Career and Professional Development provides career-related advising to all Virginia Tech students.
We work with students in all majors, all academic levels, first year through graduate level, on all aspects of career planning.
This includes:
- exploring self, careers, and majors.
- seeking experience during college.
- developing professional competencies and skills.
- seeking post-graduation employment.
- planning for graduate or professional school.
- health professions advising.
We offer advising through:
10-minute walk-in.
See 10-minute walk-in advising for purpose, hours, prep, cautions, alternatives, locations, and other details.
Appointments.
See scheduling advising appointments for all details.
More about help we can provide
(and a little heads up on things we can't do!)
Exploring majors and career options for majors:
We are happy to guide you in the process of exploring yourself, careers, and majors to help you on the journey to discover your fit and make informed decisions. We will help you through advising appointments; in advance , see exploring careers and majors. In your appointments we will work with you to help you determine what resources and next steps will help you decide on and meet your goals.
Please be aware that we cannot advise you on academic course requirements!
In Career and Professional Development, we can help you with the process of developing your career goals. We are not authorized to advise you on specific courses to take to meet academic requirements. At the end of this page please find university resources for academic advising.
Career advising by undergraduate major:
Career and internship advisors in colleges are faculty and/or staff for and in your academic major department and college. Our staff work with these advisors to share information and collaborate to assist students. The career advisor in your major might be different from, or the same as, your academic advisor in your major. Seek advice and guidance, and learn about careers related to your undergraduate major.
Looking for experience during college, such as internships, field studies, co-op positions, and more:
Excellent! Read about ways to get experience, including internships, and co-ops, and field study, and many other ways. Each year our Virginia Tech grads tell us that over 90% of them had career-related experience during college, but a third of them still wish they had gotten more experience. You can't have too much! In an appointment, we can help steer you to best resources to meet your goals, and help you make sure your goals are on track.
To enroll in the Undergraduate Cooperative Education & Internship Program (CEIP):
See program requirements and eligibility, and plan to attend a CEIP orientation; sessions are held several times each semester and are required for enrollment and to help you prepare for success during your co-op or internship. You will be connected with the CEIP advisor in the career center and the appropriate co-op and internship advisor in your academic major department.
Job search for post-graduation job:
Our job search guide gets you started on basics so your appointment time can be spent most effectively. In an appointment we can help you fine-tune your documents and job search strategies. Job search for graduate students covers the academic job search, industry job search, events, more.
On-Campus Interviewing (OCI) and Hokies4Hire:
See about OCI and H4H to learn more and get answers to frequently asked questions and sources of help. If you encounter a glitch or confusion in using H4H, please contact our employer relations staff at hireahokie@vt.edu; we are glad to assist you and do not want you to miss any opportunities.
Planning for graduate or professional school:
See planning for graduate and professional school; this will help you get started before your appointment, and make you aware of events for exploring whether grad school is right for you, the application process, and admission test practice and prep — all of which you will want to use to the fullest. In an appointment we can help you fine-tune your documents and plans.
Pre-professional advising and resources directs you to advising programs focused on professions of education, law, and health. Those programs provide resources and guide students preparing for professional school admission.
Health professions | planning for graduate education for a health career:
Health Professions Advising (HPA) is located in the Career and Professional Development office and assists students and alumni planning for health professional careers requiring graduate or professional education.
Federal jobs and internships advising:
Schedule an appointment and indicate you would like assistance with a federal search. We have advisors with training in the federal search process. See federal job search process for additional resources.
Alumni career and networking contacts:
Hokie Nation Network is sponsored by the Virginia Tech Alumni Association and enables students and graduates to network for career information and for a job search.
Remember that Career and Professional Development is not authorized to advise on academic course requirements. Please use these university resources for your academic advising needs:
- Your academic advisor in the department offering the major.
- Course selection and academic advising when you are between majors:
If you are between majors and are uncertain about courses to take, you are welcome to seek advising for "transitional students" through the University Studies.
- Course requirements for a specific major and transferring into a major:
1. Read that academic department’s website.
2. Find and read the checksheet for that major and any other sources of requirements.
3. Read and follow any rules that department may have for transferring into the major.
4. In accordance with those rules, schedule academic advising in that major department.
- “What if” scenarios: Courses needed if in a different major:
In Hokie SPA order a “What-if DARS.”
More info about DARS:
In the “What-if DARS,” select the anticipated major, your anticipated graduation date, and on the question of whether to use “planned courses,” select “no.”
Read the results very carefully (do not just skim) and seek advising in the academic department housing the major in accordance with the policy of that department.