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The goal of the Career Development Office is to help students use their experience to clarify where they can be employed to apply their diverse interests and skills. Rather than asking what job title they want in life, we ask kinds of positions will allow them to do what they do well. A staff of professional career counselors meets with students individually because each of their stories demands our full attention.

We ask that each student identify and articulate the skills they want to use daily, the issues about which they are passionate, the type of people they wish to work with and serve, and, finally, the environmental factors that give them energy. Together, these four things provide us with a clear picture of what a student is seeking. Our next step is to identify a variety of paid positions like the one envision by the student.

The components we use to help students clarify personal values, experience careers, and then make and implement decisions are varied. The CDO coordinates a credit-bearing internship program, three to seven day externships with alumni, an alumni referral network with over 10,000 members, a variety of summer internship grant programs, and experiential career exploration programs. We also offer on-campus mock interviews, graduate school planning, resume referrals, credential files, and on-line computer services, a full range of workshops. Seniors are invited to participate in prearranged interview opportunities through recruiting events in New York City, Chicago, Boston, Washington D.C. , Philadelphia, and Grinnell.

The CDO is also available to assist all Grinnell College graduates throughout their lifetime of career changes and professional growth. We provide guidance to alumni as they consider graduate or professional school programs, career opportunities, and other options. Alumni often return to campus to talk with current students about how they made their decisions, what they have done since leaving Grinnell College, and offer career advice in their area(s) of expertise.