Employment Data

This week, the Graduate Student Career Development (GSCD) Office released its latest set of employment data.  Every year, GSCD surveys the most recent alumni six months after their graduation to collect information on where they are employed, how much they are earning, and. what types of experience they had before attending the Elliott School.

You can find the full survey results on our website, but below are some of the highlights  (93% of graduating students responded to the survey).

90% of respondents were employed at the time of submission.  An additional 4% were continuing their education in a variety of programs.

34% of graduates are now working in the non-profit sector; 31% in the private sector; and 35% in the public sector.

52% of those students in the private sector are working in consulting or government contracting  positions.

You can also find data from the last five years of the survey on our website.  We are incredibly proud of our alumni and the important work that they are doing all over the world!

On the fifth day of Elliott School…

Five Graduate Student Career Development Staff

The Elliott School Graduate Student Career Development team is a great resource for our current students and alumni.  They are experts in career coaching, employer relations, and career advice.

The Graduate Student Career Development teams organizes events throughout the year bringing around one hundred employers to campus.  Our students are able to access a growing network of alumni and other contacts in D.C. and around the world.

For the graduating class of 2011, 91% of graduated students were employed while 4% continued on to further education.research. Our students would not be as successful without the resources of the Graduate Student Career Development staff!

Guest Blog: M.I.P.P. student, Ronny Carlton

We recently asked Ronny Carlton, a current M.I.P.P. (our mid-career program) student, to explain why he chose the Elliott School, his program and what he has enjoyed so far.  Read what he has to say!

What drew you to the Elliott School and the M.I.P.P. program?

I’d started working on Capitol Hill almost immediately after my undergrad in 1998.  But after more than a decade as a legislative aide, it felt like the time was ripe to finally fulfill my crazy dream to get that grad degree in international affairs.

It really wasn’t hard to choose the Elliott School.  If you look at the top international affairs graduate schools in the nation, D.C. is home to several.   Like most prospective grad students, I took the time to meet with the Admissions offices for each in our fair city.  The Elliott School was among the first I visited, and I immediately had the sense that it would be my top choice.

The admissions office was extremely welcoming and informative.  I could not have been more impressed with their knowledge and ability to answer questions – even those I didn’t know to ask, the “unknown unknowns” so to speak.  It was clear how proud they were of the school, and I, frankly, needed the “hand-holding” they provided to explain the particulars of the MIPP program and the admissions process.

I was also really attracted to the Elliott School’s course offerings.  There are so many interesting classes one can take that it can sometimes be a challenge keeping within the number of credit hours available per semester!

The real deal-sealer for me was the “practitioner” aspect of the Elliott School faculty.  It is incredible how many of my professors were full time employees at one of the agencies in the foreign policy sector.  These folks really know their stuff because many of them live it day-in and day-out.  I can’t imagine too many schools can lay claim to such an array of on-the-job talent.

Who has been your favorite professor so far?

I’m tempted to name either of the two I currently have classes with!  Actually, Yvonne Captain, the M.I.P.P. director, was among the best professors I’ve had, and she has been an outstanding mentor.  The M.I.P.P. Seminar which she led was fascinating.  She brought in ambassadors, scientists, business professionals, and others who brought unique angles on U.S. foreign policy.  It was a true eye-opener every week.  If I could, I would take that class again in a heartbeat!

What advice do you have for enrolling students?

Get to know the expert at advisors at the Graduate Student Career Development Center (GSCDC).  Meet with them early, and meet with them often!  It is a fantastic resource, not only for learning about job openings but also discussing how to strengthen your resume and improve interview skills.  It’s great stuff!

Where do you hope to be after graduating?

If all goes as planned, in just three months, I’ll receive my Master’s in International Policy & Practice from the Elliott School.  It’s hard to believe that the finish line is so close!  I couldn’t have hoped for a better experience.

