Overview
Career Development Is a Journey
A Princeton education will prepare you for success in whatever career path you choose. Our goal is to nurture the talents of each generation of Princeton students, empowering graduates who will flourish and change the world for the better.
Throughout your time at Princeton, you will have access to numerous resources to help you design your visions for meaningful career paths and prepare for the future. Ideas for paths you may wish to pursue will come from many sources, and you are encouraged to develop your thoughts by talking with people on campus who are here to help you.
Center for Career Development
Career development begins long before the job search process. As early as their first days on campus, the Center for Career Development assists undergraduate and graduate students to explore and prepare for careers that resonate with their skills, strengths, interests and values.
One-on-one Advising
Career advisers can help you talk through your questions, figure out what interests you and start putting together a personalized plan. All students are encouraged to meet with a career adviser. Common topics include: self-assessment; choice of major and career field; exploration of career-related interests; pursuit of internships and employment; and application to professional and graduate school.
Programs and Employer Events
The Center for Career Development offers workshops to help you explore career fields, begin to develop a professional network and build skills. Students can also attend information sessions, employer-led education programs, career fairs and interviews for internships and full-time positions from organizations interested in recruiting Princeton students.
Build Experience
The Center for Career Development can help you identify and pursue opportunities to gain hands-on experience, such as:
- The Princeternship Program, which offers students the chance to explore career fields and make connections with alumni and employers without the commitment of an internship or job.
- Summer Social Impact Internship (SSII) Fund, an opportunity for students who have committed to an unpaid summer internship with a nonprofit or government organization to receive financial support.
- Learning and Education in the Nation's Service (LENS), which ensures that every Princeton undergraduate student has the opportunity to secure a meaningful summer service or social impact internship before graduation.
Peer Career Advisers
Undergraduates can get input on career ideas and planning from Peer Career Advisers, fellow students trained by the Center for Career Development.
Entrepreneurship
The University supports initiatives in entrepreneurship in a variety of ways, from academic courses to the Keller Center's startup incubator — the Entrepreneurial Hub — in downtown Princeton. Students also can shape their innovative ideas in the eLab, a summer accelerator program that culminates in a Demo Day competition. The Hub also provides team space for the Tiger Challenge, a co-curricular program that applies design thinking as a way to solve complex societal problems.
The Princeton Start-Up Immersion Program is an immersive 10-week summer experience for students interested in gaining firsthand knowledge of early-state startups.
Health Professions Advising
The Office of Health Professions Advising helps students pursue graduate studies at medical, dental and veterinary school.
Program in Teacher Preparation
Through the Program in Teacher Preparation ("Teacher Prep"), students can earn New Jersey state subject area licensure to teach at the middle and/or secondary school levels in several subject areas. Teacher Prep alumni are classroom teachers and school administrators, and also work in education policy.
International Opportunities
Princeton's International Internship Program offers more than 400 internship opportunities in roughly 60 countries. Summer placements are arranged especially for Princeton undergraduates at nongovernmental organizations, private companies and public interest companies. The Center for Career Development also provides resources for students to identify international internships.
Graduate Students
The Graduate School provides programming relevant to all fields and inclusive of academic, administrative and industry careers. Professional development programs help graduate students weigh career options. More broadly, the University provides a range of resources such as writing support, teacher training and access to academic and professional workshops that graduate students are encouraged to explore.
Postgraduate Fellowships
Princeton students and alumni can deepen their academic and career interests through a range of postgraduate fellowships. Some fellowships are offered through Princeton; others are national or international. Some placements that offer immersive work experiences, foster cultural understanding and build community, are:
Princeton AlumniCorps
Princeton AlumniCorps is an alumni-led nonprofit organization that fosters civic engagement among Princeton alumni, with a call to "engage at every age."