For Students

Whether you're planning on applying for graduate school or a job, The Career Learning Lab staff provides personalized support to help students and alumni explore their next steps. 
Find out more about career options, develop job or internship search plans, and address career-related concerns. 

Graduate and professional schools often vary in terms of academics, faculty, students, location, costs, and admission processes. Finding the right program is very important. Our staff will help you sort through various information and assist you with each step of the application process, which includes helping you with GRE, GMAT, and MAT preparation. Students interested in law school will be referred to the Pre-Law Institute and students interested in medical school will be referred to the Department of Sciences.
Drop-In sessions timings can be viewed here.

The Academic Internship Program provides students the opportunity to participate in meaningful experiences that connect their educational foundation in the field with real-world responsibilities. At the Career Learning Lab, we help students with that process. 

Student Learning Outcomes:
By the completion of this program students will be able to:

1. Identify future career aspirations and goal
2. Recognize professional strengths and areas for improvement
3. Articulate how specific college courses and learned concepts relate to the internship experience
4. Communicate how career-related information gained from the internship experience changed or confirmed future academic and career plans
5. Associate how knowledge gained from the internship experience will be used in other areas of life (social, jobs, classes, community service)

Student Responsibility:

1. To search for and secure an appropriate internship experience
2. To maintain good attendance at internships and to notify their supervisor of absences
3. To set learning goals acceptable to their organization and the college
4. To show progress in learning appropriate specialized work skills
5. To accurately document all internship site hours in their John Jay Careers Online account
6. To complete all assigned paperwork for the Academic Internship Program

Our Responsibility:

1. To assist students in selecting appropriate internships
2. To assist students in preparing for the internship search process
3. To consult with employer supervisors, in the event of a problem, at the internship site
4. To maintain accurate records of internship sites, student documents, and course registrations

For more information on the Academic Internship Program or how to apply, email: internships@jjay.cuny.edu.

If networking is the most important tool to a successful job search or career advancement, your resume is your professional calling card.  It is a critical tool to ensuring that your application is pulled to the top of the candidate pool.  We encourage all students to develop a resume as soon as they arrive at John Jay College, and you should always attach a cover letter to that resume.  To that end, our staff is always available through drop-in sessions to review, edit, and suggest revisions to your resume or cover letters. Drop-In sessions timings can be viewed here.

The Career Learning Lab offers a regular workshops on basic career skills to assist students and alumni in finding success. These workshops cover a range of topics including basic resume and cover-letter writing, interview skills, professional networking, job and internship searching, and dressing for success.  To view our calendar, log on to Handshake where you can view and RSVP for as many workshops as you’d like to attend!

Employer Information Sessions - The Career Learning Lab maintains connections with over 4400 employers ranging from federal, state, and local agencies to community-based nonprofits to large, private corporations. Many times, throughout the semester, these employers will come to campus and speak with groups of students about their organization, the recruitment requirements, and advancement opportunities. These information sessions are a wonderful opportunity for you to find out more about the various employers that regularly hire John Jay graduates!

Career Panels - Throughout the fall and spring academic terms, the Career Learning Lab will hold special events devoted to your career exploration featuring alumni and employers who will speak about the issues, needs, and requirements relevant to their industries. Whether you are still thinking about what jobs you’re interested in or are certain of your next step, these events will provide the information and opportunity to network that will be critical to your success! These events are listed on our calendar on Handshake. 

The Career Learning Lab at John Jay College hosts CareerCon twice a year (Fall and Spring Semesters), a three-day event designed to help students identify internships and full-time job opportunities that align with their academic and career goals. Students connect with employers from various sectors (government, non-profit, private) and industries (consulting, education, finance, healthcare, media, tech, etc.). The event features panels, information sessions, tabling, and “speed-dating” style workshops, where students can gain insights on the skills, academic qualifications, and certifications needed to succeed in today’s job market.

A fellowship is a great way to deepen your understanding of how theory relates to practice while gaining a strong supportive network. They are highly selective specialized programs that support small cohorts of students and introduce them to rigorous academic and practical challenges. A fellowship can be a steppingstone into a career since student fellows are exposed to many networking opportunities and are sought by recruiting employers. These are usually paid opportunities that can range from a one- to three-year commitment. They also often have a course or credit associated with the program.

• You can also receive notifications and updates of available fellowships by subscribing to the fellowship's lists.

On-campus leadership experiences are a great way to demonstrate to future employers your ability to take on and be trusted with high-level responsibilities. With most roles, you will develop a range of important skills such as time management, public speaking, team management, and event planning. They are great for busy students because of the work schedule flexibility and the networking opportunities that come with working on campus.

Here are a few to get started in your search:

• Peer Success Coach
• Sophomore Peer Leader
• Peer Academic Advisor
• Student Council/Government
• Student Organization/Club Executive Board membership
• Federal Work Study