Skip to main content Skip to secondary navigation
Resident Assistants Brandon Bergsneider, Meg Enthoven and Remy Gordon await incoming frosh at Donner. Credit: Linda A. Cicero / Stanford News Service

Frosh/Soph

Main content start

We are here to help you develop meaningful connections, gain valuable experience, and explore your career interests. Start exploring your options and what we have to offer.

Class of 2027: Read our welcome message to learn how to connect with us.

2023-24 Neighborhood Decorative Accent Line

Meet Our Frosh/Soph Team

  • Associate Director of Career Coaching and Education - Frosh/Soph Initiatives
  • Assistant Director of Career Coaching and Education - Frosh/Soph Initiatives
  • Assistant Director of Career Coaching and Education - Frosh/Soph Initiatives
2023-24 Neighborhood Decorative Accent Line

Make a Coaching Appointment

  • The Frosh/Soph Coaches offer general career support. They can help you with understanding more about what you want, learning how majors connect to careers, and working with you on career skills, such as writing a resume or cover letter.
  • The BACE team of coaches focus on the intersection between identity and career. They offer drop-in hours and 30 minute appointments. Learn more about the BACE team and their resources.
 Stanford student Emilia Schrier worked as an archivist intern at the Hoover Library and Archives during the summer of 2015. Credit:  Linda A. Cicero / Stanford News Service

There are many ways for you to get experience, including:

  • Summer internships
  • Part-time jobs
  • Freelance or entrepreneurial work
  • Leadership programs
  • Fellowships
  • Research opportunities at Stanford or other institutions
  • Volunteer work and service learning opportunities
  • Job shadowing and informational interviewing
Learn Strategies for Finding Summer Opportunities

Handshake

Handshake is an online platform that provides Stanford students with opportunities and connections related to their career aspirations and interests. In Handshake, you will find thousands of job and internship postings in a wide-variety of industries. Incoming frosh for the Class of 2027: you will receive access to Handshake by the university two weeks prior to your first day of class.

Applicant holding resume during an interview. Credit: @ yanalya / freepik
Write a Compelling Resume and Cover Letter

Resumes & Cover Letters

Your resume and cover letter are powerful ways to tell your story to an employer.

Networking event. Credit: SolStock  / iStock
Connect with Alumni to learn more about what you want

Connect with Alumni

Whether it’s to gain information, develop skills, obtain a job or internship, or build professional relationships, connecting with Stanford alumni is an essential part of your career journey. 

Stanford Earth Young Investigators, high school students work with grad students. Credit:  Linda A. Cicero / Stanford News Service
Learn about our career self-assessments

Know Yourself

Take career assessments as a way to know what you want in a career. We provide an array of self-assessments that help you clarify your interests and skills, develop a vocabulary to describe yourself as a professional, and establish a starting point for career exploration.

 "The Graphic Novel" class in the English department.  Linda A. Cicero / Stanford News Service
Take a career course or program

Courses & Programs

Here you can find more information about the Courses and programs offered through CareerEd. 

 The Career Development Center set up a number of outreach points this quarter. In a meeting room in Munger Dining Freshman Helen Xiong, right, talks with career counselor Kristin Conner who works exclusively with freshmen and sophomores. Credit: Linda A. Cicero / Stanford News Service
Find a Mentor

Stanford Alumni Mentoring (SAM)

We offer the Stanford Alumni Mentoring (SAM) platform to make it easier to reach out to alumni for career conversations. SAM is a database of over 5,000 alumni from a wide-range of identities, backgrounds, and industries – all of whom have volunteered to help you. These alumni are eager to pass on what they have learned to you and are happy to engage in career conversations no matter where you are in your career journey.

2023-24 Neighborhood Decorative Accent Line

Below are some quick career myths that can be easily debunked to help your career journey.

Career Myths

  • Myth #1: I need to figure out my career right now.
  • Myth #2: My major will dictate which job opportunities are open to me after graduation.
  • Myth #3: I need to find a summer internship Autumn Quarter or it’s too late.
  • Myth #4: I have to find a summer internship after freshman year. That’s what everyone does.
  • Myth #5: I need a network of well-connected people to get a good job opportunity.
  • Myth #6: I don’t have any paid experience, so I’m not qualified for most job opportunities.
  • Myth #7: I need to figure out what I’m passionate about so I can figure out what I want to do with my life.

Learn the truth about these myths

Convocation. Credit: Andrew Brodhead / newslibrary@stanford.edu