Student Success Stories

What helped you to achieve this career outcome?

A habit of keeping active communication that I learned from my academic advisor and  career consultant

What excites you about your new job/organization?

Great research resources, excellent supervisor and postdoc program

Looking back on your job search experience, what advice would you give to current students?

You may need a little bit of luck but it often comes after you used all your bullets and tried your best.

What helped you to achieve this career outcome?

I took advantage of several of the services offered by Career Services, such as reviews of my cover letters and CVs. In addition, I completed mock interviews within the Theology department. I also attended and presented papers at numerous conferences in my area, which helped me get to develop relationships within my field.

What excites you about your new position?

Using my Theology degree to teach seminarians and lay people seeking to serve the Church and advance the common good.

Looking back on your job search experience, what advice would you give to current students?

Start thinking about the job search very early in your time at Notre Dame, and take advantage of all the resources on campus to help get you ready!

What helped you to achieve this career outcome?

I began by using Graduate Career Services' career exploration and assessment tools to reflect deeply on my values, skills, and experiences. Then I sought out advice and perspective from mentors through informational interviews and one-on-one consultations. Finally, I focused on a relatively small number of job openings so that I could dedicate time to tailoring my application materials to each position.

What excites you about your new position?

Living back in my home state, contributing to an office that values work-life balance, and working one-on-one with students as they discern their academic and life paths.

Looking back on your job search experience, what advice would you give to current students?

Build a team of mentors who will provide you with encouragement, honest feedback, and valuable life experience. Learn how to tell your professional story, drawing connections between your various academic and extracurricular activities and the position you're applying for. Know what truly matters to you in work and life, and don't compromise on those values. Be kind to yourself, stay open to new possibilities, and approach things one day at a time.

What helped you to achieve this career outcome?

1:1 Career Consulting with Career Services and Notre Dame Career Fair

What excites you about your new position?

The position will allow me to implement many of the entrepreneurial skills that I gained at Notre Dame in a corporate environment. I am excited to be responsible for my own category of products and provide customers with items that can turn a house into a home.

Looking back on your job search experience, what advice would you give to current students?

Put yourself out there. Never be too afraid to reach out to ND alumni, grab coffee with a professor on campus, or hop on the phone with strangers you reached out to on LinkedIn. I did all of these and they helped me sift through various job opportunities and ultimately make the decision to move to Omaha to pursue a career with a well known e-commerce company.

What helped you to achieve this career outcome?

I was a constant participant in the seminars hosted by the Kaneb center. I took advantage of one-on-one sessions with consultants at the Kaneb center and the career center (Kristi Rudinga and Liz Loughran, respectively). I participated in education-related conferences including BCCE (Biennial Conference on Chemical Education) and MACTLAC (Midwestern Association of Chemistry Teachers in Liberal Arts Colleges) and took advantage of teaching-focused sessions at ACS (American Chemical Society) meetings. I also took advantage of mentorship through AWIS.

What excites you about your new job/organization?

I am so excited to be going home to my Alma Mater as a professor. I have a heart for teaching and I can't wait to share my experience with students at Bethel University. 

Looking back on your job search experience, what advice would you give to current students?

Take advantage of the resources provided through the University and be on the lookout for things that interest you. 

What helped you to achieve this career outcome?

Meeting with Liz Loughran, the online resources for graduate students.

What excites you about your new job/organization?

Lots of interesting problems to solve and things to learn.

Looking back on your job search experience, what advice would you give to current students

Apply early and often. And you get better at interviewing the more interviews you have.

What helped you to achieve this career outcome?

Regular meetings with Graduate Career Services and informational interviews with enFocus employees and other professionals at Notre Dame and in the South Bend area helped me gauge the opportunity at enFocus and compare it to others I was considering.

What excites you about your new job/organization?

I am excited to use the breadth of skills I cultivated as a PhD student while interacting with clients on a frequent basis and to solve community problems as part of a diverse team that is focused on innovation and entrepreneurial ideas.

Looking back on your job search experience, what advice would you give to current students?

Start early and conduct as many informational interviews as you can.

What helped you to achieve this career outcome?

I worked with Graduate Career Services in a few main areas. First, we discussed what I valued in a career and what types of options aligned with that. This type of professional discernment was very useful for me because I had previously only prepared myself for the academic job market, which turned out not to be what I wanted. Second, I attended a career fair to interact with employers from multiple sectors and to see which jobs appealed to me. Finally, I met several times with Graduate Career Services to learn how to most effectively translate my research experience into effective resumes and interview strategies. 

What excites you about your new job/organization?

As a sociologist who specialized in computational methods, I am fortunate enough to combine my passion for both social science and data science to produce rigorous research that has tangible impacts. NORC is also an amazing organization, one that maintains a warm environment among colleagues while also encouraging innovation and excellence. 

Looking back on your job search experience, what advice would you give to current students?

I think the advice that would have been the most helpful to me is this: even if you think you know what career you want, explore the possibilities. I entered Notre Dame certain that I wanted to be a professor, and, while that can be a great career, it wasn’t until I was almost done with my degree that I realized other options better align with my interests. By that time, I had to play catch-up in acquiring knowledge of possible careers and then how to most appropriately convey my experience in an appealing way for these kinds of jobs.