Contact Us

202-885-1804

Fax: 202-885-1861

careercenter@american.edu

Monday-Friday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Contact:
Fernando, Gihan S
Executive Director

Butler Pavilion, Room 5th Floor

Career Center 4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington, DC 20016-8033-8011 United States

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Career Center Statement on Combating Racism

Operating Updates

The Career Center is here for you at this uncertain time. All of our services are now available online. See below for AU Forward: The Plan for Fall 2020 FAQs. 

Questions? Contact us at careercenter@american.edu. Our hours are 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Eastern.

Visit AU’s COVID-19 Resources page for the latest information.

Your COVID-19 Career Planning “To Do” List

Learn how to focus your job search below and visit our Virtual Career Planning during COVID-19 page to for the latest advice and resources to help you adapt your efforts for a virtual job search.

Treat job searching as a full-time job. Find a quiet place or time where you can focus on your work with limited interruptions. Develop a routine or schedule based around your most productive time of day. Break down your job search into smaller manageable tasks to reduce your stress and increase your productivity. Keep track of your work and make plans to contact/follow up with people in your network.

You can still work on your “Plan A”, but you should also develop back-up plans (yes, more than one). These plans may not represent your ideal career goals, but they can help develop your skills and eventually find your path back to Plan A. If the organizations or sectors you are interested in are not hiring right now, explore the industries that are.

There are jobs and internships out there, and we are here to help you find and apply to them! Schedule an appointment with a career advisor, stop by express appointments, or attend a virtual drop-in with a Peer Advisor. We are eager to bring you personalized career advice and coaching.

As you search for an internship or job, explore other ways to build your skills and experiences. Consider micro internships and the gig economy. Pursue service learning or volunteer opportunities. Take summer classes at AU. Find free online courses. Use AU’s free resources to develop your tech skills.

Learn best practices for virtual interviewing and working remotely, while building your foundational job search skills. Knowing how to network, find jobs, brand yourself, tailor resumes and cover letters, and interview is essential for conducting a successful job search at any time.  

In-person networking may be on hold, but you can use virtual platforms to build authentic relationships with working professionals and AU alumni. Identify people who have jobs you want or who work at organizations you are interested in. Contact them to request virtual informational interviews.

Connect with hiring organizations that are actively recruiting AU students through our online Upcoming Events calendar (see below). Attend virtual fairs and information sessions to connect with representatives and demonstrate your interest in their organizations.

Read our Monday Recruiting Newsletter. Regularly check our Virtual Career Planning during COVID-19 page and search Handshake for updates. And follow @AUCareerCenter on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Upcoming Events

All Employer-in-Residence (EiR)events are virtual. If an EiR is full or if you cannot attend the virtual date, still click 'Apply' in Handshake and a copy of your resume will be sent to the employer.

We are scheduling our Fall EiR events. Check back regularly! 

Military Recruiting on the AU Campus

Career Guides by Major

Not sure what your career path might be, or how your major can help you get there? Use our career guides to explore the skills you'll develop through your coursework, how you can apply them in a variety of fields, and where to learn more about industries related to your major.

Explore Career Guides

Alumnifire

Connect with AU alumni for help with everything from general career advice to job opportunities. Sign up with your LinkedIn or Facebook account.

Join Alumnifire

Career Center Library

The Career Resource Library contains more than 400 books and 17 periodicals. Come browse our collection and check materials out for up to four weeks. Enjoy free coffee and tea and a quiet place to work. Receive immediate support from trained peer advisors.

student and mentor

Achievements

Diversity in Diplomacy

Highly competitive fellowships honor outstanding young people bound for foreign service careers, reward excellence, and encourage underrepresented groups.

Full Story

Alumni

Job Searching During COVID-19: Britt Jacovich

1:47

Britt Jacovich, 2020 SPA/SOC recent graduate and alumni of the Career Center's Peer Advisor program was hired as a press assistant for Allied Progress in DC, where she'll start after graduation. Britt shares some insight on her job search, how the AU Career Center has helped her along the way, and tips on how to stay proactive in your own hunt to find a job!

Alumni

Ugoeze's Story: World Bank

0:59

Learn how SIS alumna Ugoeze Achilike (SIS/BA '17) landed a full-time, paid position at the World Bank Visitor Center after getting her foot in the door as a volunteer.

Watch More Success Stories

Alumni

What Students Have to Say: Dira Hanifah

0:59

Alum and former international student Dira (CAS/BA '18) talks about meeting with Career Center advisor Marie for mock interviewing, and about recognizing and talking about your skills.

AU Forward: The Plan for Fall 2020 - Career FAQs

Will I be able to meet with career advisor to learn about my career options?

Yes, you can! The Career Center transitioned all its services, including career advising appointments, education programs, and recruiting events, to online platforms in March 2020. Check the Operating Updates above for the latest information. 

Will I be able to find a part-time job on or off-campus?

There are jobs out there and we are here to help you find and apply to them. Explore AU’s Student Jobs website, paying particular attention to the FAQs to identify which legal documents you will need to present at the time of hire. On-campus positions are posted on the AU Human Resources Student Jobs page. Many fall on-campus opportunities will be posted later in the summer, so check this site periodically through the summer.

You can schedule an appointment with a career advisor to craft your application materials. All incoming first-year students will be given access to Handshake, our career management platform, in mid-July. You can use Handshake to schedule career advising appointments and look for off-campus professional opportunities.

What will internships look like – will they be available?

Many employers have shifted internships to an online format or have hybrid models that have remote and in-person capability. Some employers are being creative and are offering different models of experience-building such as micro-internships, short-term experiences that allow you to work on a focused project or one or two. Handshake internship listings are a great place to start your search, and check in with a career advisor if you’d like more guidance.  

Has the process for registering an internship credit changed?

The process for receiving approval for internship credit has not changed. A student should contact their academic advisor to learn the specific process for their school. If a student has been offered an internship and would like to receive academic credit they should have their academic advisor review the internship job description to see if credit is an option. Their advisor will work with them on completing the necessary information on the Internship Registration Form.   

Will I be able to develop professional contacts?

Employers and alumni are eager to connect with AU students to provide career-related information, advice, and opportunities. From this summer on, you will have multiple opportunities to develop your professional network at AU. Virtual one-on-one consultations, panels, networking events, alumni conversations, and job fairs will provide lots of opportunities to make connections. If you haven’t already, make sure to sign up for Alumnifire, a networking platform that allows AU students and alumni to connect easily. Speak with a career advisor about developing your LinkedIn profile and take advantage of that powerful platform to full effect. 

Will merit awards (national scholarships) continue, and can I apply for them?

Yes. Nationally competitive scholarship programs will continue to make awards in the coming academic year. Those that fund study abroad or cohort-based programming may adjust their dates or convert their programming into an online format if the pandemic continues to affect travel. The Office of Merit Awards will continue to raise awareness of scholarship opportunities through information sessions, workshops, and one-on-one advising. Group sessions and individual advising will be offered virtually until we are able to resume in-person services. Most awards require you to be at least a second-year college student at time of application.