Students are encouraged to begin working with us in their first year of study and throughout their Brown career. We begin by helping students clarify their interests, passions, and goals. We then connect them with a variety of programs and events that allow students to interact with alumni, employers, and experienced peers. By allowing us to be a part of their learning process, students are more likely to hear about, and apply for, opportunities that align with their own abilities and objectives. Whether your student has decided on a career path or is still unsure, he or she can benefit from connecting with the Center now.

To encourage your student to take the right steps and stay on track for a successful journey from college to career, get to know the process. Many students have difficulty in selecting a major and/or career. Others need help getting prepared for the job search. Urge your student to visit the Center for help. 

Brown graduates succeed in the job market regardless of concentration. Why? In a rapidly changing employment environment, employers are most interested in applicants who can adjust to rapid developments in a given industry. While a particular knowledge base may be desirable, the essential elements for successful performance are intelligence, motivation, and a flexible skill set. For most employment fields, these characteristics carry more weight than a job applicant’s concentration choice. Students are therefore best served by pursuing concentrations that are most congruent with their abilities and interests.

Increasingly, students are completing multiple internships, with an early placement serving as the foundation for a later more substantive or prestigious position. Moreover, early involvement with internships helps students figure out what kind of work they want to do in the future, and ultimately to achieve their career goals. We can help students develop a plan for seeking internships that suits their individual needs.

Search strategies vary by field of interest. Students interested in finance, banking, and consulting often secure positions at on-campus recruiting fairs. But the majority of Brown students secure employment through other means. This is why it is so important to meet with a career advisor: most students need to develop their own customized job or internship search plan. Working with our career advisors can reduce the stress associated with such searches, and is most likely to lead to a successful outcome.

Upon graduation, approximately two-thirds of Brown alumni go directly into employment while just under one-third immediately go to graduate school, professional school, or post-graduate fellowships. The careers that Brown graduates pursue are as varied as their interests and talents, ranging from healthcare and law to education, finance, nonprofits, technology, and consulting.

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Some of the best-known companies and organizations recruit at Brown. These “top employers” hire a number of Brown graduates each year. The majority of graduating seniors go on to work for a broad range of large and small organizations. We encourage students to find an employment situation that will be the best fit regardless of the prominence of the employer.

This is very much an individual decision. Many students choose to enter a professional degree program (medical, law, business) in the fall after graduation. Just as often, students will delay further study for a year or two to pursue a passion that may or may not be related to their graduate study plans. Still others find that they need to acquire additional skills, or want to strengthen their credentials to secure admission at the schools of their choice. Our career advisors can help students prepare a plan for further study that fits their own goals and aspirations. In addition, students interested in law school, business school, or health careers can meet with an advisor for these fields.

In a word, no. There are good jobs to be had in any economy. Our students often forget how desirable they are to employers, how much their Brown education is valued by the outside world, and how competitive they are. While high unemployment can be daunting, students who seriously engage with the job-search process should expect a positive outcome. Retreating to graduate school to wait out the storm is both unnecessary and costly.