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General Information
The Center is located on the second floor of the Charles F. Dolan School of Business in the Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÒÅÆDolan Centers suite, room 205. The Center is open Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Graduate student appointments are available after 4:30 p.m. by request.
The Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÒÅÆ Career Center is a resource open to all Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÒÅÆstudents, whereas the Dolan Career Development Center is reserved for business students. We encourage Dolan students to use all resources available at Fairfield.
No, students can attend drop in hours Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Services
Learn more about our services.
Students are encouraged to use the Center’s resources as first-year students to begin to shape an understanding of their interests and potential career paths.
Come to our weekly drop in hours, Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. in the Dolan Career Development Center. No appointment needed! (No drop-ins during summer hours).
Please consult your academic advisor regarding your academics.
Yes. The Center can assist students with graduate or professional applications, particularly in regards to personal statements.
Academic Internships
Unpaid internships require students to receive academic credit for the experience. Also, replacing a traditional elective class with an internship course will give you a more flexible schedule for completing internship hours.
Students should complete and submit a For-Credit Internship Proposal on .
For-credit internship courses can fulfill a students’ required business elective or a free elective course. An internship may not be used in place of a major or minor course unless the student is an International Business major.
Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÒÅÆDolan students can pursue a maximum of two, 3-credit internships courses and two, 1-credit internship courses during the fall, spring, or summer semester.
Internship Content
The position must expose the student to various areas of their major or indicated focus. The internship description will be evaluated by the Director of Career Development and the designated Department Head for content.
Supervision
The intern must be directly supervised by a manager whose primary responsibilities are associated with student’s designated major and/or functions in the organization.
Internship Responsibilities
An intern should not be the primary provider of any function in the organization (e.g., social media responsibilities). He/she is expected to supplement and learn from the operations of the supervisor in the organization.
Internships are meant to expose students to the functioning of an organization as well. Therefore, the experience of the supervisor and the infrastructural support and learning opportunities available to the intern are evaluated during the internship approval process.
Restrictions
Interns may not work for a relative -- either directly or indirectly, nor in any organization in which a relative is a supervisor, principal, senior executive, partner, major shareholder, or sole proprietor.
Internship Sites
The internship may not take place, in whole or in part, in a supervisor’s private residence, including a home office.
Academic Schedule: Student's academic schedule takes precedence over the internship schedule. In a regular week, students may be required to take 2-3 classes a day 3-4 days a week. Therefore, employers are requested to work around the student's academic schedule.
Due to the limited amount of parking spaces on our campus, Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÒÅÆ has established guidelines and policies pertaining to parking. First-year and sophomore resident students are not permitted to have cars on campus (including weekends).
Employment
According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), employers value the following attributes on a student’s resume:
Leadership | 80% |
Ability to work in a team setting | 79% |
Written Communication | 70% |
Problem-solving skills | 70% |
Verbal communication skills | 69% |
Strong work ethic | 69% |
Initiative | 66% |
Analytical/Quantitative skills | 63% |
Flexibility/Adaptability | 61% |
Technical Skills | 60% |
Establishing a digital presence is an important component in the career development process. Employers and recruiters will reference LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. A student’s digital footprint is one of the factors companies use to determine if a candidate is suitable for an interview.
Developing professional networks should begin as soon as possible. In addition to a student’s personal network, Fairfield University alumni can play a key role by providing industry information and insight. Once a professional rapport has been established, alumni can aid in the mentoring, networking, and potential advocacy of the student. The best way to accomplish this is to attend workshops on campus conducted by alumni. Establishing contacts and connections via LinkedIn is also an effective tool. There are over 38,000 Fairfield University alumni on LinkedIn.