Susan L. Wagner ’82 Career Advising Program
The Susan L. Wagner ’82 Career Advising Program
What do you want to be when you graduate? Rest assured that most Wellesley students are unsure about their career paths and even those that feel certain often do — and should! — change their course. When beginning your career journey, it can be tempting to imagine that it will be one straight line. However, as countless alums will tell you, that’s not the way it works — and that’s a good thing! As the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports, the average worker will have 12-15 jobs in 5-7 different career fields in her lifetime.
Career Exploration
Regardless of what year you are at Wellesley, we are here to help you explore potential career paths. Every student is matched with an Advisor for Career Exploration (ACE), who is available for conversations about your values, strengths, and interests. Your ACE will provide the mentorship, tools, connections, and space for self-assessment and reflection to identify the paths you want to pursue. Schedule an appointment in Handshake to meet with your ACE as follows:
- First Years & Juniors: Marisa Crowley, ACE for the Class of 2026 & 2028
- Sophomores & Seniors: Ariane Baker, ACE for the Classes of 2025 & 2027
Career Advising for Specific Industries and Fields
You may already have some inclination about what industry or field you might like to work within. You also may still be quite uncertain — and that is both normal and completely okay! You don’t need to know exactly what you want to do to meet with a specialized Career Advisor — simply having curiosity about a field or industry is a great place to begin.
To meet with an industry/field specific Career Advisor, make an appointment in Handshake by selecting “Career, Internship, and Graduate School by Industry/Field.“ If you aren’t sure which Advisor covers your field of interest, email careereducation@wellesley.edu and we’ll point you in the right direction! The categories are broadly encompassing, so no matter what your career interests are, there is an Advisor who can work with you to explore the fields you are considering.
Sign up for Industry newsletters by filling out your Career Interest profile in Handshake. You’ll receive advice specifically related to the industries of your interest, along with highlighted events, resources, jobs, internships, and fellowship opportunities in your field of interest. Subscribing to multiple newsletters is a great way to explore career options!
Career Essentials: Resumes, Cover Letters, Interviews, & More!
Through the Career Essentials workshop series, you will develop skills and the foundational knowledge necessary to navigate career development. Learn about resumes, cover letters, interviewing, informational interviewing, negotiation, and personal statements.
Recruiting Timelines for Specific Industries and Fields
Many industries have different recruiting schedules—learn about timelines and career paths, and explore your interests with the help of our industry/field specific Career Advisors, and through the drop-downs below!
Career Advisors
Embark: First Year Career Retreat
Embark — a retreat for all interested first-year students — is a free weekend-long immersive program designed to equip you with a toolkit to begin your career exploration. Join us to connect with Career Education, discover how to identify and utilize your values and strengths through our assessments and activities, hear career stories from your Wellesley sibs, and learn about the variety of opportunities that are available to you as a Wellesley student, like funded internships, study abroad, and research.
Peer Career Mentors
Explore Employment Around the World with GoinGlobal
GoinGlobal is the leading provider of both country-specific and USA city-specific career and employment information. Our unlimited access subscription database features 38 Country Career Guides, 53 City Career Guides for the United States and Canada, corporate profiles and more than 16 million internship and job listings within the USA and around the world.
Schwarzman Scholars - direct application deadline for passport holders from mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, & Taiwan
Eligible: graduating seniors and recent alumnae from any country in any field, under the age of 29. This application deadline is for holders of passports from mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macau. Everyone else should apply by the September deadline.
The Schwarzman Scholars Program supports leadership development & a special one-year Master’s program at Tsinghua University in Beijing. The 200 scholars chosen annually for this highly selective program will work towards a Master’s Degree at Tsinghua University in Beijing—one of China’s most prestigious universities. As individuals who want to have a positive impact on the world, the Stephen A. Schwarzman Scholars will be selected based on their academic credentials, extracurricular interests and leadership potential.
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On-Campus Recruiting Program Policies (Students)
Career Education expects all students to abide by the following rules in order to maintain the success and integrity of Wellesley’s recruiting program.
Fulbright Program (rising seniors & graduates)
Supports a year (or occasionally more) of study or research abroad in any discipline, or year-long English teaching assistantships (ETAs) abroad in programs designed by the host countries. Eligible are graduating seniors and graduates who are US citizens. Campus application deadline for Wellesley students and graduates typically in August, after an optional draft deadline in July.
Wellesley College Graduate Fellowships (WCGF—seniors & graduates)
Wellesley College offers a number of fellowships and scholarships for graduate study or research open to Wellesley seniors and graduates. Two awards are open to women graduates of any American institution (the Schimke and the Shackford). Awards are usually made to applicants currently enrolled in or applying to graduate/professional school for the following academic year; there is a single common application process for most of these awards, and the campus deadline is typically in January.
Navigating the Job Search: The 4 Step Model
The four steps in this resource will help keep you focused and productive in your search. You should plan on revisiting each step as your knowledge and understanding of positions and industries grow. Each step below is outlined without a specific industry or position in mind. It is best to schedule an appointment with your Advisor for Career Exploration (ACE) or an Industry-specific Career Advisor to customize your process. The questions we have provided at each step are designed to help you reflect on your preparedness and identify what you may need to move forward in the process.
Elisabeth Luce Moore '24 Fellowship at the National Palace Museum in Taipei (seniors & graduates)
This one-year, full-time position is available to Wellesley College graduates, thanks to a long-standing arrangement between the college and the National Palace Museum. Each fellow’s responsibilities and job description will be determined, to some extent, according to the Museum’s current staffing requirements as well as the fellow’s personal background, interests and skills.