Career Advancement
Lifetime Support for Career Advancement
A benefit of being a graduate of Wellesley College is continued access to Career Education resources. Dedicated Alumnae Career Advisors and Industry Advisors are here to help you navigate your career journey, make meaningful connections, overcome obstacles, and celebrate success at every stage.
We offer one-on-one advising, resume and cover letter reviews, interview practice, professional development webinars, and advice on new trends that will impact your job search process. Our experienced staff can work with you to address whatever you are facing, including making a career pivot/change, advancing in your current career field, re-entering the workforce, or finding an “encore career” after retirement.
Connect using Handshake and The Wellesley Hive
Alumnae maintain lifelong access to Career Education technology platforms. Handshake is Wellesley's online platform for finding jobs/internships and making appointments with advisors. The Wellesley Hive is an interactive virtual space for professional networking and mentorship with other Wellesley alums and current students. For ease of use and security, your Wellesley username and password are required to log in to both platforms.
Fall 2023 Alumnae Programs
Conversation with Susan Freeman ‘79
Webinar with the author of of Inner Switch: 7 Timeless Principles to Transform Modern Leadership
Thurs, Sept. 21 • Noon – 1:00 PM ET
Susan Freeman, MBA, PCC, NCC, is an executive coach, team coach, author, sought-after speaker, and leadership development consultant who brings more than three decades of corporate, entrepreneurial, and nonprofit business management and leadership experience to her clients. Through Susan’s unique Inner Switch™ method, leaders learn how to shift from simply “doing” in the world to first “being” within themselves so they can then authentically influence others.
LinkedIn Toolbox: Boost Your Career with Proven Strategies and Tools
Alumnae Webinar with Susan Wojewoda ‘96
Thurs, Oct. 26, 2023 • 12–1 PM ET
In this workshop, we will review the four essential components of any LinkedIn profile and understand how to maximize them to drive visibility and connections. We will also discuss some of the features offered by LinkedIn to enhance your profile and increase your presence in searches.
Mentorship Affinity Pod (MAP) Program
The MAP program is an ongoing commitment to mentorship at Wellesley, which matches alums and students in virtual groups based on career interests and shared identities. The goal of this program is to create supportive mentorship connections that foster participants’ sense of belonging, identity development, values, exploration of possible career paths, and connectedness within the larger Wellesley community. Designed to support personal and professional development and growth, mentorship groups will provide opportunities to ask questions, seek guidance, share stories and resources, and offer informal networks for career development.
The MAP program will run from February to June 2024 and is open to all current Wellesley sophomores, juniors, seniors, and alums.
Designing Your Life Working Group
Tuesdays, October 17, 24, 31 • Noon – 1:30 PM ET
This group is for alums who want to make a change, but need inspiration to figure out what that change might be. Using design thinking principles from the books Designing Your Life and Designing Your Work Life, Dana Keep and Becky King will lead the group through instructional materials and exercises to help participants ‘build their way forward’ and clarify a new direction. Space is limited and we ask that participants commit to all three sessions for cohesiveness and continuity of conversation. If you are interested, please register below by October 1st and send a brief paragraph describing what you are hoping to design or redesign.
Drop-In Events
‘Ask a Career Coach’ Drop-In Series
We will continue our informal ‘Ask a Career Coach’ drop-in sessions. You probably have questions if you are an alumna in career transition – looking for a new industry or position, contemplating graduate study, navigating a role change or promotion, returning to the workforce, or planning for an engaged retirement. We invite you to put these dates on your calendar and join us with a question or two. Chances are, others share your question and when Wellesley alums come together there is inevitable sharing and support! There is no formal agenda or presentation in these sessions; we’re here to respond to career questions and offer ideas and perspectives to help in your transition.
- Thursday, October 12 • Noon – 1:00 PM ET
- Tuesday, December 5 • Noon – 1:00 PM ET
Registration is not necessary and participants can drop in via this Zoom link.
Are you re-entering the workforce? (new cohort drop-in series)
For those returning to the workforce from time away, we are trying something new this fall. We will facilitate three drop-in sessions for people to join with questions about their own re-entry journey and to crowdsource ideas and support from fellow alums (as well as Becky King and Dana Keep, alum career advisors). These sessions will be discussion-based and open to whatever would be most helpful for participants.
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Thursdays, November 2, 9, 16 • Noon – 1:30 pm ET
Registration is not necessary and participants can drop in via this Zoom link.
Retirement/Encore Career drop-in discussion
Alumnae career advisors Becky King and Dana Keep will host another drop-in discussion focusing on workplace topics. This fall we will explore how to have an engaged retirement.
- Tuesday, September 19 • Noon – 1:00 PM ET
Below are a few resources below to get you thinking, and we’ll gather for a thought provoking conversation.
How to Start an Encore Career, MoneyGeek
Seven Ways to Find Your Purpose in Life, Greater Good
7 Tips for Finding Your Purpose in Life, VeryWell Mind
Registration is not necessary and participants can drop in via this Zoom link.
Opportunities for Alums to Engage with Students via Internships
Interested in creating an internship for a Wellesley student, or sharing an existing opportunity with the Wellesley network? This helpful resource outlines how.
Alumnae Career Advancement Team
Alumnae Career Advisors are here for one-on-one advising about career pivots, re-entry into the workforce, resume and cover letter reviews, interview practice, and more. You can schedule an appointment to meet with an Alumnae Career Advisor through Handshake using your Wellesley credentials.
Industry-Specific Advisors
Career Education's Industry-specific Advisors can provide industry expertise for alumnae exploring specific career paths, whether looking to break into a new field or advance in their industries with a competitive edge. Make an appointment on Handshake using your Wellesley credentials.
Resources
Our advisors have written a series of resources to jumpstart your research on a variety of career topics. Browse the links below, and schedule an appointment in Handshake to explore further!
Alumnae Webinars
Wellesley Career Education hosts professional development webinars to support alums at every career stage, often in partnership with alumnae who offer expertise on a specific topic. An archive of past webinars is housed below.
You can also watch a full playlist of our Alum Webinars on Youtube!
Mentor Students & Connect with the Wellesley network!
The Wellesley Hive is a flexible, interactive virtual space for professional networking and mentorship. Through this Wellesley-exclusive platform, you can connect with alums and students as a mentor, mentee, or both. Log in to the Wellesley Hive using your Wellesley credentials, and follow the guided process to customize your involvement and improve your connections.
Alums and students are connected to The Wellesley Hive, Wellesley’s Mentorship Platform
Countries with members connected to The Wellesley Hive
Fellowships for Alumnae
Fellowships serve as an investment in individuals, for opportunities like:
• studying a language
• conducting academic research
• completing a service project
• pursuing graduate study
• designing and executing an independent project
As an alumna, you still have access to Wellesley Fellowship Program resources and advice from our team. Let us help you make the most of them!
“It’s worth keeping in mind that most great careers don’t follow a blueprint. History is studded with late bloomers and second-chancers.”
Rejoining the Workforce
Many women find it challenging to prepare a resume after being home for several years. Do not discount the value of work that you have been doing, even if it has not been a formal or paid job. This resource will provide an overview for women returning to the workforce and working parents.
Job Searching After 50
This resource outlines considerations for job searching over 50, including tailored advice for your writing your resume, networking, and interviewing.
“I think art’s first goal is to remind us that we are human...”
