ICAR Launches Career Intensives Fall 2007 Workshops Feature Development and Security

ICAR’s Career Services took another step forward this year with the inauguration of a series of Career Intensives. The day long workshops help ICAR students and alumni build the skills and knowledge to successfully job search in a particular sector. The key component of the workshops is practice in framing academic and work experience and tailoring resumes and interviews toward specific career goals. The October 27th intensive focused on careers in Development. The November 17th intensive focused on Security and Intelligence careers. Planned intensives for Spring 2008 include Development, Public Policy, and Organizational Conflict.

Prior to the workshop, participants prepared resumes and cover letters and received individual feedback. Preparation extended to include preparing for mock interviews. On the day of the workshops, the participants and facilitators started the day with information on job searching and mock interviews and peer resume review. After lunch, professionals working in each sector joined the group to talk about their particular career path and the skills and knowledge necessary to successfully land a job in that field. Breakout sessions provided students the opportunity for individual feedback from the professionals on resumes and practice with mock interviews. Said ICAR M.S. student Sandra Tavera, of the intensive: "Very appropriate and interesting! The panelists were honest but also encouraging. The organizations that were chosen gave us a really good idea of what we should be doing if we want to get there."

These workshops, limited to 10-12 students, were developed to complement other ICAR Career Services and course options. Besides the intensives, ICAR also offers resume clinics, individual resume reviews, employer presentations, on-campus interviewing, a March Career Fair, and a one credit Professional Development Course focused on job skills.

Career Services is grateful to the knowledgeable and enthusiastic panelists who gave up Saturday to help ICAR students and alumni. Development panelists were James VanDenbos at USAID, Sarah Mattingly at World Bank, Asma Lateef at Bread for the World, and Donna Reed at Associates in Rural Development. Security panelists were Joe Rouge at the Department of Defense, Mary Hackman at the Department of State/Overseas Security Advisory Council, Rhian McCoy at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and Lt Col. Suzanne Devlin at Fairfax County Police Department. Thanks also to Michael Shank, ICAR’s Government Relations Advisor who teamed up to develop and present these events. Dates for the Spring 2008 Intensives will be available shortly.

If you are interested in attending or presenting at these intensives, please send an e-mail to [email protected]