Regardless of your major, the skill sets you gain at Wake Forest allow you to pursue a wide range of career opportunities. You have the resources to explore the possible careers, industries, positions, and helpful resources. From theatre, to journalism, nonprofits, and more, the opportunities are endless.
You can discover a wide range of career options, and find what best aligns with YOUR values and YOUR interests. Why? Because YOU are the driver behind the wheels of YOUR life.
Explore your career options on FirstHand! This premiere career exploration site gives you the inside scoop on industries, careers, and professions on over 400 career fields. See how Vault ranks companies in your favorite industries and download helpful career guides to learn more about careers that interest you! Search for internships and jobs based on your career options and gather information on your potential careers. Use your Wake Forest email address to log in and investigate your career options.
Advertising is positioning and creating brands and persuading consumers to buy them through messages in mass media. The clothes you wear, the cars you drive, the food you eat and the soft drinks you consume are all brands.
Each year, companies spend billions of dollars on advertisements to encourage consumers to buy their goods or services. Television commercials, radio spots, newspaper ads, promotional mailings, and banner ads have become part of our everyday experiences. It’s an advertising agency’s job to create and place these ads so that they capture the attention of consumers and encourage customers to purchase a client’s products.
Advertising agencies are typically organized into four major divisions: account management, creative, market research, and media. Each plays an important role in developing successful ad campaigns for their clients.
Full-Service Agency – As the name implies full-service agencies provide clients with a wide range of services from ad creation and production to media planning and buying, to strategic development. In the past 10 years, advertising has witnessed considerable consolidation. Most major agencies are now owned by one of six holding companies.
Creative Boutique – Creative boutique firms provide a more limited range of services typically focused on ad creation and production. Often these firms are founded by established art directors or copywriters who have chosen to leave the “big” agency world. Clients may seek out these firms for more cutting-edge design, or to try to save money.
Media Agencies – Media agencies focus on media planning and buying, which is the management and purchasing of media time and space.
Ad Club of Metropolitan Washington – Website of the Advertising Club of Metropolitan Washington, a chapter of the American Advertising Federation. Hosts local professional development, educational and networking events. Maintains a job bank.
Ad Forum – Includes a search engine to locate agencies by location, client and/or business sector. Site also displays top company website hits, and provides portfolios of select advertising firms. Includes information on over 18,000 agencies and 50,000 ads.
ADWEEK – Weekly magazine covering advertising, marketing and media.
Advertising Age – Magazine of marketing, media and advertising, published weekly. Publishes helpful reports in its “data center.”
Advertising Educational Foundation – Non-profit supported by ad agencies, advertisers and media companies that serves to provide educational content to students and professors studying advertising. AEF sponsors conferences, provides curriculum and classroom resources, and provides career advice.
Advertising Women of New York – AWNY hosts over 40 events a year including an annual advertising career conference. Also includes job database.
American Advertising Federation – Trade association representing advertising professionals. National network of professional advertising clubs as well as over 200 college- and university-based clubs.
American Association of Advertising Agencies – The national trade association representing advertising agencies. Provides roster of members with an agency search that includes a description of the agency; also has a client/brand search tool. Maintains a job search engine.
Media Bistro – Job search engine for creative positions.
New York Time – Stuart Elliott – Sign up for New York Times columnist Stuart Elliott’s weekly newsletters on advertising. Search for “Stuart Elliott” and select “receive newsletter” from the box on the right.
Occupational Outlook Handbook (Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers)
Talent Zoo – Job search engine for communication industry.
Vault Career Insider Guides (must use your WFU email to access)
The mission of an allied health care professional is to support and complete the work of physicians and other specialists. There are many, many different occupations in the allied health field. Examples of these professions include nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, pharmacy, and physician assistance.
The health care industry is one of the most diverse in its employment of people from varying socioeconomic and educational backgrounds and lifestyles.
Go here for more information on Allied Health Professions or to research graduate programs for Allied Health Professions.
Click here to contact with Wake Forest’s Health Professions Advisers and to get important information to help plan your course of study.
Biotechnology, often referred to as “biotech,” is the application of biological research techniques to create new processes and products while using biological systems, living organisms, and/or derivatives of organisms. Although biotech processes have been used for thousands of years, scientists began to use components of microorganisms to solve human problems within spheres such as agriculture, medicine/healthcare, food processing and industry in the 1970s.
If you are considering a career in the biotechnology arena, there are two key questions to ask yourself: Do I like thinking about living things? And what sectors of the economy can I see myself operating in? Being able to answer these questions will guide you toward choosing the right career path within biotech.
For a complete overview of the biotechnology industry, download the Vault Insider Guide for Biotechnology here.
As you think about a career in biotechnology, it can be useful to identify the general areas where your aptitude and interests lie. The following reflect the various divisions within a biotechnology company.
Research and Development: Discover promising drug candidates. Functions include discovery research, bioinformatics, and animal sciences.
Operations: Make commercial quantities of a candidate drug available and assess environmental impact and safety of a new product.
Clinical Research: Take the new drug through the FDA approval process after emerging from the R&D department. Also manage all clinical drug trials and oversee all information related to the drug candidate.
Quality: Responsible for quality control, assurance, and validation. Ensure that all products meet standards of quality in manufacturing process.
Finance and Administration: Responsible for legal relationships to investors, creditors, and employees. Also maintain companywide computer systems/IT.
Business Development: Responsible for identifying prospective new alliance partners and managing existing ones. Also includes marketing function (market research, targeting customers, promotion strategy) and sales function (meet customers in the field—often with specialist physicans).
Project Management: Responsible for ensuring that work requiring collaboration of several departments goes smoothly and efficiently.
Commercial Strategy: Responsible for leading worldwide product lifecycle management. Also work closely with management, marketing, sales, R&D, and corporate development.
Strategic Planning: Responsible for identifying major milestones, investments, and decisions for successful profits of a product. Assess commercial viability of a product in the target market.
Online Resources
Biotechnology Information Directory of the Web Virtual Library– A directory of over 1,500 links to companies, research institutes, universities, sources of information and other directories specific to biopharmaceutical product development and delivery of products and services.
Biospace.com-Hub site for bioscience-specific news, information and links on biotechnology and pharmaceutical developments.
FierceBiotech-The biotech industry’s daily monitor: daily bulletin on biotech industry news.
BioWorld Online– Worldwide biotechnology news and information resource.
Evelexa BioResources– Business and career-related information for those interested in biotech venture creation. Also the home of The Entrepreneur’s Guide to a Biotech Startup.
Bioinformatics– Organization for bioinformatics professionals.
National Center for Biotechnology Information– A resource for public databases and bioinformatics tools and applications.
Internship and Summer Research Opportunities – Updated on a regular basis by RIT, this site has a wealth of information.
Clinical Research, Data Management, and Regulatory Affairs Recruiters
Advanced Clinical Services– Full-service, national staffing firm specializing in clinical research and data management for Phase I-IV trials, including contract, contract-to-hire and direct hire options.
Chiltern– Consulting, outsourcing and contract technical assistance in clinical trials.
Biotech Resources– Clinical and manufacturing recruiting.
Clinical Trial Jobs– Clinical research employment opportunities.
MedExec Intl– Pharmaceutical, medical device, biotechnology, diagnostic and biologicals industry clients through placement in clinical research, medical affairs, regulatory affairs, quality and engineering departments.
Life Sciences Disciplines and Bioinformatics Recruiters
BiologyJobs– Targeted resource for job seekers and employers interested in the life sciences.
Genomejobs– Genomics, bioinformatics, biotechnology and biocomputing.
Harcourt and Associates– Professional search firm specializing in biotech and technical placements.
Research Careers– Focus on pharmaceutical and biotech research industry employment.
Sciencejobs– Free science career site for job seekers listing industry, academic and government bioscience employment opportunities from the scientific publishers, Cell, BioMedNet and New Scientist.
Biotech Sales and Marketing Recruiters
Global Edge Recruiting Associates– Pharmaceutical, biotech, medical device and medical sales industries.
Medical Sales Associates– National recruiters for sales professionals in the pharmaceutical and medical sectors.
Seltek Consultants– Technical sales positions in the life sciences, biotechnology, molecular biology, chemistry, diagnostics, immunology and instrumentation industries.
Government Agencies
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention– Federal agency mandated to prevent and contain diseases through partnerships, monitoring and info access.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)– Federal agency mandated to supervise the food, pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.
National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)– Principal vital and health statistics agency for the U.S. government.
National Institutes of Health (NIH)– Conducts research in its own laboratories and supports research by scientists in universities, medical schools, hospitals and research institutions in the United States and abroad.
California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM)– State agency to make grants and provide loans for stem cell research and research facilities.
International Biotechnology Organizations
Australia: AusBiotech Ltd.
Canada: BIOTECanada
Ireland: The Irish Bio Industry Association (IBIA)
South Africa: AfricaBio
South Korea: Bioindustry Association of Korea
United Kingdom: BioIndustry Association (BIA)
Commercial banks take deposits from individual and institutional customers, which they then use to extend credit to other customers. They make money by earning more in interest from borrowers than they pay in interest to those whose deposits they accept. They’re different from investment banks and brokerages in that those kinds of institutions focus on underwriting, selling, and trading corporate and municipal securities.