Honestly, I don’t have a single place in mind.  Right now, I’m pursuing a couple of fellowship opportunities (thanks to the Elliott School), and I’ll take the Foreign Service exam later this fall.   Where I land is an open question, but I’m confident that the Elliott School has prepared me for whatever is next.

Thanks so much Ronny for your thoughts!  We really appreciate it and wish you well in your future!

 

October Open House

We are less than one month away from our first on-campus open house of the season!

On October 11, we will welcome prospective graduate students to the Elliott School.  We will discuss the unique and vast opportunities all of our programs have to offer including Graduate Student Career Development, skills courses, international education experiences, and much more! Meet faculty and students from all of the programs and learn why they chose the Elliott School.

If you would like to participate, please RSVP at go.gwu.edu/october. And as always, please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions at esiagrad@gwu.edu or (202) 994-7050.

Can’t make it on October 11? Come to our second on-campus open house on November 13 or visit us at a graduate school fair!

We look forward to meeting you!

Reporting Back on the Job Search Strategy Group

Hello again! I’m writing to report back to you about the job search strategy group.

I have to be honest- I imagined two scenarios for this meeting. In the first, a bunch of disgruntled alums sit around the table seeking solace in each other’s job search failures, hoping to make a networking connection with a newbie to the group. In the other scenario, I envisioned newly minted graduate students eager to get their feet wet in the DC job market but lacking little direction or idea as to how to go about it. I’m happy to report that the job search strategy group was neither of these. It had form and structure, with a guest speaker who had some tips I could really use.

Imagine this:  an Elliott School alum performing due diligence for a private sector company shares her entire job search process, how she came to her current position and offers her own contact information to share with the group. She even volunteered to review our resumes to see if they would fit the needs of her company. I was pretty impressed!

Following the alum’s talk, each person described where they are in the job search process. As a group, we shared ideas and discussed strategy that responded to each individual’s needs. I came away with a couple of good pointers. See below.

1. Set a goal for yourself each week (This can be something simple- like updating your LinkedIN profile).
2. Utilize the Elliott School network!
3. Devote a set amount of time one day during the week (or more) that will be devoted solely to your job search.

Alright, I’m off to resume writing. I will keep you updated on the process.

Cheers,

Danielle

Moving from Student Life to Professional Life

Hello all. Happy New Year! It’s Danielle again, your bonafide graduate student blogger. I apologize for my absence but life got a little crazy around here with finals and the holidays. Below is my first post in 2012, reflecting my new orientation to ‘the job search.’ Yes, it’s a little scary but I’m taking it step by step. I hope you enjoy!

There is a lot to look forward to as a new Elliott School graduate student. You will be living in the heart of DC and attending exciting lectures and events with top thinkers and practitioners from around the world. You will have your pick of interesting classes and will likely be working in an organization whose mission you feel strongly about. However, as your tenure as a graduate student ends (as it is for me) you will start to look beyond the scope of graduate school and towards your professional career. Elliott School’s Graduate Student Career Development (GSCD), directed by their fearless leader Angella Griffin, does tremendous work to prepare students for the job search. Here’s a list of some interesting events they have offered throughout my time at the Elliott School.

• Job Search Strategy Group- this is an opportunity to meet informally with other students, alumni and guest speakers to discuss your job search strategies and receive feedback on your resumes, cover letters, etc.
• A workshop on email etiquette
• Career networking panels with professionals from the government, research institutions and think tanks
• Mock interviews with real organizations
• A workshop with current students on how to obtain an international internship
• Information sessions with various government agencies
• Site visits to the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development
• Many, many more events

The best (ahem worst) part of my experience with GSCD is that they force you to think about all those *icky* things you have to do to get a job in DC. Yep, I’m talking about networking. GSCD works with graduate students to build their networking skills by encouraging them to attend relevant events, join young professional organizations, and create or update your LinkedIN profile. Tonight will be my first night attending GSCD’s Job Search Strategy Group, wish me luck and stay tuned for my next post. I will let you know how it goes!

