SIPA: School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University

Career Resources and Services

Alumni Career Advisory Program (ACAP)
ACAP is our online directory of SIPA alumni who have volunteered to serve as career mentors to SIPA students and fellow alumni.  This directory is an excellent source of networking and informational interview contacts.  ACAP is incorporated into the SIPA Global Connection site.  To access and search on ACAP visit: http://www.alumniconnections.com/SIPA.

Career Events
The Office of Career Services organizes numerous career panels, workshops, and brown bags to help current students in their job search. Career panels and workshops are generally conducted by SIPA alumni and other professionals who volunteer their time and share in-depth knowledge of their career fields.

Each year, OCS sponsors two major events consisting of alumni career presentations, alumni receptions and informational interviews with professionals in Washington, DC and New York City.  These events provide excellent ways to explore career opportunities and network with alumni and employers in the DC and NYC areas.

Career Opportunities in Various Fields
Brief overviews of careers in a variety of fields.

Concentration Fact Sheets
These fact sheets include information on books, periodicals, websites, and other materials at OCS to assist you in your job or internship search.

Fact Sheets
Fact sheets include Resume Writing, Salary Surveys, Interview Preparation, Negotiations, Energy Consulting Firms, Think Tanks for SIPA Students, and many more!

Fellowships, State and Local Government Management Training, and Young Professional Programs
In this section you will find descriptions and web-links to many post-graduate fellowship and training programs:

• Fellowships/Programs in alphabetical order by name
• Fellowship/Programs by deadline date

Individual Career Counseling
Career counseling is available by appointment. Counselors’ services range from discussion of career planning issues and job-search strategies to conducting mock interviews. To make an appointment please contact us.

Internship Report Binders
The internship reports of your fellow students have been compiled by organization and are available in Room 420 for your review. Drop by to find out how students secured internships and their experiences in those internships.

Interviewstream
The Office of Career Services (OCS) would like to introduce to you a new service, Interviewstream, which allows you to conduct a self-directed mock interview. Once you have created an account online, you can conduct an interview from any web-accessible computer with a webcam. If you would like to have your mock interview critiqued by an OCS counselor, we are pleased to offer each student one appointment for this purpose. You can make the appointment by calling us at 212.854.4613 or by coming to the office. Click here to get started.

Mock Interviews
The Mock Interview Program prepares students for jobs and internships in the private, nonprofit, or public sectors. Mock interviews give you the opportunity to practice your interview skills. To schedule a mock interview, please contact us at 212-854-4613.

OCS Career News
You can access an electronic version of OCS's popular weekly publication containing information on events, fellowships, recruitment, and other essential information for your job search.

Professional Development Course
Professional Development is a one-credit course that is mandatory for all MIA and MPA students.  The class is offered in the fall semester only and should be taken in your first year at SIPA. The course is offered by the Office of Career Services (OCS) and teaches skills needed to compete effectively in the international and public affairs job markets. Topics such as resumes, cover letters, job search tactics, successful interviewing, networking, and salary negotiation are covered in the course.

Recruitment
There are many services that we provide to assist you in making contact with employers to enhance your career development. These include: internship and job postings, employer information sessions, and on– and off– campus interviews.

Resource Room
Located in Room 420, resources include fact sheets covering information on résumés, cover letters, interviewing and more, as well as 123 published references, resource guides, and periodicals relevant to the internship and job search in international and public affairs.

Resources for Career Changers
The process of moving from one employment field to another can often seem like a daunting task.  Considering the large percentage of SIPA students that fall into this category, OCS has made the following resources available for its students and alumni, which are intended to provide the necessary tools and information needed to make a successful transition from one employment field to another

.Resume and Cover Letter Critiques
OCS staff will review resume and cover letters by appointment. To make an appointment please contact us.

Résumé Supplements
Résumé supplements were created by OCS and may be sent out with your résumé and cover letter to potential employers to assist you in marketing your degree and concentration to relevant employers.

Sample Résumés and Cover Letters
Downloadable résumé formats and cover letters.

Vault Online Career Library
Vault is the world’s leading source of career information.  It will make your efforts at researching employers, industries, and career subjects infinitely easier and more efficient.

WetFeet Guides Overviews
OCS has prepared online summaries of various industries and company descriptions from the WetFeet Guides, which are available in the OCS Resource Room.

Web Links
Links to job listserves and helpful career Web sites broken down by sector and functional area.

If you have any questions regarding this site, please send your inquiry to: sipa_ocs@columbia.edu.