Most of us maintain checking accounts at commercial banks and use their ATMs. The money we deposit in our neighborhood bank branch or credit union supports economic activity through business loans, mortgages, auto loans, and home repair loans. Banks also provide loans in the form of credit card charges, and render local services including safe deposit, notary, and merchant banking.
Consumer or Retail Banking: A small to mid-sized branch with tellers and platform officers. In addition to extending their consumer-banking operations, many of the larger banks have added to their investment banking and asset management capabilities. Make sure you’re applying to the right part of a large diversified organization.
Business or Corporate Banking: Many of the players in this group are the same ones in the consumer banking business; others you’ll find on Wall Street rather than Main Street. At the highest level, the larger players provide a wide range of advisory and transaction management services to corporate clients. Depending on which institution and activity area you join, the work can resemble branch banking or investment banking.
Securities and Investments: Traditionally, this field has been the domain of a few Wall Street firms. However, as federal regulations have eased, many of the biggest commercial banks have added investment banking and asset management activities to their portfolios. For anyone interested in corporate finance, securities underwriting, and asset management, many of these firms offer an option.
Nontraditional Options: Increasingly, a number of nonbank entities are offering opportunities to people interested in financial services. Players include credit card companies, credit card issuers and credit reporting agencies. Although people at these firms are still in the money business, the specific jobs vary greatly, perhaps more widely than jobs at traditional banks.
Define Finance: Brief overview of the different areas within financial services and information about the banking sector.
Careers in Finance: Information on careers in fields like investment banking, real estate and financial planning.
Occupational Outlook Handbook, Bureau of Labor Statics
Vault Career Insider Guides (*must use your WFU email to access): Check out industry, career, and employer guides, plus hot links to finance firms, newsletters, interview information and more.
Mergers and Inquisitions: An excellent resource for students interested in investment banking.
Wall Street Oasis: Online financial community with access to industry and interview guides.
The Wake on Wall Street (WOWS) Guide: This is an overview of “Navigating the Wall Street Job Market” and is written by the Wake on Wall Street alumni group as a primer for students exploring careers in financial services.
Overview of the World of Finance : A PowerPoint resource produced by the WOWS group.
To access all of the Wake on Wall Street resources, click here
Professional Associations
Global Academy of Finance & Management
American Institute for Certified Public Accountants
Association for Finance Professionals
Certified Financial Planning Board of Standards, Inc.
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)
Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association
Industry Job Sites
Accounting Career Network: National database of employment opportunities in the areas of accounting and finance.
BankJobs.com: Career site for banking and financial services positions
eFinancialCareers: Offers news, advice, and job postings for various sectors in the financial services industry.
Financial Job Network: Site to view global job opportunities for financial executives in the following categories: Chief Financial Officer, Controller, Auditor, Finance (VP, Analyst, Operations, Manager, Development, Tax, Accounting, Engineer, etc.) and Actuary.
Financial Job Site: Accounting and Financial jobs for professionals at all levels.
To learn more about Commercial Banking at Wake Forest contact the Wake Forest Finance Club.
Consultants are hired advisors with skill in assessing and solving a wide variety of business problems. Consulting firms are hired by companies who need their expertise, fresh outside perspective, and/or extra set of hands. On a project by project basis, consultants help clients solve a specific business problem, or research and develop strategies for improving the client company.
Types of problems in consulting might include developing an improved service marketing plan, pulling together a strategy for a new product launch, planning for technology investments inside the client firm, valuing external investments from a financial perspective or evaluating the impacts of a government policy. Consulting firms sell services in virtually any industry, such as health care, consumer packaged goods, heavy manufacturing, high tech or energy. With varied/complex company needs, consulting firms are categorized into diverse segments.
In general, consulting firms are looking for candidates who possess strong analytical and quantitative skills, communication skills, research skills, interpersonal skills, a high GPA (3.5+), leadership and team work. Applicants also must perform strongly in case interviews.
Consulting Professional Associations
Case interviews are used by consulting firms to evaluate your analytical thinking skills and your poise under pressure. It takes more time and preparation than general and behavioral interviews.
Boutique Strategy: Focus on specialized functional areas or industries. Small in size with narrow group of clients.
Human Resources: Focus on maximizing employee performance through effective organizational development or change management initiatives.
Management: Focus on a wide range of strategic and core operational issues.
Technology and Systems: Focus on technical services related to computer system and application design, integration, and support.
Conservation: Conservation includes restoration of polluted or developed lands, preservation of wildlife, and protection of cultural treasures, such as ancient archaeological sites. Most of the field’s jobs are rooted in science, although because federal legislature remains the main force behind conservation, workers in this field also benefit from a background in public policy, law, and finance.
Education and Communication: Because environmentalists depend on the support of an informed, concerned public, education and communication are top priorities within the movement. Scientific discoveries are often mired in complex technical terminology, which puts the burden on writers, teachers, filmmakers, photographers, media specialists, and other “translators” to bring the message in clear terms to the people.
Environmental Consulting: Consultants of all varieties help corporations comply with environmental law, work alongside government agencies as contract specialists, and generally offer vision, advice, and technical expertise to those who need it. Individuals with the ability to combine technical or scientific expertise with a solid understanding of the legal and economic realities of business are in particular demand.
Environmental Management and Planning: Environmental managers deal with and prevent problems with the environment; planners, meanwhile, work with communities and individuals to make eco-friendly decisions when working to develop or reshape their local area.
Parks and Recreation: All kinds of specialists toil in our nation’s parks. There are managers, law enforcement officials, and goodwill spokespeople for nature. While most Americans associate environmentalism with the national park system, urban parks, where landscape architects turn city brownlands into playgrounds, are also included in this field.
EPA
Ecological Society of America
The Nature Conservancy
Environmental Defense Fund
Sierra Club
US Fish and Wildlife Service
Environmental Career Opportunities
Environmental Career
Eco Jobs
Envirocitizen
Environmental Expert
USA Jobs
US National Park Service
Grist Jobs
Low Carbon
The Student Conservation Association
Tree Hugger
Sustainable Business
B Corporation
The Pew Charitable Trusts
The Environmental Leadership Program
The Institute for Conservation Leadership
National Registry of Environmental Professionals
National Association of Environmental Professionals
Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education
National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
Earth Watch
Fair Trade USA
Business for Social Responsibility
GRACE Communications Foundation
TriplePundit
Net Impact
Employers in the environmental/sustainability field are looking to hire individuals who possess the following skills:
An event planner is, quite simply, someone who organizes an event. When we think of an “event” we may think of something spectacular, such as the Super Bowl, the Presidential Inauguration, New Year’s festivities in Times Square, or any of the other major events we hear about or see on television. Of course event planners are needed for all these events. However, event planners also work on thousands of smaller events. Any time people gather together for a purpose, whether it is for a wedding, a conference, a festival, a formal dinner, or the grand opening of a new store, someone is needed to oversee all the details to ensure the event happens and that it is a success.
Can you juggle many things at once without missing the details? Do you have the vision to see the big picture and the personality to get other people to see it too? Are you results oriented but always cautious of the bottom line? If this describes you, then you might have what it takes to be an event planner.
Most people who want to become event planners have been organizing, orchestrating, directing and creating for years without really realizing it. All the birthday parties, family reunions, bake-sales, sorority functions, and charity work are, in one form or another, a special event. Many planners get their start this way. The boss tells you to “organize a little something” or you’re asked to do something for a friend, then if you’re lucky, a friend of a friend.
Event planners may also work for themselves out of their homes. Start up costs are very minimal…a phone, a website, and business cards. Most self-employed event planners just starting out spend the majority of their time marketing themselves and finding clients. Getting to know local venues, caterers, florists, and rental companies is also important. Some planners specialize in certain types of events, such as weddings.
Meeting Professionals International – Perhaps the most high profile site that lists job openings specifically for event planners
Meetings and Destinations Search International – MADJobs lists job opportunities in both the hotel and meeting planning industries.
Meetings Net – News and links for the meetings, hospitality, and business travel industries
Society of Independent Show Organizers
International Association of Expositions and Events – Represents the interests of tradeshow and exposition managers and is the leading association for the global exhibition industry
Special Event Site – Listings of event planning companies and related vendors
National Association for Catering and Events
International Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus/Destination Marketing
Association of Association Executives
Cool Works – Information and links to both seasonal jobs and career opportunities at national parks, theme parks, resorts/lodges, cruise lines, and other tourism related companies. Most positions are seasonal, but there are a few for the career-minded individual.
Wine and Hospitality Jobs
Hospitality Careers
Hospitality Online
Casino Careers
National Association of Wedding Professionals
The Association of Bridal Consultants
Association for Wedding Professionals International
Association of Certified Professional Wedding Consultants
Event Management Certificate Program George Washington University
HSMAI – Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI). Check out for event planning jobs and resources.
