Graduate career services

Collaborate with our career services team to craft individualized career plans and job search strategies. Engage in one-on-one sessions to clarify goals, explore career options, refine application materials, and prepare for interviews with practice sessions. Receive expert guidance on evaluating and negotiating job offers.

Participate in activities focused on improving resume writing, interview techniques, and salary negotiation skills. Benefit from strengths-based and behavioral interviewing workshops, and gain insights into industry trends through employer info sessions.

Unlock your leadership abilities with executive coaching and targeted development programs. Participate in leadership seminars and workshops designed to build essential skills for effective leadership and collaboration in diverse professional settings, preparing you for executive roles in public policy.

Ford School alumni are invaluable resources for real-world career information, job leads, and mentoring advice. Engage with them through virtual and on-campus meetings, as well as during annual career exploration trips to cities like Detroit and Washington, D.C. Additionally, take advantage of networking opportunities during events such as the Ford School Worldwide Spirit Day, scheduled in mid-July around President Ford's birthdate. 

Learn from the journeys of our alumni who have built impactful careers across government, non-profits, and the private sector.

Job and internship postings are forwarded to the Ford School from a wide range of national and international employers. Students and alumni can access part-time, internship, and full-time job openings via FordCareers, a web-based recruiting system. Search features enable you to view job postings that match your individual qualifications and interests. FordCareers also serves as your online portal for applying for internships or professional development funding and accessing policy-relevant career resources.

Benefit from the extensive network cultivated by our career services team, linking you with agencies eager to recruit Ford School graduates. Engage in face-to-face meetings with employers during on-campus and remote sessions for full-time and internship opportunities. We facilitate these connections by organizing resume collections, arranging interviews, and posting job openings. Leverage strategic partnerships with institutions like APSIA, and use resources from the University's central Career Center to enhance recruiting relationships both domestically and internationally.

Reserve rooms in the Career Services office for phone or in-person interviews, conducting informational interviews, or making follow-up calls to employers. Students have access to computers, printers, and telephones for job or internship search activities. 

Additionally, explore our digital library of career resources, offering a wealth of materials for every stage of the job or internship search, including preparing application materials, interviews, and negotiation strategies. Our physical library also holds past internship reflections, Presidential Management Fellowship information, and industry reference books.

Access a wide range of part-time, internship, and full-time job postings from both national and international employers. Use the portal's search features to find positions that match your qualifications and interests, apply for funding, and access career development tools relevant to public policy.

Visit FordCareers.

Benefit from financial support provided through the generosity of Ford School donors to enhance your professional journey.

• Internship partnerships: Receive funding for internships in leading policy organizations that would otherwise be unpaid. These partnerships are announced in January with additional opportunities shared throughout the winter semester. Examples include the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), CARE, the Asia Foundation, the World Bank, and the State of Michigan Governor's Office.
• Internship funding: Defray some costs of completing the ten-week Ford School internship requirement in organizations offering unpaid or low-paid internships.
• Professional development funding: Access support for skill-building activities that supplement curricular and co-curricular opportunities available to MPP/MPA students at the Ford School.