Programs, Professors Recognized in New Rankings

From GW Today on Jan. 5, 2012

The George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs’ programs and faculty are among the best in the nation and world, according to a new survey released by an international relations institute at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA.

Researchers with the Teaching, Research and International Policy (TRIP) project conducted the survey, which included responses from 1,582 international relations faculty members. Results were published in the magazine Foreign Policy.

In a ranking of scholars who have produced the most interesting scholarship in the past five years, Professors Martha Finnemore and Michael Barnett were listed No. 1 and No. 11 out of 20, respectively. The pair was also ranked as two of 20 scholars who respondents said produced the best work in the field of international relations in the past 20 years. Dr. Finnemore was also No. 13 out of 20 in a ranking of those who have had the greatest influence on the field of international relations in the last 20 years.

Respondents also listed colleges or universities with the best international relations programs. GW’s master’s program ranked No. 7 in the world, up from No. 8 in the 2009 survey. Although Foreign Policy didn’t have any influence on the rankings, it noted in text accompanying the rankings students’ ability to increase their marketable skills in the Master of International Policy and Practice program.

“GW’s Elliott School of International Affairs is proud to be among the elite international affairs schools in the world, as featured in the latest TRIP survey,” said Elliott School Dean Michael E. Brown. “We owe this ranking to our extraordinary faculty—including Martha Finnemore and Michael Barnett, who were cited in the survey for their superb scholarship—as well as our world-class undergraduate and master’s programs. The Elliott School is educating the next generation of international leaders, conducting cutting-edge research on critical global problems and making a real difference in the world.”

See the full survey here, and read Foreign Policy’s report here.

Employment after graduation

Remember that everyone’s situation is unique. The best ways to ensure employment upon graduation are to plan ahead and think strategically about work and internship experiences, skills, academics, utilizing the Elliott School Graduate Student Career Development office, and building a network of mentors.

Our Graduate Student Career Development office provides graduate students and alumni with worldwide career opportunities and help them create successful careers. Our professional career coaches will work with you to develop the tools and find the resources that will best help you find the internship or job that will take you to the next level professionally.

Every year, six months after graduation, they survey our most recent graduating class to find employment status, including job sectors and salaries. This information is compiled into Employment Data reports.

Where are current students working?

I asked the Graduate Student Career Development office where exactly Elliott School students gain that valuable work experience while enrolled at GW.  Here is a VERY abbreviated list from our career development team to give you an idea of the kinds of organizations in D.C. where students work/intern while pursuing a master’s degree at the Elliott School.

US Government

• US Department of State
• US Agency for International Development
• Department of Defense
• Office of the US Trade Representative
• Defense Intelligence Agency
• Department of Energy
• US Department of Treasury

Research/Think Tanks

• The Brookings Institute
• Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars (WWIC)
• Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)
• American Enterprise Institute (AEI)

Media

• Associated Press
• ABC News
• Foreign Policy Magazine
• NPR

Non-Profit

• Chemonics
• World Wildlife Fund
• Amnesty International
• National Democratic Institute

Consulting

• BAE System
• Booz Allen Hamilton
• Raytheon
• SAIC

NGO/IO

• International Monetary Fund
• Inter-American Development Bank
• Organization of American States
• World Bank

Private

• Delphos International
• ICF International
• Jane’s Information Group
• The Whitaker Group

Employer Site Visits

Classes don’t start until Monday, but incoming students are already busy networking with possible future employers around D.C.

Now that these students have joined the Elliott School, they enjoy the support of the Graduate Student Career Development staff. The top-flight team knows Washington inside and out. Each year, they organize a day for incoming students to meet leaders at key organizations in the D.C. international affairs community.

Today I was delighted to tag along with one of the groups.  The students interested in NGOs and international organizations visited the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, Save the Children, and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems. What a auspicious start for this outstanding incoming class!

-Christine