Begin your career development journey here.

Welcome to the Career Center! The center is a place where you can learn to explore your interests, values, and strengths and use that self-knowledge to influence your decision-making throughout your time here at Duke. This is also a great place for you to discover how to navigate your Duke experience as well as learn professional development skills.   

Your Career Development Process

You can expect to continuously participate in a process of reflection and self-awareness during your time at Duke and also the entirety of your career and life. You will continually use your past experiences to identify short- and long-term professional goals to implement next steps that are aligned with life stage, purpose, and your individual definition of success. You will incorporate your own preferences and life experiences in this process of continual learning and decision-making. We are here to be your thought partner in reflecting on your experiences and skills, researching opportunities, testing your strengths and interests in the world, and making intentional decisions toward your career goals.

Whether you’re exploring majors or searching for information about your chosen field, this website will help you connect your studies to typical career areas and types of employers that hire people within that focus, as well as strategies to make you a more marketable candidate.
As you engage in and use the Duke Career Development Process and skills that we teach students, you will be prepared to make decisions about what comes next for you.

Learn more about aspects of professional development:
We are here to be your thought partner in reflecting on your experiences and skills, researching opportunities, testing your strengths and interests in the world, and making intentional decisions toward your career goals.

link to https://careerhub.students.duke.edu/resources/to-get-started/

Opportunities to Connect with the Career Center

Advising

During advising appointments, we look at what you are interested in, explore your likes and dislikes, identify skills you prefer to use and ones you want to develop, and reflect on past experiences to guide future decisions. We also examine how your strengths can impact your interest areas, how your personality can direct certain work environments, and how your personal values guide your choices while studying at Duke as well as career decisions. We will talk about some big questions like what is your purpose? What gives you energy? And what do you care about? This will most likely get you thinking critically and deeply about where and how you choose to spend your time.  We also address your specific job search-related questions about resumescover lettersconnecting with othersinterviewing, and more! Our best advice is that you focus on being open to opportunities, build a Board of Advisors, learn how to talk about yourself and experiences to others, and not be afraid to fail along the way. Our goal is to support you as you explore career options, interests, and opportunities. We look forward to meeting you! Schedule an appointment online in Handshake several days in advance.

Drop-in Advising

Bring quick questions or application documents (resumes, cover letters) to be reviewed by a career adviser or Career Ambassador Team member.  Drop-in Career Advising is available several weekdays. More information

Career Hub Alerts 

You can personalize your Career Hub alerts so that we only send you information that is valuable to you. You can choose topics, frequency, and layout! Click on the Personalize Your Hub button at the top of the page for more information.

Workshops, Programs and Events

A number of workshops, discussions, career fairs and unique advising opportunities are offered each year to help you explore and make decisions.

Handshake

View and apply for thousands of opportunities available around the world (many posted especially for Duke students). On-Campus Interviews (actually on campus or remote) are managed through Handshake. You will want to keep an eye on Handshake for career events and opportunities. Log in and update your profile today–https://duke.joinhandshake.com

Platform & Sustainability Expert Intern with Sweep

Sweep is a sustainability data management platform that supports clients in achieving all ESG goals, including waste reduction, water use, biodiversity impacts, social equity, and transparency in governance. Sweep is hiring an Intern Platform & Sustainability Expert for a 6-month …

By Shakeerrah Lawrence, PhD (she, her, hers)
Shakeerrah Lawrence, PhD (she, her, hers) Assistant Director, Career Services
Read more

How to Read Job Descriptions

1 Minute Read

Intentionally examining job descriptions is an essential step to prepare for tailoring your resume and successfully completing the professional interview.

If you have additional questions on how to tailor your resume consider scheduling an appointment with a …

By Jared Smith (He/Him)
Jared Smith (He/Him) Associate Director, Early Engagement
Read more

What Is Work-Based Learning? Definition, Examples, and How to Start

The journey from classroom to career can be mystifying, especially if your educational journey doesn’t fit perfectly into a career track. For example, while it might seem easier to major in software engineering and become a software engineer, those of …

By Michael "Rudi" Rudisill (he/him)
Michael "Rudi" Rudisill (he/him) Assistant Director, Career Services
Read more

Summer Nonprofit Internship Program (NPIP)

Coordinated by the North Carolina Network of Grantmakers and supported by Dogwood Health Trust, the Nonprofit Internship Program (NPIP) pairs college students with NC nonprofits for paid summer internships. This program is designed for Pell Grant-eligible students, recognizing that unpaid …

By Shakeerrah Lawrence, PhD (she, her, hers)
Shakeerrah Lawrence, PhD (she, her, hers) Assistant Director, Career Services
Read more

Spark Your Career ’26

The Duke Career Center is excited to announce Spark Your Career 2026, which will take place on Friday, January 30th, 2026.

*Headshots from 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. in the Career Center (036 Bryan Center)

Start your Spring Semester off …

By Nicole Mitchell (she/her)
Nicole Mitchell (she/her) Associate Director, Career Readiness
Read more

Sidebar

Career Readiness Resources

Duke Career Center Resources to get you started

Duke Career Hub The hub of career conversations, content and resources at Duke, including Career Communities. Learn about our Guiding …

Strengths Profile

Strengths Profile focuses on identifying an individual’s strengths and talents. This assessment consists of a series of questions designed to …

News  |  Events  |  Resources  |   Videos  |   Jobs  |   Employers  |   Staff