SIPA: School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for Employers

How do I post a job or internship with SIPA?

The Office of Career Services (OCS) would be delighted to assist you in posting domestic or international internships, part-time, work-study, and full-time positions on MonsterTRAK, our online job posting system for SIPA students and alumni. This service is provided free of charge to employers. Students may send applications directly to you. If interested, please contact us at 212-854-4613 or sipa_ocs@columbia.edu.

How do I receive résumés if I have posted a position on the SIPA online job posting system?

If you have posted a position through SIPA's online job posting system, students and alumni will forward their application information on an ongoing basis to the mail or e-mail address that is indicated in the posting.

What is a résumé collection?

In some instances we will offer employers the option of conducting a résumé collection. In this case, we will post your position announcement for current SIPA students only on our online recruiting system, SIPATRAK. Students will submit their applications to our system, which stores the submissions until your deadline. Upon this deadline, which is decided upon by the employer, applications will be sent to you via e-mail in one batch. You will be able to view the résumés online at any time during the process with a username and password that OCS will provide to you.

How do I arrange to conduct on-campus interviews?

On-campus interviews are the most convenient way for employers to interview several SIPA students. OCS will be pleased to arrange interview rooms, assist you with interview scheduling, and provide recruiters with lunch at the Columbia University Faculty House dining room, all at no cost to you. If you are interested in on-campus interviews, please contact Patricia Macken, Director of Employer Relations, at 212-854-4654 or pmm1@columbia.edu.

How do I promote my company or organization to SIPA students if I do not have immediate hiring needs?

You are welcome to visit SIPA even if you don't have immediate hiring needs. We are happy to arrange an information session in which you may speak about your organization and typical hiring needs. Information sessions provide valuable promotional visibility for your organization and the opportunity to meet talented SIPA students and learn about SIPA and its programs. Organizations may send a senior executive, human resources representative, or SIPA alumna/us to present an on-campus information session. We encourage presenters to talk about their company history, culture, and organization and describe typical graduate-level career paths and opportunities. If you are interested in an employer information session, contact Patricia Macken, Director of Employer Relations, at 212-854-4654 or pmm1@columbia.edu.

What do SIPA graduates have to offer my company or organization?

SIPA has been preparing professionals to work in private, public, and nonprofit organizations since 1947. Whether as a full-time employee or intern, SIPA students will offer your organization a unique combination of global awareness, academic training, and analytical skills.

SIPA students are enrolled in one of the traditional two-year Master of International Affairs (MIA) and Master of Public Affairs (MPA) programs, in the Executive MPA Program at the Picker Center for Executive Education, in the innovative accelerated MPA programs in Economic Policy Management and Environmental Science and Policy, or in dual-degree programs with international schools, including the London School of Economics and Political Science and the Institut d’ Études Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po).

SIPA students have studied economics, statistics, history, political science, policy analysis, and management with a strong emphasis on practical training. Students advance their individual interests by specializing in functional or regional concentrations. Classroom experience is reinforced by summer and semester-long internships.

SIPA students are a select, sophisticated, and ambitious group. Their average age is 27 and more than 40 percent of the total are international students. They represent over 100 countries and a variety of professional backgrounds; and have an average of 3–5 years of work experience with employers in government, multilateral, nonprofit, media, financial, and consulting organizations. In the MIA Program, every student is proficient in at least one foreign language, and many are multilingual.

Well over 2,000 companies and organizations recruit at SIPA every year, including: Associated Press, Catholic Relief Services, Central Intelligence Agency, Chemonics International Inc., Deloitte Consulting, Human Rights Watch, Moody's Investors Service, UBS Financial Services, U.S. Department of State, U.S. Government Accountability Office, the World Bank, and many others.

To learn more about SIPA programs, please review SIPA Academics at http://www.sipa.columbia.edu/academics/index.html. For further information about the many employers who have benefited from hiring SIPA students, please see our Employment Statistics.

How do I hire an international student?

International students offer a wide range of skills and abilities, including multiple languages and cross-cultural skills, maturity, flexibility, proven ability to adapt to new situations, and knowledge of work practices in another country.

International students generally hold F-1 (student) visas while studying in the United States. The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) permits students to undertake internships during their studies and full-time employment for a specific period of time after graduation for practical training. The INS defines practical training as paid employment related to the student's field of study.

If you have questions about hiring international students, please consult your human resources department or refer to the Columbia University International Students and Scholars office at http://www.columbia.edu/cu/isso.

Is it possible to hire an unpaid intern?

Students are eager to obtain career-related experience, and although pay is helpful, some of them will consider unpaid opportunities. If you wish to post an unpaid internship, please contact us at 212-854-4613 or sipa_ocs@columbia.edu.

Also, if you are a nonprofit (501(c)(3)) organization or city agency, you may be eligible to participate in the Federal Work-Study Program. The program provides funding for citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. who have been awarded financial aid funding. If you are interested in participating in the program, please contact us at 212-854-4613 or sipa_ocs@columbia.edu with “Federal Work-Study Program" in the subject line.

Can my organization participate in career events?

OCS sponsors two major career events every year. Our annual career conference take place in Washington D.C. in January, and our NY Career Series in New York City in March. They consist of career presentations, a reception and informational interviews with professionals. Employers are welcome to share their career knowledge and promote their organizations through participation in a career panels or attendance at a student-alumni-employer reception. These conferences provide opportunities for you to meet bright and talented SIPA students and share knowledge of your career field, which is valuable to our student body. If you are interested in participating, please e-mail sipa_ocs@columbia.edu with "Career Conferences" in the subject line.

How do I hire a student for an overseas summer internship?

Many students from SIPA intern overseas during the summer for NGOs, businesses, and international organizations. If your organization has staffing needs in an overseas office, we will be happy to advertise these openings to our students. The Office of Career Services provides a small stipend to help students with their travel costs. However, any stipend, living allowances, or housing assistance that an organization can provide are very helpful and greatly appreciated. To post an overseas internship, please contact us at 212-854-4613 or sipa_ocs@columbia.edu.

How do I get to SIPA?

SIPA, located on Manhattan's west side, is easily accessible by public transportation or car. For details, visit http://www.sipa.columbia.edu/about_sipa/visitor_info.html.