MPI – Meeting Professionals International, the premier global association community for meeting and event professionals. Job board and resources available.
Events Industry Council – Industry best practices, resources, and events.
Event Planning Publications
Business Travel News
Professional Convention Management Association
International Special Events Society
Group Travel Leader
M&C
Even though the fashion industry is difficult to break into, there are a variety of different types of opportunities—creative jobs in design and marketing; retail sales and buying positions; and corporate careers in finance, planning, and distribution.
Whether you are seeking a place on the catwalk or in the haute couture clubhouse, the fashion business is just that—a business. Insiders from all over the fashion world say that their jobs are high on stress and low on pay. Moreover, insiders conclude, people are judged as much on looks as on performance. With its rigorous hours, capricious culture and wobbly corporate ladder, the fashion industry certainly isn’t for everybody. Yet for a dedicated few, there is no more exciting and inspiring place.
If you want to get into fashion or retail, get an internship or even a part-time job in sales or merchandising to get started. Finding internships and jobs in the fashion industry can be tricky. Because many are never publicized, networking to find opportunities is critical, but each experience on your resume will help land a better internship or job the next time. To get into the creative end of the industry, you need a proper education. You need to study design (at a design school). Technical people, such as buyers and inventory planners, might benefit more from business, marketing, communication, or English classes.
Staying on top of current industry trends and forecasts by reading industry publications such as Women’s Wear Daily is also very important.
Apparel, Fashion, and Textiles
Council of Fashion Designers of America
The Garment District NYC
Fashion Group International
Fashion Institute of Technology
Creative Jobs Central
Fashion Net
International Association of Clothing Designers and Executives (IACDE)
Laboratory Institute of Merchandising
Parsons
Style Careers
Women’s Wear Daily
Employers in the fashion industry seek individuals who possess the following skill sets:
Corporate Finance professionals manage an organization’s money, including forecasting where it will come from, knowing where it is, and making recommendations for spending to ensure the greatest return. Activities may involve poring over spreadsheets detailing cash flow, profitability, and expenses, looking for ways to free up capital, increase profitability, and decrease expenses. Within corporations, any department wishing to make a large expenditure must typically run it by the Finance department to ensure funding. Opportunities for career progression can be in Treasury, Financial Planning and Analysis, Financial Reporting, Operations Accounting, etc.
Two key functions within this industry are accounting and finance.
Accounting: Day-to-day operations. Balance the books, track expenses and revenue, execute payroll, and pay the bills. Compile all the financial data needed to issue a company’s financial statements in accordance with government regulations.
Finance: Analyze revenue and expenses to ensure effective use of capital. Advise businesses about project costs, make capital investments, and structure deals to help companies grow.
Define Finance: Brief overview of the different areas within financial services and information about the banking sector.
Careers in Finance: Information on careers in fields like investment banking, real estate and financial planning.
Occupational Outlook Handbook, Bureau of Labor Statics
Vault Career Insider Guides (*must use your WFU email to access): Check out industry, career, and employer guides, plus hot links to finance firms, newsletters, interview information and more.
Mergers and Inquisitions: An excellent resource for students interested in investment banking.
Wall Street Oasis: Online financial community with access to industry and interview guides.
Global Academy of Finance & Management
American Institute for Certified Public Accountants
Association for Finance Professionals
Certified Financial Planning Board of Standards, Inc.
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)
Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association
Accounting Career Network: National database of employment opportunities in the areas of accounting and finance.
BankJobs.com: Career site for banking and financial services positions
eFinancialCareers: Offers news, advice, and job postings for various sectors in the financial services industry.
Financial Job Network: Site to view global job opportunities for financial executives in the following categories: Chief Financial Officer, Controller, Auditor, Finance (VP, Analyst, Operations, Manager, Development, Tax, Accounting, Engineer, etc.) and Actuary.
Often the terms “government” and “politics” are used interchangeably; however, when it comes to a successful job or internship search, having a clear understanding of whether or not you are interested in a government or a political organization is key.
If interested in a “government” job or internship, you are most likely saying that you would like to work for an agency or department within the local, state, or federal government. The Center for Disease Control of the Department of Homeland Security are examples of government organizations. Most often, you will want to refer to www.usajobs.gov or go directly to the agency or department website to look for the most up-to-date job and internship offerings.
“Political jobs or internships typically refer to working on Capitol Hill (federal) in Washington, D.C. or within your home state for a particular political party. A political organization could working for your state legislator’s congressional office, volunteering for a political campaign, interning for a Senatorial committee, working for a public policy or lobbying organization, a politically-affiliated nonprofit, or a specific issue-based think tank organization. Rather than pursing opportunities via USA jobs, you will want to refer to websites such as www.hillzoo.com, www.politemps.com, and other resources listed on the page below.
By having a specific focus on the type of organization in which you are seeking, you can be more strategic and directed as you search, apply, and network for opportunities in this particular field.
Federal Government Job Search Sites
USA Jobs – The #1 source for federal government jobs
Student Government Jobs – Full-time positions, summer employment, and internships for students and recent grads
Go Government – Student-centered website with a wealth of info about federal jobs and internships
Select Agency and Department Sites
Department of State – Seek Foreign Service Officers in various specialties: Administrative, Consular, Economic, Political, or Public Diplomacy. Also have internships. Exam is required. Go here for test dates and to register.
Department of Transportation – Seek budget analysts as well as other positions
Department of Interior – Seek people in a variety of career fields from archaeology to biology to history to run the National Park Service
Environmental Protection Agency – Seek scientists as well as other positions
Internal Revenue Service – Seek accountants and revenue specialists as well as other positions
National Institutes of Health – Jobs and internships in medical research
Department of the Treasury
United States Department of Agriculture – Seek budget analysts, scientists, and other positions
Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation – Seek math majors for actuarial work and other positions
Department of the Navy Civilian Human Resources – This huge employer would rank #8 on the Fortune 500 list. Seeks project managers, budget analysts, and other positions.
The Library of Congress
Hill Zoo – Job bank with postings listed by political party as well as non-party affiliated
General listings for various DC job openings
Legislative, government, and political staffing service for the DC area
Washington Network Group of over 2,300 professionals in DC in business, finance, and government
Washington Post
Think Tanks
North Carolina Government Sites
North Carolina Office of State Human Resources – Agency and university system job postings.
State of North Carolina Internship Program
Employers hiring for government positions are seeking individuals who possess the following skills:
Another important factor to consider when making your decision is student loan repayment. Be knowledgeable and understand your options. Click here to learn more about repaying student loans after graduation and starting your career.
Human resources deals with the management and development of the people or employees within an organization. Human resources activities include:
Careers-in-Business, HR
Jobs4HR
HR People – Tips and tricks on how to break into an HR career including interview advice, salary ranges and job expectations.
Occupational Outlook Handbook, Bureau of Labor Statistics
Society for Human Resource Management – Provides educational program information, careers, volunteer opportunities and articles.
Association for Talent Development – The leading resource on workplace learning and performance issues.
College and University Professional Association for Human Resources
Vault Career Insider Guides (must use your WFU email to access)
Human resources professionals often possess the following skills:
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Human services careers fit into two categories: social services and mental health services. Social services specialists help people improve their quality of life. Mental health specialists work directly with individuals who are trying to change behavior or achieve a better mental outlook. Whether someone is overcoming an addiction or healing after emotional trauma, a trained mental health specialist can provide the right guidance.
Many community members need a helping hand to meet basic needs or to enjoy a higher quality of life. Among these are the developmentally disabled, the elderly, immigrants and refugees, substance abusers, and crime victims and
offenders. Social workers play an integral role in improving the lives of these individuals.
At a group home setting for developmentally disabled persons, a social worker might create exercise and recreation programs, oversee daily routines, and arrange medical care.
Professionals in nursing homes and senior community centers give direct care and help with issues related to social security and healthcare, while those working with immigrants and refugees do everything from getting work permits for their clients to finding them inexpensive medical clinics to helping them learn English.
One of the major sectors of social services is family service programs. A social worker involved in family issues helps to create a positive, safe environment within households. Duties of a family service social worker vary with specialties. A case manager often works for government agencies or for private groups funded by religious or fraternal organizations. Both child advocacy and adoption assistance make up especially large service sectors employing case managers. Some family service social workers specialize in counseling individuals within particular categories, such as victims of domestic violence or pregnant teens.
Other specialties include addiction recovery, childcare assistance, and help for low-income families. While there are many different options, the bottom line is that a social worker in family services helps meet a family’s critical needs.
While most counselors and psychologists see clients with a variety of needs, they tend to specialize in one or two areas. Specialties include family, marriage, children, adolescents, career, crisis intervention, substance abuse, and rehabilitation. Some counselors work in hospitals, clinics, schools, or correctional facilities; others venture into private practice. In every state, most types of counselors need some kind of licensing or certification. Getting a license generally requires earning a master’s degree, completing a specific number of supervised hours of practice, and passing an exam.
