Frosh/Soph
We are here to help you get hands-on experience during your frosh or sophomore year that will allow you to develop meaningful connections, gain valuable experience, and explore your career interests. Start exploring your options and what we have to offer.
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
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.
Resumes & Cover Letters
Your resume and cover letter are powerful ways to tell your story to an employer.
Networking
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.
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.
Courses & Programs
Here you can find more information about the Courses and programs offered through CareerEd.
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.
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.
Frosh/Soph Career Toolkit
We know you’re busy, so check out our Frosh/Soph Career Toolkit on Canvas where you can find more easily accessible and specific resources that will enable you to take the next steps in your journey.
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. You can either meet with a Frosh/Soph coach in drop-in hours or attend Start Here to be eligible to schedule a 30 minute appointment.
- The Career Catalysts Coaches focus on the intersection between identity and career. They offer drop-in hours and 30 minute appointments. Learn more about the Career Catalysts team.
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
