Loyola University Chicago Career Toolkit

Loyola Career Services provides personalized 1:1 advising organized around four career communities, each with dedicated advisers. Career Peers also host Pop-Up Advising at both Lake Shore and Water Tower campuses for shorter questions and document reviews. Students receive career support from first year through five years post-graduation.

• Book a Career Advising Appointment

  Schedule 1:1 advising appointments via Handshake. In-person and virtual options available. Topics: career exploration, resume and cover letter review, interview practice, job and internship search, graduate school planning, and offer evaluation. Undergrads, graduate students, and recent graduates (up to 5 years post-graduation) all eligible.

• Pop-Up Advising — Career Peers (Walk-In)

  Career Peers host Pop-Up Advising at Lake Shore Campus (Sullivan Center, Suite 255) and Water Tower Campus (Schreiber Center, Suite 115). Check Handshake Events to find the current Pop-Up Advising schedule. Best for short questions and quick document reviews without a scheduled appointment.

• Business & Technology Career Community

  Covers Accounting and Finance, Marketing and Sales, HR and Consulting, Information Systems, Data, and Supply Chain Management. Dedicated adviser with direct employer connections in these fields. Career fairs, employer events, and alumni panels specific to business and tech careers are organized through this community.

• Science & Health Career Community

  Covers pre-health and medicine, public health and healthcare administration, science research, and sustainability. Dedicated adviser for pre-med and health professions students. Loyola’s strong pre-health track record and connection to Loyola Medicine/Stritch School of Medicine creates distinctive healthcare recruiting access.

• Social Good Career Community — Nonprofit, Law, Education, Policy

  Covers nonprofit, social work, education, law, policy, and government careers. Loyola’s Jesuit mission of service creates a deep alumni network in public interest fields. Strong for students targeting Teach For America, Peace Corps, legal services, policy organizations, and social enterprise.

• Arts & Media Career Community

  Covers written, performing, and creative arts, plus entertainment and media. Chicago’s robust arts and media ecosystem (theaters, museums, production companies, agencies) creates direct recruiting access for Loyola students in these fields. Dedicated adviser and programming for arts and media careers.

Career Services posts internship listings throughout the year on Handshake and recommends starting the search the semester before your desired start date. Academic credit for internships is available through academic departments (not the Career Development Center). International students needing work authorization should consult the Office of International Programs.

• Handshake — Internship & Job Listings

  Career Services posts new internship listings regularly throughout the year. Set up job alerts by industry, role type, and location. Beyond Handshake, career advisers help students research employer websites directly and connect with alumni at target organizations through LoyolaLinked.

• Internship FAQs — Career Services

  Comprehensive FAQ covering how to find internships at Loyola, how to get academic credit, what international students need for work authorization, and how to prepare a strong internship application. Read before your first internship advising appointment.

• Academic Internship Credit — Department-Specific

  Academic credit for internships is available but must be arranged through your academic department — not through Career Services. Policies differ significantly from one department to the next. Contact your department’s internship coordinator early in the semester before your internship begins. See the Academic Internship FAQs on Career Services’ website.

• Employer Recruiting Events — Handshake

  Employers host information tables and information sessions at Loyola throughout the year. Check Handshake events regularly for employer recruiting at Lake Shore and Water Tower campuses. These are relationship-building opportunities — attending an employer info session before applying meaningfully improves your chances.

• Job, Internship & Service Fair — September

  Annual fall fair held in September at Lake Shore Campus. Primary large-scale employer recruiting event of the year. Employers from business, nonprofit, government, healthcare, and education sectors participate. Come with tailored resumes for each employer you plan to approach. Check Handshake for the current year’s date and registration.

LoyolaLinked is Loyola’s exclusive alumni mentorship and networking platform, distinct from Handshake. Thousands of Loyola alumni are available for career advice, informational interviews, and professional connection. This is Loyola’s most powerful career-access tool for students who use it proactively.

• LoyolaLinked — Access & Setup

  Access Loyola’s exclusive mentorship and networking platform through Career Services. Create your profile using your Loyola credentials. Connect with alumni organized by industry, field, and geography. Current students and recent graduates (up to 5 years) all have access.

• LoyolaLinked — Mock Interviews with Alumni

  LoyolaLinked alumni have specifically volunteered to help current students — many are willing to conduct mock interviews in their field. Reaching out to a Loyola alumni for a mock interview via LoyolaLinked is more targeted and often more effective than generic online practice. Ask specifically for a 30-minute mock interview when reaching out.

• BigInterview — AI Mock Interview Platform

  Loyola’s AI-powered interview practice platform. Practice by industry, competency, or general questions. Record video responses and share with peers, mentors, career counselors, or instructors. Access via Handshake Resources. [⚠️ Log in via Handshake for access instructions — direct BigInterview URL requires Loyola SSO]

Career Services provides resume and cover letter resources and 1:1 review through advising appointments and Pop-Up Advising. BigInterview provides self-paced AI interview practice. The Careers In communities run industry-specific workshops each semester.

• Resume & Cover Letter Review — Appointment

  Book a 1:1 resume and cover letter review via Handshake. Specify your target industry for the most useful feedback. Send materials at least 24 hours before your appointment. Also available via Pop-Up Advising at both campuses for shorter turnaround.

• Career-Specific Job Fair Preparation

  Career Services runs school-specific fairs and job fair preparation events throughout the year beyond the September main fair. Check Handshake Events for upcoming industry-specific fairs in business, health, education, and nonprofit sectors.

Loyola has 150+ student organizations managed through LUCommunity (CampusGroups). Organizations span academic, cultural, service, athletic, pre-professional, and identity-based categories. Loyola’s Jesuit mission creates a particularly strong service and social justice RSO culture.

• LUCommunity — Full RSO Directory

  Loyola’s campus engagement platform listing all 150+ recognized student organizations. Browse by interest area or search by name. Find everything from academic honor societies and pre-professional clubs to cultural organizations, service groups, and arts organizations.

• Student Organizations Home — Loyola

  Loyola’s official RSO overview page with links to the full organization list and the 2025-2026 Student Organization Handbook. Also provides information about starting a new student organization. Email MacKenzie Rotherham at mrotherham@luc.edu with RSO-related questions.

• Pre-Professional & Academic Clubs

  Loyola hosts pre-med, pre-law, pre-health, business, and field-specific academic clubs. Graduate-level organizations include Graduate Women in Business, Human Resource Student Association, Alpha Phi Sigma (criminal justice honor society), and more. Search LUCommunity by academic field to find relevant clubs.

• Cultural & Identity Organizations

  Loyola has a diverse array of cultural organizations representing different ethnic, national, and religious communities. SACNAS LUC (Society for Advancement of Chicano/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science) is one verified active example. Search LUCommunity by category for current cultural organizations.

• Service & Justice Organizations

  In keeping with Loyola’s Jesuit mission of service, service and social justice organizations are among the most active on campus. Ranging from food access and tutoring to advocacy and community organizing. Strong for students pursuing nonprofit, social work, education, and policy careers.

• Graduate Professional Student Organizations

  Loyola’s GPASL office maintains a separate directory of graduate and professional student organizations including Graduate Marketing Association, Graduate Women in Business, Human Resource Student Association, Black Graduate Student Alliance, and Graduate Criminal Justice Organization. Access via the GPASL website.

• Loyola Spirit Teams & Athletics Organizations

  Loyola offers a range of club sports and spirit organizations. The university’s NCAA Division I basketball program creates a strong athletic community. Search LUCommunity for current sport club options including club soccer, volleyball, ultimate frisbee, rowing, and others.