Sometimes counseling alone is enough to help a person get back on the right track in life; other times, more intensive treatment is needed. A psychologist is qualified to offer treatment that goes beyond guidance and support. He or she is a professional with a doctoral degree (PhD) and is qualified to test, diagnose, and treat a patient. Depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, anxiety problems, personality disorders, and childhood psychological issues are among the problems that psychologists are trained to handle.
Many times, psychologists work in conjunction with other human services professionals. A case manager or a family counselor will refer a client to a psychologist, while a psychologist will rely on a social worker’s reports for detailed background information on the patient. Teamwork is a vital element of the human services industry.
American Counseling Association
National Board for Certified Counselors information for students
Council on Social Work Education
Advice on Grad School in Social Work
American Psychological Association
Careers in Psychology
Psych Web
Lots of Psych links
Human Services Career Network
Ultimate Guide to Careers in Social Work
Guide to Social Work Licensure in North Carolina
Guide to Becoming a Social Worker
Employers in the human services industry are seeking individuals who possess the following skills:
E-mail, personal computers, the Internet: These things make your life simpler by enabling faster communication, providing tools for more effective work, and giving you access to vast information with the click of a mouse. They also introduce a risk factor that isn’t totally within your control: If your computer fails or the network connection goes down, you lose time and possibly money.
That’s where information technology (IT) specialists come in. Information technology brings you the information and applications, such as word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation software, that office workers everywhere rely on to do their jobs. IT specialists create such products and set up and maintain such systems. Their work varies widely: They upgrade your computer software; get your office computer network, or your computer, up and running again after it crashes; set up and maintain the servers on which your company’s internal applications run; create and customize the software products you use; build websites; and build and maintain the databases that you rely on to gather information to serve your customers.
Many IT jobs are highly specialized, focusing on a small aspect within the grand design of a company’s network. You may associate IT with technology companies, but nearly all businesses—from nonprofits to investment banks—have an IT staff to remedy everyday computer problems and maintain and upgrade systems. IT professionals wear many hats and go by different names, depending on their area of expertise—engineer, programmer, website producer, consultant, and network administrator – to name a few.
But no matter what job they do, all IT professionals focus on improving the usability and efficiency of technological systems and processes. Their goal is a smoothly functioning computer network—free of bugs, glitches, and interruptions—that provides an effective flow of information so the company can keep on improving its work processes, customer retention and acquisition, and other aspects of its business.
The importance of the IT professional’s role cannot be overstated as technology continues to automate, accelerate, and connect the global marketplace. IT professionals are at the forefront of making businesses faster and more efficient.
Employers in the information technology field are seeking individuals who possess the following skills:
Feature your technical skills near the top of your resume. Immediately following your Education section is a good place.
Most Wake Forest Computer Science grads should be able to list C/C++, Flash, Matlab, Objective-C, Python, Linux, OSX, Solaris, Eclipse and Windows.
You might want to organize your technical skills into categories such as hardware, software, languages, and Web experience.
Insurance companies calculate the likely cost of a given loss, divide it by the number of people who want protection against it, add something for profit, and reach an amount that they charge each customer for a policy guaranteeing compensation should the loss occur. But that’s only the beginning. Insurance companies also mount huge marketing campaigns to convince customers that they need protection in general and the company’s products in particular.
They also function as financiers, deriving a large part of their revenues from investments. Insurance companies must maintain enormous reserves of capital to back up potential claims obligations. They invest those reserves in stocks, bonds, and real estate, within the U.S. and overseas, providing an enormous amount of liquidity to financial markets and giving the industry an influence on the national economy far out of proportion to its size. That can be a risk, as when industry-wide over-investment in Latin America during the ’70s led to huge losses for the entire industry and repercussions far beyond the insurance industry itself.
About 1,800 U.S. insurance companies offer personal and commercial product lines including basic health/life and property/casualty protection as well as a long list of other coverages ranging from automobiles to mortgages to insurance for insurance companies (known as reinsurance). These products protect customers from losses resulting from illegal actions, medical needs, theft, earthquakes and hurricanes, and a variety of other causes.
Life and Health Insurance: The policies in this sector provide benefits packages that policyholders pay a premium to enjoy.
Property and Casualty Insurance: The focus in this sector is on protection for owners of cars, homes, and businesses from loss, damage, and injury.
Reinsurance: The insurance of insurance companies. Insurance companies pay reinsurers to assume some or all of the risk the insurers have taken on in writing policies for their clients. Insurers use reinsurance to protect against the risk of unusual losses. Reinsurers write reinsurance because their business allows them to pool enormous numbers of individual insurance risks, making their risks even more predictable than the risks faced by primary insurers.
The Institutes
American Insurance Association
Coalition Against Insurance Fraud
American Risk and Insurance Association
Risk Management Association
Insurance Information Institute
National Association of Insurance Commissioners
National Association of Professional Insurance Agents
Society of Actuaries
General info about actuaries
Actuary Information
I-banking is the term used to describe the business of raising capital for companies. Capital in this sense means cash or money. When firms need cash in order to grow and expand their businesses, I-banks sell securities to public investors to raise this cash. Investment banks may work with corporations, governments, institutional investors and/or extraordinarily wealthy individuals to raise capital and provide investment advice.
Corporate Finance: Financial consulting to businesses. Specific activities range from underwriting the sale of equity or debt for a corporate client to providing advice on mergers and acquisitions, foreign exchange, economic and market trends, and specific financial strategies.
Security Sales and Trading: An investment bank relies on its sales department to sell bonds or shares of stock in companies it underwrites. Investors who want to buy or sell a certain stock or bond will place an order with a broker or sales representative, who writes the ticket for the order. The trader makes the trade. Securities salespeople and traders are independent, working on commission to bring to market the financial products that others create.
Sales (Brokers or Dealers): The bottom line in sales is how well you can sell new debt and equity issues and how quickly you can translate news events or a market shift into transactions for your clients. These jobs are usually much less hierarchical than the banking side. Your sales volume and asset growth are what matter.
Trading: This is as close to the money as you can get. Trading is considered tougher, riskier, and more intense than any other job in finance. Traders manage the firm’s risk and make markets by setting the prices, based on supply and demand, for the securities Corporate Finance has underwritten. Similar to sales, you are tied to your desk and phones while the markets are open. Traders make money by trading securities. Although they’re the ones who transact trades for the brokers and their clients, traders are primarily responsible for taking a position in a security issue and buying or selling large amounts of stocks or bonds using an employer’s (or their own) capital.
People depend on law enforcement officers and detectives to protect their lives and property. Law enforcement officers, some of whom are State or Federal special agents or inspectors, perform these duties in a variety of ways, depending on the size and type of their organization. In most jurisdictions, they are expected to exercise authority when necessary, whether on or off duty.
Law enforcement officers must be able to work under a great deal of pressure, while maintaining a clear head and positive work ethic. They must be open-minded, fair, unbiased, and sensitive in order to deal with people of diverse backgrounds, cultures, and lifestyles.
It’s important to realize that law enforcement jobs are not limited to investigative, police, compliance, and security positions. State and federal law enforcement opportunities are also not limited to the SBI, FBI, and CIA. Besides law enforcement officers and detectives, there are also opportunities in the supporting areas of forensics.
Law enforcement has its roots in the military, so it’s no surprise that the selection process is strict, rigid, and complex. Steps in the application process usually include written tests, a medical examination, psychological tests, extensive background checks, and a physical abilities test. This process may take several weeks or months to complete.
Employers in law enforcement are seeking individuals who possess the following skills: communication, teamwork, logical, analytical, keen sense of observation, ability to remain calm in stressful situations, detail-oriented, and good physical condition.
Check CriminalJusticeDegrees for more information on online degrees that can help you develop the skills necessary for a career in criminal justice.
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) houses the government’s principal investigators, responsible for investigating violations of more than 200 categories of federal law and conducting sensitive national security investigations. Agents may conduct surveillance, monitor court-authorized wiretaps, examine business records, investigate white-collar crime, or participate in sensitive undercover assignments. The FBI investigates organized crime, public corruption, financial crime, fraud against the government, bribery, copyright infringement, civil rights violations, bank robbery, extortion, kidnapping, air piracy, terrorism, espionage, interstate criminal activity, drug trafficking, and other violations of federal statutes.
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) acts as the principal adviser to the President for intelligence matters related to the national security. The CIA collects intelligence through human sources and by other appropriate means, using research, development, and deployment of high-leverage technology for intelligence purposes. There are four organizations within the CIA: Operations/Clandestine Service; Analysts/Intelligence; Science, Engineering, and Technology; and Support (HR, finance, etc.)
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) enforces laws and regulations relating to illegal drugs. Not only is the DEA the lead agency for domestic enforcement of federal drug laws, it also has sole responsibility for coordinating and pursuing U.S. drug investigations abroad. Agents may conduct complex criminal investigations, carry out surveillance of criminals, and infiltrate illicit drug organizations using undercover techniques. The DEA also has an Accounting Career Intern program.
