CIPA Office of Career Management
Recommended Professional Development Plan
Orientation Week: Getting Started
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Update your résumé and meet with the CIPA Career Services Coordinator to review. All Fellows
should have a CIPA corporate résumé on file with the Office of Career Management by the end of their
first month on campus. Please refer to the CIPA corporate résumé guidelines and sample.
Complete a rough draft of your first-year Career Interest Survey including an inventory of interests,
strengths, and weaknesses. Develop a list of target organizations.
Familiarize yourself with the CIPA Office of Career Management website:
http://www.cipa.cornell.edu/cip_career.html
Familiarize yourself with the Cornell Career Services website: www.career.cornell.edu
Semester 1: Self Reflection/Organization/Research
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After your résumé has been reviewed and approved by a career advisor, register for Cornell CareerNet
at: http://www.career.cornell.edu/cuTRAK.html
Complete the tutorial for making the most of Cornell CareerNet.
Schedule regular appointments with the Career Services Coordinator to discuss career goals and
review progress of professional development plan utilizing the completed Career Interest Survey
information.
Review agency/company/organization profiles at Vault.com
http://careerinsider.vault.com/wps/portal/careerinsider?parrefer=738
Develop a list of at least 10 target organizations for summer internships and research application
requirements and deadlines. Note that the recruitment season for most financial services and consulting
firms are in the fall, as are the deadlines for the Department of State and most intelligence agencies
(CIA, NSA, etc.).
Obtain alumni referrals from Office of Career Management to facilitate informational interviews and
build networking skills. Utilize LinkedIn, join the Official CIPA networking group to connect with
alumni, fellows, faculty, and staff; review and contact individuals in LinkedIn based upon your career
goals; conduct informational interviews.
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Research and review deadlines for summer internships, meet with career advisor to strategize on
executing applications (résumés, cover letters, writing samples).
Develop a system for tracking application progress and contacts.
Attend Cornell Career Days (September 13-14, 2011) to network and obtain information on
participating organizations:
http://www.career.cornell.edu/careerFairs/universityCareerFair/students.html
Consider attending the CIPA Professional Development Conference in Washington, DC or New York
City to conduct employer outreach and network for positions in federal agencies, public sector
consulting, finance, or international development.
Prepare a plan of action to continue the internship search and engage in informational interviews over
winter break.
Research off-campus study program options (Washington Externship Semester, Rome, Nepal, etc.) and
adjust course of studies and professional development plan accordingly.
If you are planning to intern abroad, review the Einaudi Travel Grant Program’s website. Note that
this application is due the first week in February during the second term. Students interesting in
applying for funding through this program should meet with a career advisor as early in the semester as
possible to strategize on executing applications.
http://www.einaudi.cornell.edu/funding/travelgrant.asp
Semester 2: Skills Development/Networking/Execution
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Schedule regular appointments with the Career Services Coordinator [took Tom out here] to discuss
career goals and review progress of professional development plan. Review progress made over winter
break.
Obtain alumni referrals from Office of Career Management to facilitate informational interviews and
build networking skills. Utilize LinkedIn-- join the official CIPA networking group to connect with
alumni, Fellows, faculty, and staff; review and contact individuals on LinkedIn based upon your career
goals; conduct informational interviews.
Attend an interview skills workshop and conduct a mock interview with a career advisor.
Research and review deadlines for summer internships. Meet with career advisor to strategize on
executing applications (résumés, cover letters, writing samples).
Discuss funding opportunities for summer internships with Executive Director for Professional
Development.
If you are participating in an unpaid internship, submit an application for summer funding through the
CIPA Summer Internship Grant Program. For more information, please contact Thomas O’Toole at
tjo22@cornell.edu.
Summer: Skills Development/Research/Networking
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Participate in a summer internship to build skills and network for your permanent employment search.
Conduct informational interviews with alumni or contacts on LinkedIn to strengthen networking skills;
learn about various career opportunities.
Attend professional forums and networking events to network for your permanent employment search.
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Begin researching permanent employment opportunities. Modify your professional development plan
to accommodate any skills or contacts you will need to obtain in your second year of study to succeed.
Semester 3: Networking/Execution
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Schedule regular appointments with the Career Services Coordinator to discuss career goals and
review progress of professional development plan. Review progress made over summer.
Complete summer internship Practical Experience Evaluation and submit to Office of Career
Management. Ensure that the Practical Experience Supervisor evaluation form was submitted to
mrr6@cornell.edu by your supervisor.
Research hiring deadlines and salary ranges in target fields/organizations.
Submit applications in September for fields with early hiring deadlines (finance, consulting, and
defense/intelligence).
Attend Cornell Career Days to network and obtain information on participating organizations:
http://www.career.cornell.edu/careerFairs/universityCareerFair/students.html
Continue refining and tailoring résumés and cover letters.
Conduct a mock interview with a career advisor.
Continue to actively conduct informational interviews with alumni and LinkedIn contacts.
Consider attending the CIPA Professional Development Conference in Washington, DC or New York
City to conduct employer outreach and network for positions with federal agencies, public sector
consulting, and international development.
Participate in the CIPA Capstone Course to gain additional professional experience.
US citizens are strongly encouraged to apply to at least one management fellowship program.
Semester 4: Finalize Offers/Evaluate Options
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Continue to actively conduct informational interviews with alumni and LinkedIn contacts.
Evaluate and negotiate offers to accurately reflect background and career objectives.
Prepare alternative strategy for job search in post-graduation period, if necessary.
Office of Career Management
Millie Reed
Career Services Coordinator
190 Caldwell Hall
P. 255-5587, mrr6@cornell.edu
Available by appointment or during posted walk-in hours. (When scheduling an appointment: email date(s) &
time(s) that you are available to meet and include a copy of your current résumé)
 Résumé, cover letter review, career advising, mock interviews