Fall career recruitment can be a stressful time for Northwestern students. Between classes, daily information sessions, networking events and interviews, it’s difficult to do it on your own. Luckily, my professors, advisors, and career counselors have supported me through it all.  

While Northwestern assigns each student an academic advisor, I’ve loved the extra support from my program. Many departments, like economics, provide students with industry-specific newsletters and other resources to help them succeed in their job search.

Northwestern’s Career Advancement office (or NCA for short) also focuses on helping students start their professional journeys. NCA is one of the most organized and valuable organizations on campus and they have the best staff I could have asked for. They offer everything from resume reviews to extensive interview prep and are committed to our success as students. They even set up several mock interviews for me with Northwestern alumni, which allowed me to prepare for the real thing during recruitment.

However, NCA isn’t only available during recruitment season. They offer diverse programming throughout the year and work to tailor to students’ needs and interests. From medical and law school information sessions to presentations on the basics of investment banking recruitment, NCA helps us pursue any and all passions.

NCA also offers Career Treks that bring students to locations across the U.S. There, they take a deep dive into the industry while visiting offices, participating in special programming, and networking with world-class professionals. Past treks have included the Marketing Trek in New York, the Government Trek in Washington, DC and the Startup Trek in San Francisco. The experience allows students from all Northwestern schools to learn about their preferred industry and to interact with Northwestern alumni in the field. They’re also a great opportunity to meet other students with similar interests and goals. I had the opportunity to participate in the DC trek where we visited the White House, congress and many of the institutions that define public policy in the country. It was an amazing opportunity and a definite highlight of my Northwestern experience.

Lastly, NCA brings hundreds of employers to campus during our quarterly career fairs. The fairs bring students face-to-face with representatives from some of the best companies in the world. They’re a great way to learn about open positions, ask questions, and make yourself stand out during application processes. Many companies even hold interviews on campus right after the career fairs, making it easier for students to balance their academic workload with the recruitment process.

I’m lucky I’ve been able to rely on NCA throughout my job search. Without their support and that of my broader Northwestern community, I would have had a much harder time navigating it all. And I can’t thank them, my professors, and my friends enough for helping me get to where I am now.