U.S. Marshals Service protects the federal courts and ensures the effective operation of the judicial system. It provides protection for the federal judiciary, transports federal prisoners, protects federal witnesses, and manages assets seized from criminal enterprises. It enjoys the widest jurisdiction of any federal law enforcement agency and is involved to some degree in nearly all federal law enforcement efforts. In addition, U.S. marshals pursue and arrest federal fugitives.
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives regulates and investigates violations of federal firearms and explosives laws, as well as federal alcohol and tobacco tax regulations.
The U.S. Department of State Bureau of Diplomatic Security is the Department of State’s security and law enforcement arm. It is the only law enforcement agency with representation in nearly every country in the world. Overseas, it advises ambassadors on all security matters and manages a complex range of security programs designed to protect personnel, facilities, and information. In the United States, it investigates passport and visa fraud, conducts personnel security investigations, issues security clearances, and protects the Secretary of State and a number of foreign dignitaries. It also trains foreign civilian police and administers a counter-terrorism reward program.
The Department of Homeland Security employs numerous law enforcement officers under several different agencies, including Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the U.S. Secret Service.
The National Security Agency/Central Security Service is America’s cryptologic organization. It coordinates, directs, and performs highly specialized activities to protect U.S. government information systems and produce foreign signals intelligence information. A high technology organization, NSA is on the frontiers of communications and data processing. It is also one of the most important centers of foreign language analysis and research within the government.
The Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) is a team of federal law enforcement specialists dedicated to protecting the people, families, and assets of the US Navy and Marine Corps worldwide. Law enforcement specialties within NCIS include computer investigations, forensic science, threat assessment analysis, economic crimes, and electronic countermeasures. Applicants are not required to enlist in the Navy or Marine Corps or have previous military or law enforcement experience.
Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) provides combat support for the Department of Defense. The DIA is a major producer and manager of foreign military intelligence. It operates in countries around the world, collecting and analyzing intelligence in support of national decision makers and military commanders.
IRS Criminal Investigation, basically “accountants with guns.” IRS criminal investigators/special agents conduct criminal investigations involving tax laws.
INTERPOL/U.S. National Central Bureau serves as a conduit for a cooperative exchange of criminal information to help detect and combat international crime. Criminal investigations within one country which involve the citizens of another country are routed to or through INTERPOL.
The Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) is a federal investigative and protective program established to carry out the Coast Guard’s internal and external criminal investigations.
Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Enforcement Program uses stringent sanctions, including jail sentences, to promote deterrence and help ensure compliance in order to protect human health and the environment.
Postal Inspection Service fights criminals who attack the nation’s postal service and use it to defraud, endanger, or otherwise threaten the American public.
Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigation conducts and coordinates investigations of suspected criminal violations of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act; the Federal Anti-Tampering Act; and other related acts.
Marketing is the strategic function between product development and sales. The four components of marketing are product, price, promotion and place. Marketing takes a product with specific features and benefits, creates pricing and promotional strategies, and oversees the methods that will be used to bring it to market.
Marketing and Sales requires creativity, energy, organization and tenacity. You must be able to effectively communicate about projects and analytically think about your projects. The marketing world requires that you be flexible and able to handle criticism as decisions are made quickly.
Ad Age (Marketing and Media News, Analysis and Data)
Careers In Marketing
Creative Hotlist (Career site for creative professionals)
Creativity Online
Data & Marketing Association
Know This (Knowledge source for market research, internet marketing, etc.)
MarketingHire.com (Alliance of leading US marketing associations)
Marketingjobs.com (General marketing career information)
Occupational Outlook Handbook (Career exploration info)
Talent Zoo (Ad, Marketing, Media, Digital Jobs)
Vault Career Insider Guides (must use your WFU email to access)
Vault Career Insider – Career Guide to Marketing and Brand Management
Professional Associations
American Association of Advertising Agencies
Smart Brief
American Marketing Association
Business Marketing Association
The National Association of Sales Professionals
The Professional Association for Design
There are many aspects of marketing that may interest and appeal to you. Most marketing positions involve one or more of the following activities: cultivating relationships, managing information, speaking, researching and evaluating. The following is a sample of some of the potential departments within marketing:
Brand and Product Management: Plan, direct, and control business and marketing efforts for products; concerned with research and development, packaging, manufacturing, sales and distribution, advertising, promotion, market research, and business analysis; a newcomer will join a brand/product team and learn the ropes by doing numerical analysis and watching senior members.
Business to Business Marketing: Marketing targeted at organizations such as businesses, non-profits, government entities, and middlemen; this represents a large majority of marketing efforts.
Internet Marketing: Opportunities in this field are new and still emerging, with options in electronic retailing, web page design, internet promotions, and managing websites.
Marketing Communications: Create promotional efforts and other marketing activities that communicate with the organization’s customers; includes advertising, public relations, sales promotions and direct marketing.
Marketing Research: Define problems and identify the information needed to resolve them; determine what drives people to buy certain products by designing research projects, preparing questionnaires and samples, analyzing data, preparing reports and presenting findings.
Non-Profit Marketing: Perform marketing and public relation functions and conduct fundraising for non-profits.
Sales: A sales career path ranges from salesperson to the highest levels of management; opportunities can be found in advertising, financial, insurance, consulting and government organizations.
Securities and Financial Services Marketing: Sell banking and related services, provide many related services to clients, often in positions such as account executives, stock brokers, and registered representatives.
Sports Marketing: Promote and manage athletes, teams, and sports facilities; sports marketers may work for a team, association or marketing firm to strategize about how to best leverage sponsorship, plan and coordinate events; conduct market research and produce promotional material.
Headlines and deadlines—that’s the field of journalism. Writing under the gun is the essence of the job, and the culture of the industry reflects the urgency of the journalist’s task. Here are some of the most prominent characteristics of the culture of journalism:
Competition
There is a strong tradition of competition among journalists and publications. As a journalist you’ll always be on the lookout for a scoop—an important story that you and your paper report first. And just about the worst thing that can happen to a reporter is to get scooped—to find out that your competitor beat you to the big story of the day.
Hectic Pace
Journalism is more than a nine-to-five job—it’s a way of life. Newspapers must cover the news beyond regular office hours, so journalists should expect to be awakened at 3 a.m. to cover a breaking story. (Keep in mind that the journalist may then return to the newsroom with just 15 minutes left to write the story and be expected to do it all over again the next day.)
Stress on the Job
It can definitely be frustrating putting in many “extra” hours for a relatively small paycheck. (Some newspapers do offer over-time pay.) Deadline pressure and erratic hours may be less extreme at magazine publications.
Curiosity and Aggression
Most journalists tend to have a strong streak of curiosity in their personalities, but it’s aggressiveness that gets them the stories they go after.
Tough Crowd
The field of broadcast journalism is famous for its big egos and difficult personalities, especially in the higher ranks. Newsrooms attract aggressive, opinionated, ambitious people. While the traits may help reporters survive, they don’t make for the most pleasant employee relations. As one insider states, “You need to be thick-skinned. If you’re covering breaking news and something goes wrong, it can be complete chaos.”
Abridged and reprinted with permission from Experience.com
National Job Bank for Broadcasters
National Association of Broadcasters
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences
The Associated Press
Broadcast Employment Services
American Copy Editors Society
Shoptalk: TV Business Newsletter
MediaLine
Media Bistro
Journalism Jobs
Poynter Institute
American Society of Magazine Editors
Society of Professional Journalists
Association of Magazine Media
Editor & Publisher
American Society of News Editors
Media Jobs
The Write Jobs
National Writers Union
Agency Pimp
When a large amount of money is needed for any enterprise, from building a factory to funding a corporation to drilling wells in a new oil field, that money is raised from investors—usually a large number of them. Commonly, the enterprise raises that money by either selling ownership shares in itself or simply borrowing it. When ownership is sold, the investor gets shares of stock. When money is borrowed, the investor gets bonds. Stocks and bonds are both securities. Investors buy and sell individual securities through brokers, also called securities dealers.
Additionally, mutual fund companies—and other so-called asset management firms—form funds, which consist of a variety of securities. The asset management company buys and sells the securities in a fund, seeking to maximize its value, and it sells shares in these funds to investors directly and through securities brokers.
The nonprofit industry is a vast and growing collection of more than 700,000 organizations that employ over 10 million people. While these organizations have varied goals and missions, they all have one thing in common: a concern for quality of life and a commitment to the betterment of a specific population.
Nonprofit organizations come in all shapes and sizes, from the local museum to the United Way to your alma mater. Many nonprofits work at the forefront of such major issues as AIDS, civil rights, homelessness, and the environment.
The exact structure of a nonprofit varies greatly depending upon the size and type of the organization. In a smaller nonprofit, one or two people may work as generalists fulfilling the requirements of all functions of the organization, while larger nonprofits often have entire departments set up to manage each function separately.
People who work for nonprofits agree that the best part of working in the industry is the sense of meaning and purpose they get from their job and from being part of their respective organizations. In most cases, this creates an environment that is less competitive and more communal than that of most for-profit organizations.
