UCLA Luskin is dedicated to the professional development of its students and alumni.  Career Services offers professional development programs and resources that are tailored to areas of interest within the fields of Public Policy, Social Welfare and Urban Planning.

Career Toolkit  Job Search Resources and Tools

Career Services offers the following professional development services throughout the academic year:

• Professional Development Workshop Series

Professional Development workshops provide an overview of resume and cover letter writing, developing a professional network, preparing for interviews and conducting a salary negotiation.  For more personalized feedback, students may make individual appointments for resume reviews or mock interviews.

• Employer Information Sessions / On-Campus Recruitment

Hiring managers and recruiters that are looking to hire UCLA Luskin students for full-time positions or internships are invited to campus to share information about their current job openings and to provide insight into their organization's hiring process.  Students are invited to submit resumes directly to recruiters.  Organizations that have recruited at UCLA Luskin in recent years include the Office of Management and Budget, Education Pioneers, Fehr and Peers, the CIA, City of Santa Monica, Pacific Clinics, California State Auditor, Parsons Brinkerhoff and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

• Alumni Speaker Panels

UCLA Luskin alumni oftentimes return to campus to share specialized skills or areas of expertise with current Luskin students.  Topics of Alumni Speaker Panels from recent years include: Careers in Green Technology, Starting a Private Practice, Careers in Education Policy, Landing a Job with the Federal Government, Current Trends in Economic Development, an Overview of the Mayor's Performance Management Unit and Visual Communication for Urban Designers.

• Networking Events

Departmental and School-wide networking events provide Luskin students an opportunity to meet potential employers and expand their professional networks.

• Public Affairs Career Fair

Our annual Career Fair in Winter Quarter brings together Public Affairs employers from the public, private and non-profit sectors that have job and internship vacancies.  The fair provides an opportunity for students to make personal connections with hiring managers and ask questions

• International Practice Pathway

The goal of the International Practice Pathway is to prepare students to work with local and global underserved populations by providing cross-disciplinary education in such international issues as urban planning, social welfare, public policy, economics, administration, public health and environmental sciences.  It also trains practitioners who are qualified to work in diverse settings by providing hands-on experience in research and practice in international resource-poor settings.

• Individual Career Advising Appointments

Students may make individual appointments for career guidance, assistance with their job or internship searches, resume critiques or mock interviews.  Students are connected with UCLA Luskin alumni in their field of interest when applicable.

Career advising hours are Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 8:00am-5:00pm, by appointment.  Please contact Sherry Dodge, Director of Career Services, at dodge@publicaffairs.ucla.edu to make an appointment.