Frequently Asked Questions about CSO Resources

1. What does a career services office do?

At HGSE, the Career Services Office provides career management tools and programs, job search advice, and employment outreach for students and alumni at any phase in their career development whether skills assessment and resume help is needed for that first job, evaluating a career change at a senior level position, or to meet hiring needs.

2. As an alumni, can I use CSO services? If so, what do those services entail?

All our services and resources, and most events, are available to alumni for a small fee of $40/year. Explore our website, or view the answers to student FAQs, for an overview of all our services. If you live beyond the Greater Boston area, we offer phone appointments with career advisors and accept the annual fee by mail in the form of a check made out to Harvard University.

3. How do I get involved in hiring and recruiting students?

Signing up as a Professional Connection Volunteer with Crimson Compass, Harvard's online career networking service, offers alumni many opportunities to share professional experiences and expertise with students and fellow alumni who are just starting out, applying to graduate school, or changing careers. We also encourage alumni to meet their employment needs by taking advantage of our on campus recruiting, employer expos, and job posting through Hired.

4. How can I effectively use networking in my job search?

There are many ways to connect with interesting job opportunities. Conducting informational interviews not only provides useful hints and direction to your search but increases your visibility to members of your preferred industry or field. Networking opportunities at HGSE include Career Expos and Information Sessions. We also suggest volunteering or interning at an organization in your chosen industry or reaching out to those you respect in your field to participate in projects or research relevant to your goals. One way to prepare for networking is by reviewing our Tips Handouts on informational interviewing and networking.

5. I'm thinking of a career change. What should I do?

Make an appointment with a career advisor to discuss your interests and plans. It is also helpful, but unnecessary, to do some reflection prior to your appointment. Consider what kind of change you want to make--do you want to make a functionally based change within the same industry, or switch industries althogether?

For a change in job function:

• Consider your competencies (skills, knowledge, qualifications, experiences), interests (what you are passionate about and what skills you enjoy using most of the time) and values (what you need to get from work to feel fulfilled).
• Consult websites and books available that can help you reflect on these areas.
• Research job functions through Hired and other resources such as the Directories
  section of the CSO website.
• Conduct informational interviews with alumni at organizations of interest to learn about job function possibilities and how your experiences match up.
• Do a Gap Analysis offered on the Search Tools section of our website to see how your skills, knowledge and qualifications align to the job requirements and determine if you need additional training--or if your job of interest is feasible at this point.

For a change in industry:

• Research industries and organizations through Hired, or resources such as the Organization Profiles Index on the CSO website.
• Conduct informational interviews with alumni at organizations of interest for insight into the industry culture and job search advice.
• View the answers to student FAQs for additional information about resources, connecting with alumni, and

.