Nonprofit organizations expect a strong degree of commitment and dedication to their cause and the organization. This is expected of everyone—from the executive director to the administrative assistants and interns. This type of commitment often means that you work long, hard hours. It can sometimes be difficult to maintain a personal life in this type of work, and people can easily get burned out.
As nonprofits grow rapidly in size and number, they urgently need enthusiastic and dedicated graduates to get involved in a variety of challenging ways. Often, the best way to find a job in a nonprofit is to start out as a volunteer.
The Pro Humanitate Institute is a core of learning, teaching, research, service, and action that transforms the ethos of Wake Forest University into an explicit mission connected to clear practices with meaningful social justice outcomes. Many of the PHI’s programs work directly with local Nonprofits. Check out the Programs portion of their website to learn how you can get involved!
Pro Humanitate Institute Summer Nonprofit Immersion Program
The Summer Nonprofit Immersion Program (SNIP) is a summer immersion program that brings together undergraduates at Wake Forest University with community partners to enhance both the learning of the student and the capacity of the nonprofit partner. The student participants selected are seeking scholarly, professional, and personal development through intensive work in the nonprofit sector. Ideal community partners are able to provide committed mentoring and supervision to the student and a work plan that enriches the capacity of their organization while connecting to the student’s academic and/or professional interests.
Dates
June-July
Application
Available mid-February
Support
Fellows are provided free housing and receive a $750 fellowship award
Contact
Shelley Sizemore (gravessa@nullwfu.edu)
Jobs and Networking Opportunities
Idealist
GuideStar
Nonprofit Jobs
Opportunity Knocks
Handshake
Young Nonprofit Professionals Network
Nonprofit Career Network
Electronic Journals/News Sources
Chronicle of Philanthropy
Philanthropy Journal
Philanthropy News Digest
Society for Nonprofit Organizations
General Nonprofit Resources
Independent Sector
National Council of Nonprofit Associations
Foundations
Council on Foundations
The Foundation Center
Washington Grantmakers
Nonprofit Management and Consulting
Alliance for Nonprofit Management
Association of Consultants to Nonprofits
Fundraising
Association of Fundraising Professionals
Association of Professional Researchers for Advancement
International
UN Department of Public Information NGOs
USAID
Public relations is the business of perception. Public relations professionals are responsible for shaping people’s viewpoints; how the consumer, the competition, the international community and the average person on the street view a client. A large amount of the news put in print, on television, and on the internet is the direct result of public relations.
Agency Pimp
The Association for Women in Communications – Organization for women across communication disciplines. Hosts conference and other professional development activities. Includes a job board.
Council of Public Relations Firms – Represents over 100 of the leading PR firms. Provides “find a firm” features with roster of member PR firms by geographic location, size and expertise. Maintains a job bank.
Institute for Public Relations – An independent non-profit organization serving educators, researchers, PR professionals, and their clients. Site includes free, downloadable research reports and news.
International Association of Business Communicators – Professional network including more than 70 countries and 14,000+ professionals; hosts seminars (including web) and conferences, publishes research and publications, and maintains a job bank. Some content is members-only.
Media Bistro – One of the best job search engines for communications jobs. Site also includes events, forums and news.
Adweek – Site of trade publication for media industry. Focuses on news, analysis of and commentary on the media business. Includes job search engine (for all media/communications jobs, including PR).
O’Dwyer PR – Includes free access to rankings of firms, list of PR firms by specialty (located under “1,000 PR specialties”), extensive list of PR associations and organizations, blogs, and related links. Maintains a job bank.
Occupational Outlook Handbook (Advertising and Public Relations Services)
PR News Online – Provides the latest news and strategies related to PR and marketing, including industry resources and research.
PR Temp Jobs
PRWeek – Extension of PRWeek, a weekly industry trade publication. Site provides news, reviews, profiles, techniques, and fresh research relating to the PR industry. Includes job postings.
Public Relations Society of America – The largest professional organization for PR professionals (also includes 255 college and university chapters, PRSA focuses on continuing education for members through networking, professional development and publications. Maintains a job bank.
Public Relations Student Society of America
Talent Zoo – Job search engine featuring media blogs and the latest headlines in the communication industry.
Vault, Career Insider Guides (must use your WFU email to access)
Vault, Career Insider – Vault Guide to Top Advertising and PR Employers
Editorial: Book editors come from a variety of educational backgrounds, although most are liberal arts graduates with degrees in English, communication, or journalism. If you major in a non-liberal arts field (like biochemistry or economics) you should ensure that you get experience in writing and editing.
The most valuable experience for editorial jobs comes from internships with publishing firms or positions at small nonprofit, college, association, or online publications where you have the opportunity to write a lot and to edit other people’s writing. Getting a good internship often requires that you have worked on the campus magazine, newspaper, or yearbook, preferably in a responsible editorial position.
Extracurricular activities that involve writing and editing are also valuable, as are any part-time positions that involve the business side of publishing. Jobs at bookstores, for instance, can teach more than you might think about how the retail part of the publishing industry works. And read as much as you can; stay current with what’s hot in the market.
Marketing: Business majors are useful for prospective book marketers, although English, journalism, and communication concentrations are more common. Courses in public relations are especially helpful. Experience in handling publicity is extremely useful, as is any general marketing experience involving writing marketing copy, buying advertising, and/or working with retailers. Event management is also helpful; try to get involved in running book signing events, handling speakers, etc.
Production: Art and design programs give a solid foundation in the principles of graphic design and typography. You should also work in production for a college publication (newspaper, yearbook, literary magazine, etc.) Any work that will help you to fill out your portfolio is useful training for a graphic arts production job. These days you need fluent mastery of digital tools, so get experience with design software, scanners, and digital cameras wherever you can. Get this experience under your belt and have examples of your layout and artwork to show. Any familiarity you can gain with printing terminology and processes by working at printing firms or copy shops doesn’t hurt either.
HarperCollins
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Penguin
Penguin Random House
Scholastic
Simon & Schuster
Wiley
Book Jobs
Publishers Lunch
The Association of Magazine Media
Columbia Publishing Course
NYU Summer Publishing Institute
University of Denver Publishing Institute
OPCD Webinar with alum Jane Bianchi
Agency Pimp
Job opportunities in the real estate industry are divided into four distinct fields: sales, management, development, and acquisition and analysis. Although crossover among these sectors is possible, most people start out specializing in a specific area.
Sales and Leasing: This segment includes everything from residential real estate brokers to larger corporations that broker bigger commercial properties such as office towers.
Management: Property managers are responsible for maintaining property values. They deal with tenants, manage finances, and physically tend to the property.
Development: Developers are responsible for taking a property idea and making it a reality. This is a complex process involving architects, engineers, zoning officials, builders, lenders, and prospective tenants.
Acquisition and Analysis: Any kind of investing in real estate requires a thorough understanding of how to analyze the value of a property and navigate the maze of land-use regulations, zoning laws, environmental impact reports, financing realities, and other barriers to buying and developing a property. The people who develop, market, and manage REITs and other real estate investments are financial types, who are charged with evaluating and arranging for the purchase of properties.
Vault Career Insider Guides (must use your WFU email to access)
Vault Career Insider – Career Guide to Real Estate
Vault Career Insider – Guide to Top Real Estate Employers
Occupational Outlook Handbook, Bureau of Labor Statics
National Association of Realtors
American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association (AREUEA)
Real Estate Job Store
The Commercial Real Estate Development Association (NAIOP)
Professional Builder
National Association of Home Builders
Society of Industrial and Office Realtors
Certified Commercial Investments Member
Associated General Contractors of America
Construction Management Association of America
Institute of Real Estate Management
National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT)
Mortgage Bankers Association
Appraisal Foundation
While there are very few people who play professional sports as their “job,” there are many ways to work in sports. You can work for professional teams or leagues, amateur sports conferences or leagues, and much more. At the highest level, college sports are governed by the NCAA and have multiple conferences, with Wake Forest competing in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), a conference made up of NCAA Division I colleges and universities. Other colleges and universities that choose not to compete at this level may complete at the NCAA Division II or III, the NAIA or in other divisions or conferences.
In addition to working for teams or leagues, it’s important to remember that the media plays an important role in the world of sports. Professional teams and “big-time” college sports generate millions of dollars by selling media rights to networks like ESPN, Fox, and others. Television shows, magazines, and internet sites focus their attention on what teams and athletes are doing and offer a variety of opportunities if you have strong communication and/or technical skills. Beyond these roles, you can also “work in sports” by working with firms that create and sell sporting goods or by applying your skills on behalf of a firm that develops sports technology. There are Wake Forest graduates working in athletic departments, as writers for major sports media websites, as announcers for professional leagues, and in a variety of other roles.
When considering a career in sports, feedback from professionals that work in sports suggest that it is important for you to remember these 3 points:
There are a variety of “sports” employers for you to consider. While you can probably name the professional or college teams that you are familiar with, you should also consider athletic associations, athletic conferences, colleges and universities, country clubs and resorts, high schools, major leagues and associated teams, minor leagues and associated team, race tracks, sporting goods companies, arenas and stadiums, and sports marketing and management agencies.
