Skip to Main Content
Hands typing on a laptop on a table.Hands typing on a laptop on a table.

Careers

At Medill, we want to help you take your marketing communications career in the direction you want to go.

Northwestern Career Advancement (NCA) works in partnership with the Medill Career Services team, giving you access to professionals who are dedicated to assisting you with your job search. And we’ll be with you as you advance your career in the future: As a Medill alumnus, you have access to Medill Career Services for life.

Here’s how students often work with NCA during their time at Medill:

  • First year: Get a general overview of the services, workshops and other opportunities available through NCA.
  • Sophomore year: Have a one-on-one meeting for resume review and talk about summer internships.
  • Junior year: Participate in a workshop focused on top skills employers look for and how to show those skills.
  • Senior year: Meet frequently with NCA and Medill Career Services team to talk about job search strategies, interviewing skills and connecting with Medill’s alumni.

Check out some of our resources and services.

Job postings for Medill students

Student looking at job postings on computer

Many employers are looking to hire talented Medill students. We regularly receive job openings, and we email current postings to students. These jobs are also posted on Handshake, an online career management system. On Handshake you can:

  • Search for jobs, internships and fellowships
  • View on-campus recruiting schedules and information sessions
  • Find career services events and workshops
  • Create a profile including resume and work samples
  • Apply directly to jobs posted in the system
  • Receive notifications when new job postings are added

Discover sample career paths

Connecting you to the Medill network

The Medill and Northwestern alumni networks are large and powerful. Many of these alumni hire Medill students. In addition, we have built connections with professionals and companies looking to hire top marketing communications talent. Our networking events help you connect with these alumni and professionals. To help you make the most of networking opportunities, we offer tips and resources on how to network effectively.

The Medill network

Michael Wilbon, ESPN commentator and former sportswriter and columnist for The Washington Post, surrounded by students that he is talking to

Medill and Northwestern alumni

Medill alumni are a close-knit, loyal and dedicated family—more than 18,000 strong. And so are Northwestern’s 200,000 alumni. You can connect with alumni working in industries or companies that interest you, and many alumni consistently hire Medill students.

Career fair with a table for Crain.

Companies

Over the years, we’ve developed partnerships with hundreds of employers in a wide range of industries and locations. Our relationships with these employers allow us to connect you with jobs you’re interested in.

Faculty member Charles Whitaker talking to a student one on one.

Faculty

Medill faculty have deep experience in marketing communications. Their networks add to the vast array of people you can contact to learn more about industries and jobs that may interest you.

Personal coaching and support

Student talking with a career coach.

Career coaching

You are highly encouraged to come talk with us about your career goals and interests. We’ll help you find and connect with potential career paths and employers. We are also available to talk via phone or email when you’re away from the Evanston campus.

Resume

Resume and cover letter review

We will review your resume and cover letter and provide feedback on how to make them the most effective for certain positions and industries.

Student in an office talking with a career coach and practicing for an interview.

Interview preparation

The job interview is one of the most important parts of the job search, and we help you prepare to do your best. We teach you how to effectively participate in informational interviews, and we conduct mock interviews to help you prepare. We even record mock interviews to assess your areas of strength and opportunity.

Student looking over paper guide

Career Planning Guide

We offer a Career Planning Guide to help you know what you should do each quarter to prepare for your job search.

Employers on campus

CNN table at the career fair

Career fairs

We co-sponsor both in-person and virtual career fairs to connect students directly with employers. We also assist students with career fair preparation and planning resources.

Friendly alumni at the career fair.

Information sessions

Every year, dozens of top companies visit Medill to share information about their organizations and help students learn about open positions.

Groups of two sitting at many tables having interviews in a big room.

Interviews

Employers come to campus to interview students for job openings at their companies.

Fine tune your job search skills

Students actively engaged and raising their hands at a lecture on social media

Workshops

We regularly provide workshops to help you learn skills valuable to your job search. Recent workshops have addressed topics such as using LinkedIn most effectively, creating a digital portfolio, branding yourself, developing presence, writing resumes and cover letters, and negotiating job offers.

Students listening to a lecture

Additional career resources

International student assistance

International students have distinct employment needs and may need to take extra steps to pursue jobs outside their country of citizenship. Along with the Northwestern International Office, we help international students understand the job search process.

Chicago Skyline