Career Services | Career Resources

Quick links: SAISWorks | Self-Assessment & Marketing Resources | Career Research & Networking Resources | Internship Resources |Job Search Resources | Fellowship Resources | International Student Resources | Outside Career Development Resources | General List of Resources

Career Services has a variety of resources that can be useful to students and alumni for career planning, networking, and job hunting.   Many of these resources are Web-based, but we also have many resources in hard copy in our offices.   Whether you are a beginning student, a second year, MIPP, or an alumnus/a, there is something here for you. Below is a list of our resources which are grouped into categories based on student and alumni needs. 

Click on the following if you would rather see a General List of Resources.

Career Service’s online database is not only a primary source for SAIS job and internship postings for students and alumni, it also houses a number of primary resources for career research.  Some of the key features include:

• Job and Internship Listings – this database is searchable by region, industry, sector, level and concentration.
• Resume Postings – students can upload resumes and other documents for submission to Career Services organized resume collections.
• Search agents – a module that automatically e-mails a user-defined list of opportunities.
• Employer Profiles -- for organizations with whom Career Services has a relationship that students can use when exploring sectors and employers.
• Job Leads – listings of previous job and internship postings to explore potential positions.
• Internship Reports and Evaluations – users can complete an online form that Career Services compiles into an annual report that students can use to explore potential internship opportunities.
• Event Calendar & RSVP – students can see a calendar of career-related events and electronically RSVP; the system will then automatically e-mail a reminder the day before the event.

For more detailed information on how to use SAISWorks, you can download  Quick Tips or the Student User’s Guide.  If you are a current student or registered alumni, Click here to go to the log-in page.   If you are a SAIS graduate and would like to use SAISWorks and other Career Services, please go to the Alumni Page. The system is only open to matriculated full-time students and graduates of Washington DC, Bologna and Nanjing.

Whether you are a prospective student, current student or returning alumnus, Career Services has a number of resources available for self assessment.  These include:

• Self Assessment Guide and Working Statement Worksheet – These resources can help guide you through the self-assessment process to explore how your interest, skills, and values align with sectors, jobs and employers.
• Professional Development Plan – Use this worksheet to define your professional objectives, list top employers and note professional development needs. Please complete before meeting with a counselor.
• Recommended Two-Year Action Plan – An example of the step-by-step process for the job search.
• Counseling Meeting – Current students and registered alumni can meet with a counselor to discuss career options and strategy.
• Assessments – Career Services staff members are qualified to administer and review three online assessments, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), CareerLeader, and International Career Direction Assessment (ICDA); students can take these assessments online and then meet with a counselor to review how the results may impact their career development.  These assessments are only available to current, full-time students.
• Career Library – Career Services has a selection of books on career assessment, as well as a variety of books on how to develop a general, international, or sector-specific resume.
• SAIS Resume Template Guide – This is a set of guidelines for a template that SAIS students use for networking, resume books and resume collections.
• General Resume Guide – This is a guide for developing a general resume which includes suggestions for sector-specific resumes.

There are a variety of resources available to students as you are researching sectors of interest.  Part of this research involved online and review of sector and employer information, as well as meeting with individuals in the field.  Below are some of the primary resources:

Career Research

• APSIA Career Guide – This is a guide created by the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs (APSIA) for the fields commonly entered by students with an International Relations Degree.
• 2007 SAIS Employment Outcomes – Collected from our annual Employment Survey, these are statistics on the fields and employers that SAIS grads have gone to in recent years.
• SAIS Sector Profiles – Developed from the APSIA Career Guide, these profiles have been developed by Career Services staff, clubs, student workers and alumni to provide more in-depth information on fields and employers of interest most common for SAIS students.
• SAISWorks Employers Section – Current students and registered alumni can use the Employers Section (top menu) in SAISWorks to explore the employers that have posted jobs and internships with SAIS, or have alumni and professionals that have been involved with Career Services in the past.
• Vault Guides – An excellent source for exploring various fields and specific employers. Vault Guides are best used for exploring careers in the private sector.  Current students and registered alumni can access these guides online via SAISworks (link on left-side of main page).  We also have a selection of Vault Guides in our Career Library.
• Wetfeet Guides – These are another set of guides on various fields.  These may also be accessed through SAISWorks (link on left-side of main page) or by clicking the link above; availability is limited to IP addresses in SAIS Career Services or any of the JHU Libraries.
• Career Library – We have a variety of additional sector area resources for exploring employers and contacts in all sectors. 

