Frequently Asked Questions

• Career Center Overview
• Internships, Federal Work Study, Part-time Jobs, Cooperative Education (Co-op)
• Career Exploration
• Locate Full-time Jobs

Career Center Overview

What does the Career Center do?

The Career Center provides opportunities for career learning and experience as well as facilitates students’ successful job searches.

Where is the Career Center located and what are your hours?

Go to our general info page for information on our hours, location, directions, parking, contact and staff information.

I need a job.  Do you have an online job listings service?

The Center’s online job listing service is GWork. 

What services for students does the Center provide?

The Center provides a variety of services for students and alumni, including:

I'm a first year student.  How can the Career Center assist me?

The Center’s services and programs can assist you as you search for part-time jobs, FWS jobs, and internships and as you consider career options for your future.

• FWS Orientation and Job Fair
• Part-time (including FWS) job and internship listings via GWork
• Career Consulting
• Open Houses
• Career Center Information Network Listserv
• My Plan
• Career Option Sheets
• Resume Workshops and Transferable Skills Worksheet
• Find the Right Experience and Employment, a four-year action plan to follow while at GW to prepare for post-graduation career success.
• Career Resource Room
• Special Career Exploration Programs

Who do I talk to about reviewing my resume?

As a first step, students are encouraged to submit resumes and cover letters to the 48 hour critique service.  Access the online request form at http://gwired.gwu.edu/career/resumecritiqueform/. 

If you need additional assistance, please visit the Career Center during walk-in hours M-F 10am to 12noon and 1 to 5pm.  Peer Career Ambassadors can assist with a quick critique.  For more in-depth questions, professional career consultants are available for an employment advising appointment.  

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Internships, Federal Work Study, Part-time Jobs, Co-op

How do I find an internship?

Career Center lists thousands of internships on its online listing system, GWork.   Information about internships is also available in the Career Resource Room, as well as through individual academic departments, student group listservs and networking.

What is the difference between internships, part-time jobs, Cooperative Education (Co-op) and Federal Work-Study?

All are ways for students to gain important work experience on-and off-campus during their education.  Job, internship and co-op listings are available via the Center’s online job listing system, GWork.

• Internships are work experiences related to a desired field or body of coursework. They vary in terms of substantive work and are frequently unpaid.  The Career Center serves as a clearinghouse for internship listings.  Contact the Dean’s Office in your school to determine if academic credit is available.
• Cooperative Education (Co-op) offers a structured, paid program that integrates salaried, career-related work with academic programs.  The Career Center cooperative education staff manages the program.
• Part-time Jobs include a variety of paid experiences that may include career-related activities.  The Career Center provides a listing service, GWork, for on and off campus jobs.
• Federal Work Study (FWS) is a federally-sponsored and University-supported financial aid work program for accepted GW students.  Part-time work experiences vary widely, and are available at many on-campus departments and approved off-campus organizations.

Who can I talk to about my job/career/major as it relates to a career?

For quick questions, students are encouraged to visit the Career Center during walk-in hours (M-F 10am-12noon & 1-5pm).  In addition, professional career consultants offer half-hour career development consulting appointments.

Career consultants can assist students who may want to explore career options, discuss academic majors, or learn about the career development process.  Students will be asked to complete MyPlan assessments prior to the appointment.  Please call 202.994.6495 to schedule an appointment.

Do I have to do an internship my first semester/year?

No, many first year students postpone internships and part-time jobs to their sophomore year.   The first year is a time to “Assess and Engage” while at GW.  (See FREE First Year)

What types of internships are available?

Internships vary widely.  Many are voluntary, while others are paid; some require twenty or more hours a week, others less than ten; some have substantial responsibility, others are clerical in nature. 

How do I make the most out of my internship?

Review the Center’s Making the Most of My Internship document, meet with a Career Center consultant to identify your goals and develop an internship search strategy.

How do I get credit for an internship?

Students should consult with the academic advising department in their school for more information on obtaining academic credit for an internship experience.  The Career Center does not grant credit for internships.

What types of Co-op jobs are available?

Co-op jobs vary and are dependant on a student’s career and major field.

• All co-op positions are paid, major-related work experiences.
• Cooperative Education accommodates part-time work schedules while students attend school full-time.
• Co-op jobs require a minimum commitment of fifteen to twenty hours per week.
• Undergraduate co-op students work a minimum of two semesters for their co-op employer.

How can a student find a Co-op job?

The first step is to view a Co-op Orientation session.

(International students should view the Co-op Orientation for International Students)

• Check listings in GWork
Undergraduates enrolled full time may enroll in Co-op when they have completed thirty credit hours with a minimum 2.5 GPA and a declared major.

What is Federal Work Study?

Federal Work Study (FWS) is a financial aid work program funded by the federal government and supported by the University or an eligible off-campus non-profit employer that offers part-time employment for students while in school.

• FWS positions are available at on-campus departments and eligible off-campus organizations. Jobs may be substantial, directly related to your major while others may be administrative.
• FWS part-time positions are an excellent opportunity to gain skills and explore careers, and often represent an important first career step for students.

The following questions can be answered by going to the FWS page:
 
Where can I find more information about FWS?
How do I find a FWS Job?
Can I bring in a copy of my I-9 documents?
Do I have a paycheck? Why don't I have a paycheck?
Am I exempt or am I a dependent on my tax forms?
What do I write under the department name on the I-9 receipt?
What employee name on the I-9 receipt?

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Career Exploration Information

Locate Full-time Jobs after Graduation

How can GW students be successful in their job searches after graduation?

A variety of factors play a role in finding a job:  the competition within a field, an individual’s initiative, the time applied to a job search, and the skills and experiences a candidate presents.  Those students who are most successful in the job search have made it a priority, used available resources and built a strong resume.

What do GW students do after they graduate?

Based on survey data of the class of 2007, completed six months after graduation, 71% of those who responded claimed to be employed, and 23% stated they were enrolled in graduate or professional school, 4% were engaged in travel, family obligations or seeking employment, and 2% were engaged in “other” activities.  Of those employed, 60% were working in the private/for profit sector, 23% in the field of education, 15% in nonprofit institutions, and 2% in the public/government/international sector.

How can students connect with employers?

Multiple opportunities to connect with employers are offered through programs such as cooperative education, employer information sessions and campus interviews, alumni networking nights, career fairs, and a variety of career panels and presentations.  Students also have access to job listings online through GWork.

Which employers are interested in hiring GW students?

A wide variety of metro-Washington employers are attracted to the unique qualities that GW students possess.  Listed below is a small sampling of employers who regularly hire GW students to fill full- and part-time jobs, cooperative education jobs, or internships:

• Accenture
• Naval Research Laboratory
• Verizon
• Peace Corps
• Capitol Hill
• PriceWaterhouseCoopers
• CBS News
• Smithsonian Institution
• Central Intelligence Agency
• Time Life Inc.
• Federal Reserve Board
• The Washington Post
• International Trade Administration
• The White House
• The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
• World Wildlife Foundation

What are the benefits of working while in school?

Each year approximately 85% of GW students participate in work experiences outside of the classroom.  Supplementing education with work experiences helps students:

• Experience a professional environment.
• Apply academics in the practical world.
• Expand career knowledge and assess career interests.
• Build leadership and communication skills.
• Enhance confidence.
• Develop marketable skills.
• Earn money.
 
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