Career Services & Programs

Individual In-Person/ Virtual Career Coaching

The Career Design Lab offers career coaching appointments to current students and alumni. 

 

Current Degree-Program Students

One-on-one appointments are available by appointment through the CDL coaches' appointment calendars. Coaches are assigned to specific degree programs and will provide one-on-one sessions where you will explore areas listed in the table below.  Current students can also meet with a career coach in a 15-minute drop-in session for quick questions and reviews.

To make an appointment, please access the Career Design Course on your CourseWorks/Canvas and select "Make An Appointment" on the left navigation bar. 

Current Non-Degree Students

Current non-degree students can meet with a career coach in 15-minute drop-in sessions for quick questions three times per semester. Use the links above to access the drop-in appointments.

Alumni

For information on our complete alumni services, please visit the SPS Alumni Services page. If you are unable to access the appropriate Career Design Lab course through your CourseWorks/Canvas to make an appointment, please contact the Career Design Lab office CareerDesignLab [[at]] columbia [[dot]] edu. Be sure to let us know which degree program you graduated from.

Please note: University holidays and Career Fairs may impact CDL hours, view our website for closures near these days.

Schedule An Appointment With A Career Coach

To make an appointment, please use the SPS Appointment System. You can access the appointment system through the Career Design Course and select "Make An Appointment" on the left navigation bar.

To learn more about our career coaches, visit our Career Coaches page.  

Career Coaching Sessions
Area of Focus What You'll Do
Career Assessment & Career Exploration
  • Build personal self-awareness of your unique talents and career aspirations to help you make decisions and create goals as they relate to career exploration. 
  • Identify and offer appropriate career assessment strategy to help you identify priorities   
  • Learn about our premium subscription resources such as CandidCareer.com for career videos, GoinGlobal for international careers and Vault guide for various careers, industries, and company profiles
Job Applications, Interview & Career Portfolios
  • Build strong job application materials (e.g. resumes, cover letters, job inquiry letters, personal statements) 
  • Learn about recruitment timelines, how to navigate job platforms, practice interviews using BigInterview, and networking conversations
  • Manage various online career portfolios (e.g. personal blog, personal website, LinkedIn)
Professional Network & Personal Branding
  • Engage in employer site visits, industry showcases and career fairs as well as other employer and alumni events
  • Grow and maintain your network with alumni and other professionals through professional development programs.
Experiential Learning
  • Create your personalized internship or job search strategy and build confidence through developing your unique value proposition and build confidence in your brand.
  • Network and connect with experts in diverse industries to gain insight about internship, mentorship and job opportunities through our vibrant programming  with employers partners. 

Recruitment & Networking Events