industry-Specific Advisors
Career Education's Industry-specific Advisors can provide industry expertise for alumnae exploring specific career paths, whether looking to break into a new field or advance in their industries with a competitive edge. Make an appointment on Handshake using your Wellesley credentials.
Resources
Our advisors have written a series of resources to jumpstart your research on a variety of career topics. Browse the links below, and schedule an appointment in Handshake to explore further!
Alumnae Webinars
Wellesley Career Education hosts professional development webinars to support alums at every career stage, often in partnership with alumnae who offer expertise on a specific topic. An archive of past webinars is housed below.
You can also watch a full playlist of our Alum Webinars on Youtube!
Alumnae Career Conversations
Wellesley Career Education regularly hosts career conversations with alums across a range of industries, who have generously offered to share their professional experiences with students and other alums. Recordings of many of these webinars are listed below.
Mentor Students & Connect with the Wellesley network!
The Wellesley Hive is a flexible, interactive virtual space for professional networking and mentorship. Through this Wellesley-exclusive platform, you can connect with alums and students as a mentor, mentee, or both. Log in to the Wellesley Hive using your Wellesley credentials, and follow the guided process to customize your involvement and improve your connections.
Alums and students are connected to The Wellesley Hive, Wellesley’s Mentorship Platform
Countries with members connected to The Wellesley Hive
Fellowships for Alumnae
Fellowships serve as an investment in individuals, for opportunities like:
• studying a language
• conducting academic research
• completing a service project
• pursuing graduate study
• designing and executing an independent project
As an alumna, you still have access to Wellesley Fellowship Program resources and advice from our team. Let us help you make the most of them!
Career Advancement
Career Advancement can mean different things to different people. For some, advancement means reaching a leadership position within a company or a field. For others, advancement means performing at a high level in a given role. Sometimes, advancement means switching careers entirely to learn a whole new domain, or focusing on giving back to a field or a community.