Networking

• Networking Guide – This resource provides an overview for building a professional network including a step-by-step guide for setting up informational interviews and sample e-mail communications. 
• InCircle– A JHU-wide database of alumni. 
• Meet with a Counselor – Career Staff can provide guidance on the process and names of alumni that are willing to help students learn about their field, employers and job-search process.

When looking for internship opportunities or looking for additional funding, Career Services has a number of resources that can help the process.

• Internship Handout - Check out this guide to the internship-seeking process, which covers why, when and how to find an internship.
• Meet with a Counselor – Review your search strategy, brainstorm new ideas or look for contacts working with employers of interest.
• Summer Internship Fund - The Summer Internship Fund provides partial financial assistance to first-year students with confirmed unpaid full-time internships. Awards are intended to supplement student resources to meet the general costs of their internship.
• Summer Internship Evaluation Surveys - Review the results of past Summer Internship Evaluation Surveys.  Each individual survey contains contact information, a description of duties, and an evaluation of the merits of the internship. The most current and past surveys can be found on SAISWorks.
• Summer Travel Safety Information - Tips on how to travel safely during your internship. Please note that you must use your JHED ID and password to access this site.
• SAIS Sector Profiles - Developed from the APSIA Career Guide, these profiles have been gathered by Career Services staff, clubs, student workers and alumni to provide more in-depth information on fields and employers of interest most common for SAIS students; the guides provide both general information on internships and links to top employers.
• APSIA Career Guides - A guide created by the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs (APSIA) for fields commonly entered by students with an international relations degree; some profiles include field specific tips on internships and links to top-employer websites.
• Career Library - Review the Career Library's resources on internships and fellowships.
• InterviewStream -
• General Job and Internship Search Engines – A list of useful links for Job Listings & Listserv pages.
• International Job and Internship Search Engines – A list by region of Job Listings and ListServs from around the world.
• Fellowship Links - Search research, internship, and fellowship opportunities by month of deadline.

Career Services has resources that can help you at all stages of your job search from exploring options to refining your marketing materials to practicing for an interview.  There are also specific resources for students looking in the US market, as well as internationally.

• Meet with a Counselor – Review your job-search strategy, brainstorm new ideas or look for contacts in employers of interest (limited to full-time students & registered alumni)
• Written Communication Career Guides – A set of handouts on resumes, cover letters, e-mail and thank-you letters.
• Verbal Communication Career Guides – Information on networking, interviews, and negotiating salaries.
• Mock Interviews – Schedule a time with a counselor to practice your interview (limited to full-time students & registered alumni).
• Career Library - Review the Career Library's resources on everything from resumes, to interviews, to negotiating salaries.
• General Job and Internship Search Engines – A list of useful links for Job Listings & ListServ pages.
• International Job and Internship Search Engines – A list by region of Job Listings and ListServs from around the world.
• Vault Guides – An excellent source for exploring specific employers or to get general tips for your job search.  It is best for exploring careers in the private sector.  Open to full-time students and registered alumni; access these guides online via SAISworks (link on left-side of main page).  We also have a selection of Vault Guides in our Career Library.
• Wetfeet Guides – These are another set of guides on various employers.  These can be accessed by clicking on the link above; availability is limited to IP addresses in SAIS Career Services or any of the JHU Libraries.

• Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program – The PMF is a two-year, post-graduate program for MA, MIPP, or PhD graduates interested in a career in the analysis and management of public policies and programs in the federal government.
• Rosenthal Fellowship - Provides the opportunity to spend the summer working with a member of Congress or at the State Department on foreign affairs issues.  Stipend of $1,800 awarded.
• General Fellowship Links - Search research and fellowship opportunities by month of deadline.

• Going Global Guides – A reference database that is a research tool with more than 10,000 resources for finding international employment at home and abroad.  Different country chapters contain recommended Web sites, detailed resource descriptions, insider tips and professional advice for vital employment topics.  Access this resource through SAISWorks.
• International Job Search Engines - A list by region of Job Listings and ListServs from around the world.
• SAIS Alumni Clubs – A list of SAIS Alumni Clubs and contact information for club leaders around the world.
• Career Services Library – Several good resources for your international job search.
• International Students' Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

• Career Information – A list of different websites that provide general career information.
• Professional Associations – Links to a variety of Professional Associations with which some Career Clubs and students have been affiliated.  Many also have good sector-specific resources and events.
• General Job and Internship Search Engines – A list of useful links for Job Listings & ListServ pages.