The billboards at your local stadium, the corporate sponsored tournament you watch on TV, and the commercials with athletes promoting your favorite fast-food chain are all products of the innovative thinking and hard work of sports marketing professionals. Although the hours can be long and the environment fiercely competitive, sports marketing offers many rewards. Generous salaries, challenging work, and excellent perks such as free tickets to sporting events and the chance to meet pro athletes are only a few of the reasons sports marketing is a popular career aspiration.
Sports marketing allows corporations to associate their brands and products with the excitement, enjoyment, and admiration that audiences assign to games and athletes. This industry, as a whole, derives its promotional techniques from fields such as advertising, public relations, and marketing.
Sports marketing is a profession notorious for low turnover, and quick advancement through the ranks is not common. More often, individuals in entry-level positions can expect to stay there for several years. Mid- and upper-level executive positions often become lifetime jobs because worker satisfaction is so high. Salaries available in the sports marketing field vary by region of the country. Most salaries for the entry-level are generally low. Wide salary ranges for the upper-level executive positions reflect the sheer variety of sports employers, even within the specific categories covered: sports marketing firms, corporate sports marketing divisions, and sports leagues and associations. For example, the Director of Marketing for a major league baseball team could earn two to three times as much his or her counterpart in the minor leagues.
In conclusion, the sports marketing industry is fast-paced, exciting, and often hectic. Marketing representatives and event coordinators deal with a never-ending stream of requests from sponsors and clients. A quick mind, a personable attitude, and a good deal of energy are necessary to keep up with all the work.
National American Society for Sports Management
Sports Management
Sports Business Journal
Women Sports Jobs
NBA Interns
Nike Internship Program
Team USA
Athlete Network
Team Work Online
Sports Careers
Work in Sports
Jobs in Sports
NCAA Jobs
The Department of Education at Wake Forest University offers various majors and minors intended for licensure and non-licensure pathways into teaching as well as other careers in the field of education and/or related professions. For more information, click here, or visit WFU’s Department of Education located in B201 Tribble Hall.
Contact the State Board of Education and local school districts
Your State Board of Education is a great resource. State boards can provide you with state-specific certification requirements, procedures, and applications. They also provide other valuable information, such as listings of local school districts and schools. States might have their own exams and additional teaching requirements, so you should plan to contact the licensure officer of the districts you are interested in directly. Districts also do their own recruiting and hiring; they are your best resource for local job vacancies and other essential information regarding individual schools.
Attend job fairs
Local school districts often pool their recruiting efforts by organizing job fairs. These gatherings are excellent chances for you to meet potential employers, find out about job vacancies, and get your resume and name out there. February through June are the typical months for fairs. Check with the Office of Personal & Career Development to find out about job fairs in your area.
Network your way in
Take advantage of every contact you have in the educational system. Start with the school system’s licensure officer. Former teachers, professors, family members, and friends may also provide you with job opportunities and information, as well as further contacts in the field. Use LinkedIn to network with WFU graduates who are already working in the field. When you contact these alumni, ask to set up informational interviews. Joining a professional association, such as the American Federation of Teachers or the National Education Association, is a smart networking move as well; you’ll not only learn more about the field, but you’ll also meet other education professionals. The key here is to be assertive and not afraid to ask for help. The majority of people will be happy to talk about their teaching experience and flattered that you asked.
Substitute teach
Substitute teaching is an excellent way to gain experience, make contacts, and bring home a little money while you search for more permanent employment. Many experienced teachers will tell you that they got their first full-time break through a substitute teaching job. Once schools get to know you and your teaching style, they will be more likely to consider you for an opening when a position becomes available, and you’ll certainly have an advantage over a total stranger when it comes time for them to pick a candidate. Contact the school districts you’re interested in for information on substitute teaching opportunities.
Teacher placement agencies
If you’re interested in working at a private school, look into registering with a teacher placement agency. These agencies act as intermediaries between private schools and teaching candidates. Some agencies require schools to pay a fee for finding candidates, while other agencies charge teaching candidates for finding them jobs. Be sure to research any organization fully before registering with them—especially those that ask you to pay a fee. No fee placement agencies, such as Southern Teachers Agency and Carney Sandoe & Associates, hold on-campus interviews at Wake Forest. Check Handshake to find out when agencies will be interviewing.
Send out resumes
Some teachers recommend that you send unsolicited resumes to as many school districts as possible. You can locate the names, addresses, and other details of schools and school districts on the internet. If you don’t have a contact name, call the principal of the schools in which you are interested. Remember to customize each cover letter to the school system to which you are applying, and always follow up your mailings with a call. Whether or not there are positions available, at least you’ll get your name out there, and schools will keep your resume on file.
American Federation of Teachers
American Association for Employment in Education
National Education Association
Public Schools and School Districts
Independent School Management
Nation Job
K-12 Jobs
School Spring
Teachers-Teachers
Teach.com
U.S. Department of Education
The Educational Resources Information Center
National Association of Independent Schools
Southern Association of Independent Schools
U.S. Department of State Office of Overseas Schools
Traditionally, North Carolina’s public school teachers have come from formal teacher-education programs of in-state and out-of-state colleges and universities. However, today’s demand for teachers far exceeds the supply of new graduates from these traditional programs. “Alternate” routes to teaching were established by the North Carolina State Board of Education to help alleviate this shortage. These “non-traditional” or “alternate” routes to teaching were established for qualified individuals with college degrees outside the field of education who want to become teachers. Individuals interested in becoming teachers should contact the specific school system in which they want to teach to inquire about that particular system’s licensing options.
Lateral entry is an “alternate” route to teaching for qualified individuals outside of the public education system. Lateral entry allows qualified individuals to obtain a teaching position and begin teaching right away, while obtaining a license as they teach. The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction’s Licensure Section authorizes lateral-entry licenses on a provisional basis in licensure areas that correspond to the individual’s academic study.
The National Cathedral Elementary School (Beauvoir) Associate Teacher Program seeks current students or recent graduates interested in working in a program that will clarify their career goals and refine their pedagogical skills in a dynamic teaching environment in Washington, D.C. Click here to view program information.
TNTP Teaching Fellows is a highly competitive program which looks for accomplished professionals and recent graduates who aren’t yet certified as educators, but who possess the skills and knowledge to teach high-need subjects. In 2012, about 40 percent of Teaching Fellows taught special education, 15 percent taught science, 12 percent taught math, and 10 percent taught bilingual education.
TNTP Teaching Fellows offers a centralized application process to apply to their various nationwide teaching fellows programs, which include:
Baltimore City Teaching Residency
DC Teaching Fellows
Indianapolis Teaching Fellows
Nashville Teaching Fellows
NYC Teaching Fellows
TeachNOLA
Go to TNTP Teaching Fellows for more information about subject area needs and to compare programs.
The Stanwich School Associate Teacher Program seeks liberal arts majors interested in pursuing a career in education. Interns work beside a master teacher at The Stanwich School (a private, coed K-9 school in Greenwich, CT) for two years, earn their master’s degree, and have a teaching job waiting for them when they graduate. Interns receive an annual salary in addition to medical and dental benefits, plus assistance with graduate school tuition.
The NYC Department of Education’s Graduate Scholarship Program prepares participants to work in NYC public schools. The program provides full tuition for a masters degree in a designated critical shortage area (bilingual, bilingual school psychology, speech pathology, or visually impaired). In exchange, participants serve as a teacher or clinician and repay two years of service for each year of tuition assistance. Upon graduation, participants are placed in areas of high need in the city schools.
The Boettcher Teachers Program, an intensive, field-based, dual licensure and master’s degree program in Colorado designed to recruit, prepare, and retain outstanding teachers for urban schools, seeks prospective teachers in math, science, bilingual and elementary education, Spanish, English, and social studies. Participants earn their teaching license and master’s degree in urban education from the University of Denver, mostly paid for in exchange for a commitment to teach in partner districts’ high priority schools for a total of five years, including the teaching residency year. Benefits include a living stipend during the teaching residency year, ongoing collaboration through a network of urban teachers, and facilitated visits to classrooms of master teachers around the Denver metro area. No previous teaching experience is required. Spanish speakers are especially encouraged to apply.
Teach Kentucky recruits recent graduates from selective universities to teach in either urban or rural Kentucky public schools for two years while at the same time pursuing a Master of Arts in Teaching at the University of Louisville. Participants receive a competitive salary, health insurance, and tuition assistance.
The Math for America Fellowship is a five year program in that trains mathematically-talented individuals to become high school math teachers and supports them in the early years of their careers. Fellows receive a stipend, a full tuition scholarship to a masters level teacher preparation program, a position as a high school math teacher in Boston, Los Angeles, New York City, San Diego, Utah, and Washington, D.C., a teaching certification, and a teacher’s salary. During the first year of the program fellows are enrolled as full-time graduate students.
