Northwestern University Career Toolkit

NCA is Northwestern’s centralized career office, but several schools have their own dedicated career teams with deeper industry connections — McCormick (Engineering Career Development), Medill (Medill Career Services), and the School of Communication (EPICS). Always use both your school-specific office and NCA for maximum reach.

• Book a Career Advising Appointment

  Schedule in-person, virtual, or phone appointments via Handshake: Career Center → Appointments. Covers career exploration, job search strategy, networking, resume and cover letter review, interview prep, and offer negotiation. Walk-in hours are available daily 12pm–2pm during the academic year (in-person Tuesday/Thursday at 620 Lincoln Street; Live Chat Monday/Wednesday/Friday). Walk-in sessions are 15–20 minutes — book a full appointment for longer questions.

• Engineering Career Development (McCormick Students)

  Dedicated career office for McCormick School of Engineering students. Deep employer connections in engineering, computer science, manufacturing, and design. Runs its own career fairs and on-campus recruiting events alongside NCA. McCormick students should use this office alongside NCA — the employer relationships are distinct.

• Medill Career Services (Journalism & IMC Students)

  Dedicated career team for Medill students in journalism, media, and integrated marketing communications. Covers portfolio development, media industry recruiting, news organization placements, and agency and communications firm recruiting.

• EPICS — School of Communication Career Services

  External Programs, Internships & Career Services for School of Communication undergraduates and graduates. Covers radio, television, film, communication studies, dance, human communication sciences, performance studies, and theatre. Provides personalized coaching, alumni networking, and community-specific career programming.

• Health Professions Advising (HPA)

  Northwestern Health Professions Advising supports students pursuing MD, DO, PA, DDS, and other health professions programs. Provides academic planning guidance, clinical experience strategy, and application support. Access via NCA — HPA has a dedicated website linked from the NCA career guidance pages.

Handshake is NCA’s primary platform for all job and internship opportunities, career fair registration, employer event sign-ups, and advising appointments. Log in via Northwestern NetID.

• Handshake @ Northwestern — Tips for Using It Effectively

  Access Handshake via Northwestern NetID. Complete your profile with Career Interests to receive personalized postings. Use the Events tab to find employer information sessions and career fairs — attending a company’s info session before applying to their jobs is one of the most effective ways to stand out. The Appointments tab is how you schedule advising sessions.

• Internship Credit Programs

  Several programs at Northwestern allow students to earn academic credit or transcript recognition for internship experiences. The full list is available on the NCA Resources page under ‘programs for students to receive credit.’ Policies differ by school — confirm credit eligibility with your school’s registrar and academic adviser before starting any internship.

• International Students — US Job Search Resources

  The NCA Resources page links to Interstride (a platform for international students navigating visa sponsorship, employer identification, and US career development) and LockinU (for students targeting opportunities in China and surrounding countries). The International Student Career Planning Guide (PDF) is also available on the Resources page — a joint guide from NCA, Engineering Career Development, Medill Career Services, EPICS, Chicago Field Studies, and OISS.

NCA provides resume and cover letter resources through its written Career Guide, VMock (AI-powered instant feedback), and scheduled or walk-in advising appointments. VMock is free for all Northwestern undergraduates and master’s students.

• VMock — AI Resume & LinkedIn Feedback

  Free AI-powered tool providing instant, personalized feedback on resumes and LinkedIn profiles. Available to all Northwestern undergraduates and master’s students — access via the NCA Resources page. Use VMock before scheduling an in-person review to come in with a cleaner document and make better use of advising time. If SSO login has issues, use the VMock troubleshooting link on the Resources page.

• NCA Career Guide — Resume Samples & Cover Letter Templates

  The NCA Career Guide PDF includes industry-specific resume samples and a detailed cover letter writing guide. Download from the NCA Resources page and use as your starting template before seeking a 1:1 review.

• Generative AI for Career Readiness

  NCA publishes a guide on using AI tools for the job search — covering career exploration, networking outreach drafting, cover letter assistance, and interview prep. Access via the NCA Resources page. Useful for understanding what AI can and cannot reliably do in a job search context.

NCA offers mock interviews via scheduled appointments and walk-in hours. Skills Discovery by Cappfinity helps students identify and articulate their skills before interviews.

• Mock Interview — Career Advising Appointment

  Book a mock interview appointment via Handshake. Specify your target industry, employer, and format (behavioral, technical, or case) in the appointment notes. Advisers tailor preparation to your specific target. Both school-specific career offices and NCA offer mock interview appointments — for field-specific prep (engineering, journalism, communication), your school’s dedicated office may be more targeted.

• Skills Discovery by Cappfinity

  Platform for assessing and learning how to articulate your skills — available free to Northwestern students via the NCA Resources page. Helps you identify strengths and translate them into compelling interview answers. Good first step before a mock interview if you’re unsure how to present your experience.

NCA’s Career Trek program, the Our Northwestern alumni directory, and the Northwestern Network Mentorship Program are the three primary alumni-facing career resources. Career fairs and employer events are organized through Handshake throughout the year.

• NCA Career Treks

  Structured program bringing small groups of Northwestern students on-site to visit organizations in target industries and cities. Students meet alumni, learn about industry cultures, and build relationships before formal recruiting opens. Treks are organized by career area and posted in Handshake events — check for upcoming treks each semester.

• Alumni Directory & Northwestern Network Mentorship

  Search the Our Northwestern alumni directory by industry, employer, class year, and location for informational interview outreach. The Northwestern Network Mentorship Program offers a more formal ongoing mentor relationship — request an alumni mentor in your field via the NCA Resources page. Both are strong tools for building your network before you need a job.

• Career Fairs & Employer Events

  NCA hosts multiple career fairs and employer info sessions throughout the academic year. All events are posted in Handshake. Organization fairs at Norris University Center are held quarterly. Beyond large fairs, employers host smaller information sessions and office hours — attending these tends to have a higher quality-of-connection than large fairs. Check Handshake events weekly during fall and winter quarters.

• ‘Cats Closet & Career Development Fund

  ‘Cats Closet provides free professional clothing to all Northwestern students preparing for interviews and career events — removes a real financial barrier for students who need professional attire. The Career Development Fund helps graduating students prepare for their first professional endeavors. Both are available through NCA. Contact NCA directly for current availability and eligibility.

Northwestern has nearly 700 registered student organizations across all interest areas. The platform is Wildcat Connection (log in with your NetID). Organization fairs are held at the start of each quarter at Norris University Center — the most efficient way to survey hundreds of clubs in one afternoon. The majority of NU organizations are barrier-free with no fees, GPA requirements, or auditions.

• Wildcat Connection — Full Directory (~700 Organizations)

  Northwestern’s student engagement platform. Browse all registered organizations, find upcoming events, and track your involvement. Log in with your NetID. Filter by category (Academic, Cultural & Identity, Service, Arts & Entertainment, Sports & Recreation, Professional & Pre-Professional) or search by keyword. The majority of NU organizations are open to all students with no barriers to membership.

• Student Organizations & Activities (SOA)

  SOA manages registration, funding, and support for all Northwestern RSOs. If you can’t find an organization that matches your interests, SOA supports starting new ones (minimum 7 members required, must be open to all students). Proposals for new organizations are reviewed each fall — contact SOA for the current timeline.