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The future of work is here! Learn how to become the “ideal candidate” for internships, full-time roles, and other opportunities.
Artificial Intelligence (AI), automation, and digital innovation are redefining the global workforce and creating new career opportunities. The best careers are built through intelligent strategy, skills aligned with cutting-edge technologies, and real-world experience.
At Hofstra, career preparation is not an afterthought — it is intelligently designed into your student experience. Our office enhances your college degree and provides resources and strategies to help you stand out in a competitive job market.
We help you discover your values and strengths to support you in designing a career path that achieves your goals through uncovering your unique promise of value. Your “unique promise of value” is the idea that you have a unique set of strengths, experiences, and values that show how you are an asset professionally and in your career journey. Identifying this about yourself and being able to articulate it helps you to secure opportunities and show how you add value.
The Career Readiness Career Ecosystem
Whether you are on campus or connecting with us digitally, our team is ready to meet you where you are!
At the Center for Career Design & Development, we work both inside and outside the classroom and with employers to stay ahead of the ever-changing workforce. We are equipped to support every student as they prepare to launch their careers. Our suite of innovative in-person and virtual resources allows Hofstra students to engage in career development activities early and often, and to connect with leading employers across industries.
Our approach to student support is rooted in research and outcome-driven career development theories. We know that as college students, you have many “jobs to be done” and often need immediate support and resources for emergent needs. That is why we offer a variety of ways to engage in career preparation.
Strategic Career Coaching
This isn’t the “keyword” cookie cutter approach to career preparation. We are experts who work with you to set and accomplish your career goals!
Get hyper-personalized support on everything from employer research to salary negotiation in our one-on-one appointments, seminars, events, and Innovation lab visits.
Work with career professionals who understand the dynamics of the labor market and the need for human-centered, technology-driven career development education. Our comprehensive team of coaches and certified resume writers are leaders in the field, and they are ready to help you uncover your path- your unique promise of value, help you develop a storytelling strategy and meaningfully articulate who you are in the career context.
One-on-One Appointments
Your college journey and career path can feel overwhelming, but you do not have to figure it all out alone! You can meet with a Career Coach — in person or virtually — to talk about anything from designing your resume to finding internships or jobs.
One-on-one appointments are typically 45 minutes, and you can choose to meet with any coach. You can book them easily through Navigate, just as you would for academic advising. We offer a variety of appointment types to focus on your individual needs. These include Resume Strategy, LinkedIn, Job and Internship Search Strategy, Career Exploration, Interview Preparation, Graduate School Preparation, Cover Letter, and Senior Check-In.
Even after graduation, we are here for you! Alumni have access to career support for life at no extra cost. Simply book through email (careerdesign@hofstra.edu).
Innovation Lab
Don’t have an appointment, or have a quick question? Drop in to our Innovation Lab in Room 219 Weller Hall, South Campus!
Here, you can visit one of our experienced Career Coaches to receive flexible career support as you need it. We can support you with your resume, LinkedIn profile, interview preparation, cover letters, job search strategy, and so much more!
Our lab is also a great way to get hands-on experience and training with digital technologies. We can support you in learning digital literacy that makes you a competitive candidate in the modern job market. We offer virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) simulations, access to employer-designed job and project simulations, next-generation workforce skill development platforms, and AI-powered tools that provide support with resume, cover letter, job search, and interview preparation. Our industry-leading career tools teach you to work with artificial intelligence, not against it, and leverage a variety of opportunities across industries.
24/7 Career Development
We are not only available from 9 to 5. Many on-demand resources are available 24/7!
You can access our custom-built Career Development Canvas site at any time, like you would any course you are enrolled in. Our site offers career and Nex-Gen skill-building resources, custom-designed asynchronous career development education modules, the ability to earn micro-credentials, and more information about industry insights and employer preferences.
Employer Connections
Handshake
Hofstra students have premium access to Handshake – the leading career platform for college students and early talent in the U.S., ranking No. 1 in market share and adoption among college-focused recruiting platforms. Trusted by over 900,000 employers, including Fortune 500 companies, startups, nonprofits, and government agencies, Handshake connects students and recent graduates with opportunities specifically designed for early-career talent.
Handshake is unique and operates differently than LinkedIn, Indeed, or Glassdoor. Handshake stands out by offering highly relevant, entry-level opportunities and direct access to employers actively seeking college-educated candidates.
Career and Internship Fairs and Other Employer Events
At Hofstra, we bring employers to you!
Our office hosts several large Career and Internship Fairs per year that are designed to support both full-time hiring and internship recruitment needs.
In addition to these major events, we host smaller-scale opportunities as well. Our Employers in the Classroom program allows professionals to engage directly with students by visiting a class, either in person or virtually. We also collaborate with employers to host recruitment and professional development style events, employer tabling in the Mack Student Center or academic buildings, and more opportunities for meaningful face-to-faceconnections with students.
