For Students

Whether you're planning on applying for graduate school or a job, The Career Learning Lab staff provides personalized support to help students and alumni explore their next steps. 
Find out more about career options, develop job or internship search plans, and address career-related concerns. 

Graduate and professional schools often vary in terms of academics, faculty, students, location, costs, and admission processes. Finding the right program is very important. Our staff will help you sort through various information and assist you with each step of the application process, which includes helping you with GRE, GMAT, and MAT preparation. Students interested in law school will be referred to the Pre-Law Institute and students interested in medical school will be referred to the Department of Sciences.
Drop-In sessions timings can be viewed here.

Not sure how your courses connect to real jobs and internships?

The Integrated Academic & Career Maps give you a step-by-step plan that links your courses with career milestones. From building your résumé to applying for internships and growing your network, each map shows what to do and when to do it. Paired with tools like Handshake and VMock, this keeps you on track and helps you graduate career ready.

Most importantly, these milestones support every John Jay student - even if your major’s map isn’t live yet.

Click here to find out more here!

The Academic Internship Program provides students the opportunity to participate in meaningful experiences that connect their educational foundation in the field with real-world responsibilities. At the Career Learning Lab, we help students with that process. 

Academic Internship Courses

Image

Image

Student Responsibility:

1. To search for and secure an appropriate internship experience
2. To maintain good attendance at internships and to notify their supervisor of absences
3. To set learning goals acceptable to their organization and the college
4. To show progress in learning appropriate specialized work skills
5. To accurately document all internship site hours in their John Jay Careers Online account
6. To complete all assigned paperwork for the Academic Internship Program

Our Responsibility:

1. To assist students in selecting appropriate internships
2. To assist students in preparing for the internship search process
3. To consult with employer supervisors, in the event of a problem, at the internship site
4. To maintain accurate records of internship sites, student documents, and course registrations

For more information on the Academic Internship Program or how to apply, email: internships@jjay.cuny.edu.

If networking is the most important tool to a successful job search or career advancement, your resume is your professional calling card.  It is a critical tool to ensuring that your application is pulled to the top of the candidate pool.  We encourage all students to develop a resume as soon as they arrive at John Jay College, and you should always attach a cover letter to that resume.  To that end, our staff is always available through drop-in sessions to review, edit, and suggest revisions to your resume or cover letters. Drop-In sessions timings can be viewed here.

Employer Information Sessions - The Career Learning Lab maintains connections with over 4400 employers ranging from federal, state, and local agencies to community-based nonprofits to large, private corporations. Many times, throughout the semester, these employers will come to campus and speak with groups of students about their organization, the recruitment requirements, and advancement opportunities. These information sessions are a wonderful opportunity for you to find out more about the various employers that regularly hire John Jay graduates!

Career Panels - Throughout the fall and spring academic terms, the Career Learning Lab will hold special events devoted to your career exploration featuring alumni and employers who will speak about the issues, needs, and requirements relevant to their industries. Whether you are still thinking about what jobs you’re interested in or are certain of your next step, these events will provide the information and opportunity to network that will be critical to your success! These events are listed on our calendar on Handshake. 

The Career Learning Lab at John Jay College hosts CareerCon five times each academic year, with two-day, industry-aligned recruitment fairs held in both the fall and spring semesters. Each fair focuses on a specific industry, bringing together employers, law schools, and graduate programs to actively recruit John Jay students for internships, full-time positions, and advanced study opportunities.

Undergraduate students, graduate students, and alumni will gain direct access to organizations seeking talent, while learning about the open roles, hiring timelines, qualifications, and professional skills most valued in their fields. CareerCon provides a streamlined pathway for students to connect academic goals with career and graduate school outcomes.

Here are the CareerCon fairs for the 2025–2026 academic year:

Fall 2025

• Law & Legal Professions – October 15^th and 16^th, 2025
• Technology & Marketing – November 18^th and 19^th, 2025

Spring 2026

• Finance & Consulting – February 4^th and 5^th, 2026
• Healthcare and Community & Social Services – February 17^th and 18^th, 2026
• Education – March 25^th and 26^th, 2026

To learn more and register for one or more CareerCon fairs, click on the links above. For additional support, contact the Career Learning Lab via email at careers@jjay.cuny.edu.

A fellowship is a great way to deepen your understanding of how theory relates to practice while gaining a strong supportive network. They are highly selective specialized programs that support small cohorts of students and introduce them to rigorous academic and practical challenges. A fellowship can be a steppingstone into a career since student fellows are exposed to many networking opportunities and are sought by recruiting employers. These are usually paid opportunities that can range from a one- to three-year commitment. They also often have a course or credit associated with the program.

• You can also receive notifications and updates of available fellowships by subscribing to the fellowship's lists.

On-campus leadership experiences are a great way to demonstrate to future employers your ability to take on and be trusted with high-level responsibilities. With most roles, you will develop a range of important skills such as time management, public speaking, team management, and event planning. They are great for busy students because of the work schedule flexibility and the networking opportunities that come with working on campus.

Here are a few to get started in your search:

• Peer Success Coach
• Sophomore Peer Leader
• Peer Academic Advisor
• Student Council/Government
• Student Organization/Club Executive Board membership
• Federal Work Study

John Jay has seen a recent rise in phishing scams, especially those targeting students with fake job opportunities. Click here to know more and for tips on how to spot and avoid these scams!

Discover what’s shaping your future! Real-world career trends, insights, and ideas you actually want to read.

Click here for the latest articles, career trends, and insights on today's world of work.

Explore this month's calendar of employer info sessions, skill-building workshops, and exclusive career opportunities available on Handshake.

Click here for the calendar!