Inner City Teaching Corps is a two year program that places outstanding recent college graduates in teaching positions at inner-city Chicago elementary and middle schools. The program is based on the principles of service, simple living, faith-based community, and spirituality. Free housing, transportation, a monthly stipend, health insurance, student loan deferments, and master’s degree scholarship options are also included in the program.
Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowship offers rigorous teaching preparation, extensive clinical experience, and ongoing mentoring, as well as a $30,000 stipend. Fellows are outstanding college juniors and seniors, recent college graduates, and second-career professionals interested in teaching science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (the STEM fields) in high-need middle or secondary schools. Accepted Fellows begin their studies in the summer in a master’s degree program at institutions in Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. In exchange, Fellows will commit to teaching math or science in a high-need middle or high school for three years upon completing the master’s degree and teaching certification. Applications are usually due in January.
New Teachers Collaborative prepares participants with a strong college background in mathematics, science, the arts, English, humanities, history/social sciences, Spanish, or physical fitness/wellness for a teaching career. For two summer sessions and one academic year participants teach in a small middle or secondary school in Massachusetts as well as earn a teaching certificate. Participants pay no tuition and receive a stipend and benefits.
The MATCH Teacher Residency Program is a highly selective, urban education fellowship program in Boston. The MATCH school is often compared to Teach for America and the New York City Teaching Fellows Program. MATCH is a one year program and Corps members may work with elementary, middle or high school low-income, urban students. MATCH Corps members receive housing and a modest stipend.
Mississippi Teacher Corps is a competitive, alternate-route teaching program serving critical-shortage public school districts throughout Mississippi. The two-year program is designed for non-education majors to teach full-time in Mississippi schools in either the Mississippi Delta (rural) or Jackson (urban) areas while simultaneously earning a master’s degree in education from the University of Mississippi.
Citizen Schools is a network of after-school programs for middle school students in 38 locations across the country (in CA, IL, MA, NC, NJ, NM, NY, and TX). The Citizen Schools National Teaching Fellowship is a service program offering a two-year, leadership development experience, including service as a team leader at a Citizen Schools campus, professional development with a partner organization in the community, and the opportunity for optional enrollment in a pioneering master’s program in out-of-school learning. Proficiency in Spanish is a plus. The Fellowship is paid. Loan forbearance for qualified student loans is available through AmeriCorps.
The Brookwood Teacher Training Program in Manchester, MA is an intense study and work experience that entails one year of teaching experience, Massachusetts Initial Licensure, and a master’s degree in education. The program begins with a summer of graduate study at Lesley University and is followed by a nine-month teaching internship experience at Brookwood School, which includes part-time course work at Lesley. Brookwood School is an independent day school for grades pre-K through 8. Participants may earn licensure in early childhood education or elementary education.
Memphis Teaching Residency is a faith-based program that allows participants to combine theory (masters degree in urban education), practice (teaching internship), and support (personal coaching, housing, and $12,000 stipend) to transform Memphis urban classrooms.
The Mentor at Punahou Program (located in Honolulu, Hawaii) is an opportunity for aspiring teachers to work with experienced Punahou mentors who teach grades 9 – 12. This yearlong teaching program is designed to give support, training, and experience to college graduates who are considering teaching as a career. It is not an internship; participants in the MAP Program are fulltime members of the Punahou Academy faculty.
Greenwich Country Day School Co-Teacher Program employs 25 college graduates in a one- or two-year placement to teach under the mentorship of a lead teacher in a nursery through grade 3 classroom. Includes housing, benefits, and stipend. https://www.gcds.net/about/employment
Most of the creative roles—directors, writers, actors, composers, designers, cinematographers, and editors—are entry-level positions. So, if you want to become a writer or an actor, become one—writers only need a word processor and actors only need head shots and a subscription to BackStage.
Designers, composers, cinematographers, and editors should look to student and independent films to practice their craft and build up a reel. Unlike writers or actors, there are a variety of opportunities for these artisans to earn money and build contacts while “supporting their hobby.” Production designers can find work in art departments as art directors, coordinators, costumers, prop masters, set designers, and location scouts. Sound designers can work as sound transferrers, mixers, engineers, recording artists, Foley editors and so on. Cinematographers work as assistant cameramen and gaffers, and composers may work as orchestrators, conductors, music editors, and music supervisors. These positions are still competitive, but they can be acquired through standard job hunting methods: networking, informational interviews, classified ads, and working your way from one job to the next.
Between your day job and your career pursuit, you will be very busy. Unfortunately, you also need to promote yourself simultaneously. Acquiring an agent, lawyer, and manager will provide you with a stamp of legitimacy, but unless you’re extremely fortunate, these individuals will likely focus on their more prominent clients, leaving you to fend for yourself. Your next step is to cozy up to the individuals who can offer you work: producers, directors, casting agents, etc.
Art Search/Theatre Communications Group (See Career Development office for password)
4 Entertainment Jobs
Entertainers Worldwide Music Jobs
Entertainment Careers
Film & TV Connection
ShowBiz Ltd
Actors’ Equity Association
Offstage Jobs
Show Biz Jobs
Film & Television Workshops
TV and Radio Jobs
Broadcast Employment Services
Screen Actor’s Guild
Playbill
TheatreJobs.com (there is a fee)
Twin City Stage
Piedmont Triad Film Commission
Tar Heel Films
NC Film Office
Wilmington Regional Film Commission
RiverRun Film Festival
Reynolda Film Festival
Agency Pimp
As with most businesses that deal in artistic endeavors, the film and television industries don’t need to actively recruit new employees. Thousands of interested applicants clamor for jobs every year, hoping to break into the field. While blanketing production companies, networks, and studios with resumes is one way to get hired, there are other avenues of opportunity open to students looking to break into film and television:
Internships: Most major studios, networks, and production companies use interns, and those that don’t can often be easily convinced of the benefits of hiring cheap labor. State and local film commissions are a good way to find out about productions filming on location that might need some temporary (usually unpaid) interns or assistants. Although interns usually spend their time engaged in grunt work, few opportunities offer students a better chance to learn the inner workings of these industries. In addition, interning is an excellent way to make contacts and to discover unadvertised job openings.
The Trades: The trades are the daily and weekly newspapers and magazines, such as Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, that report on trends and happenings in film and television production. In this business, knowledge is power, and the trades are the primary sources of information concerning projects in development, company shakeups, and other sources of new opportunities. The trades list job openings, auditions submission requests, and upcoming film productions.
Networking: Contacts are the key to doing business within the film and television industries. As part of an insular community, entertainment professionals look to one another for help in arranging financing, setting up projects, or securing creative talent. Unfortunately for applicants, they also tend to look to insiders when filling available job openings. Networking will allow you to make contacts who can assist you in breaking into the field.
Independent Productions: The success of low-budget, independent feature films has resulted in an unprecedented rise in the number of such projects. Independent productions offer those with little or no experience the chance to work on both short-subject and feature-length films. While the pay is often low, especially given the long work hours, the opportunity for recognition and advancement is far greater on these smaller, less rigid production crews than on industry sets.
Film School: Although receiving an undergraduate or graduate degree in film production won’t guarantee you a place inside the Hollywood community, it can provide you with a chance to gain contacts and educate yourself in the technical aspects of film. That said, unless you have an unquenchable passion for structured learning and enough money to cover tuition and living expenses, your time will likely be better spent interning, enrolling in a shorter training program, or looking for a job immediately upon graduating. You can always decide to go to film school, but if you find the right job, you’ll never want to.
Translators and Interpreters enable the cross-cultural communication necessary in today’s society by converting one language into another. Although some people do both, interpretation and translation are different professions.
Translators convert written materials from one language into another.
Interpreters convert one spoken language into another.
American Translators Association – Information on translation and interpretation professions. This association offers accreditation to translators. Website includes job postings and list of regional chapters. There is a membership fee to join the association.
Language Automation – Language Automation is located in the Silicon Valley and is a provider of translation services (especially Japanese) for the videogame, Web, and software industries.
The American Association of Language Specialists – This association represents language specialists working at the international level, either at conferences or in permanent organizations, and determines their qualifications and standards. It includes a membership of interpreters and translators based in many countries, which may be useful for networking.
The National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators – NAJIT is a non-profit organization dedicated to the court interpreting and legal translation profession. General information about the profession is included in the “Frequently Asked Questions” section.
National Council on Interpreting in Health Care – The NCIHC is a multidisciplinary organization whose mission is to promote culturally competent professional health care interpreting. Forsyth Tech offers medical interpreting classes using NCIHC’s guidelines.
American Literary Translators Association – ALTA is dedicated to the promotion of literary translation through services to literary translators, forums on the theory and practice of translation, collaboration with the international literary community, and advocacy on behalf of the literary translator. A link to ALTA Guides to Literary Translation offers practical advice for both beginning and experienced translators.
International Medical Interpreters Association – With over 2,000 members, who provide interpreting services in over 70 languages, the IMIA is the oldest and largest medical interpreter association in the country.
Department of State Language Services – Language Services facilitates communication with non-English speaking governments and people by providing high-level interpreting (spoken word) and translating (written word) support to the Executive Office of the President, the Department of State and other federal agencies.