Careers

At Medill, we want to help you take your journalism or media career in the direction you want to go.

Northwestern Career Advancement gives you access to professionals who are dedicated to assisting you with your job search.

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 to 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 to talk about job search strategies, interviewing skills and connecting with Medill’s alumni.

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 these jobs are 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

View 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. In addition, to help you make the most of networking opportunities, we offer tips and resources on how to network effectively.

When you join Medill, you join a network of leading professionals. Often, these people will be the ones who help you get your next job.

The Medill network

ESPN Commentator Michael Wilbon talking to a group of students.

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.

A Crain's Business table at a career fair.

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 your dream jobs.

Dean Charles Whitaker talking to a student one on one.

Faculty

Medill faculty have deep experience in the journalism and media fields. Their networks add to the vast array of people you can contact to learn more about industries and careers.

Employers on campus

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.

Information sessions

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

Interviews

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

Career coaching

We encourage you to talk with us about your career goals and interests. We’ll help you find and connect with potential career paths and employers. We are available to talk via phone or email when you’re on Journalism Residency or studying in San Francisco, Washington, D.C., or abroad.

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 your chosen positions and industries.

Student working with a career coach on interviewing in an office.

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 conduct mock interviews to help you prepare. We even record mock interviews to assess your areas of strength and opportunity.

Career planning guide

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

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

We regularly provide workshops to help you learn skills valuable to your job search. Recent workshops have addressed topics such as how to use LinkedIn most effectively, create a digital portfolio, brand yourself, develop presence, write a resume and cover letter, and negotiate a job offer.

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.