In today's tight job market, career networking is not just a strategy for those seeking to change jobs. Increasingly college students are making connections with potential employers and learning about different career opportunities, sometimes well before their senior year. At Haverford, greater numbers of seniors and underclassmen are taking advantage of the College's internship and externship programs, each of which is a form of networking.

In the case of most externships, students participate in the normal routines of the sponsors, following their hosts throughout their workday or working on special projects. Often, the externs spend time in several departments to gain insight into allied
positions in the sponsor's particular career.

Over the recent winter break, Haverford's Career Development Office saw a record number of students participate in externships.“ They see this program as a great way to acquire in-depth information about a particular career field,” says associate director Amy Feifer.

They do so by tapping into the College's alumni network – Haverford graduates, who volunteer to host Haverford students over a period of one or two weeks and show them the ropes in their respective jobs. Throughout the month of January, 34 alumni and parents provided close to 60 Haverford students an insider's view of what it's like to work in public and private law, medicine, teaching and journalism. A number of the undergraduates learned about careers at such organizations as the Boston Language Institute, the Filmmakers Collaborative in Waltham, Mass., the Environmental Protection Agency, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, and the Criminal Justice Policy Foundation in Maryland.

“Externships can give students a more realistic picture of a career field they may later pursue or simply introduce them to a vocation they may not have considered,” says Feifer.“And it's a great way to network.”