While we bring employers to the classroom, anyone who has a contact with an employer who may be interested in coming to speak with Hofstra students can fill out an interest form at https://bit.ly/HOFSTRACLASSVISIT or email employer.relations@hofstra.edu to find out about other opportunities to connect with Hofstra students.
Professional Dress
Employer preferences and expectations for “professional dress” have changed dramatically in the last five years. We operate a Career Boutique, offering free professional dress items to Hofstra students. Not sure what to wear? Don’t worry! Students visiting the Career Boutique are supported by career professionals and peers.
Even outside the Boutique, our career coaches are happy to help you navigate what to wear!
Other Resources: Employer-Backed Experiences and Training
The Center for Career Design & Development provides students with access to top experiential learning and skill-development platforms. Earn industry-recognized credentials in AI, data analytics, cloud computing, and more before you graduate. You can add these credentials to your resume and LinkedIn profile, discuss in interviews, and even pivot in your career down the road.
By participating in some of these resources, you can develop critical thinking, analytical abilities, and technical skills that are increasingly valuable across various industries. Whether you are interested in enhancing your resume, exploring new career paths, or gaining a deeper understanding of AI technologies, these resources can help you achieve success.
Forage
Hofstra students have customized access to Forage, a career-accelerating platform where you can complete virtual job simulations created by top employers like JPMorgan Chase, BCG, Electronic Arts, The New York Times, and Siemens. These simulations let you step into real-world roles, build meaningful on-the-job skills, and complete projects that mirror what companies expect from interns and new hires. Forage also gives you insider access to employer recruiting preferences and pathways into company talent pipelines.
By earning micro-credentials, you not only enhance your resume with work recognized by industry leaders but also have the ability to share your completed projects directly with hiring teams, to further stand out in a competitive job market.
IBM Skills Build
Hofstra students have access to IBM SkillsBuild, an industry-recognized learning and career development platform designed to help college students gain a competitive edge in today's job market. With over 1,000 courses in high-demand fields like design thinking, project management, AI, cybersecurity, data analytics, and cloud computing, there are opportunities for every Hofstra student to build both technical and workplace skills at their own pace. Upon completion, learners earn IBM-branded digital credentials that showcase their expertise to employers and can be shared on resumes and LinkedIn profiles.
The platform also offers access to specialized certificates, such as the IBM SkillsBuild Cybersecurity and Data Analytics Certificates, which include rigorous capstone projects and can earn up to 12 American Council of Education (ACE)-recommended college credits.
Microsoft Learn
At Hofstra, students can access the Microsoft Learn Student Hub, a powerful platform that helps college students build in-demand tech skills — like AI, cloud computing, and cybersecurity— through hands-on training and real-world projects. By earning industry-recognized Microsoft certifications and accessing exclusive developer tools, students can boost their resumes and stand out in competitive internship and job markets. Beyond skills, the Hub connects you with a global community of peers and mentors, giving you valuable networking opportunities.
Kaggle
The Center for Career Design & Development provides every Hofstra student with access to Kaggle, making it easy to tap into the data science community.
Major tech companies like Google and Facebook actively scout Kaggle to find talented data scientists, making it a valuable platform for students to get noticed and unlock internship or full-time job opportunities.
Kaggle is the world’s largest data science community, offering a dynamic space to build and showcase skills through hands-on projects and competitions. Whether you're a beginner or deepening your expertise, Kaggle provides free access to real-world datasets, interactive coding environments, and extensive tutorials covering Python, machine learning, deep learning, and data visualization. By participating in competitions, students tackle complex problems, collaborate globally, and earn recognition that boosts their resumes and LinkedIn profiles. The platform’s progression system offers a clear path to demonstrate growth and expertise.
Regardless of your major or technical proficiency, Kaggle is a game-changing platform because data skills are in demand across virtually every field — from marketing and communications to social sciences and humanities research.
Fast.ai
Fast.ai is one of the most innovative platforms for learning practical, cutting-edge artificial intelligence and deep learning skills. It offers a free, hands-on course titled Practical Deep Learning for Coders. This course is designed for individuals with some coding experience who want to apply deep learning and machine learning to practical problems. It emphasizes a top-down approach, allowing learners to build and deploy models quickly while gradually delving into the underlying principles. The course covers topics such as computer vision, natural language processing, and collaborative filtering, using tools like PyTorch and the Fast.ai library.
Vault
All Hofstra students have access to Vault – a premier career intelligence platform that empowers college students to make informed decisions about their career development. It offers exclusive rankings and reviews of thousands of top employers and internship programs, based on verified surveys from employees and interns. Students can access detailed company profiles, industry-specific career guides, and practical resources on resume writing, interviewing, and networking. Additionally, Vault provides career readiness and upskilling courses.
Connect With Us!
Room 219 Weller Hall
South Campus
516-463-6060
hofstra.edu/career
careerdesign@hofstra.edu
Follow us on Instagram! (@hofcareerdesign)
The workforce is evolving faster than ever. We’ll help you design a career preparation plan that drives your success and helps you stay ahead.
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