Alumni & Parents

Alumni Seeking Career Services

The Vanderbilt Career Center offers support for alumni as they navigate their professional paths. From career resources to networking opportunities, we're here to help you stay connected and take the next step

Resource for Alumni

  • Alumni 0-2 Years Out

    Coaching Appointments

    Recent graduates can continue to meet with members of our professional coaching staff. Contact the Center via email at careercenter@vanderbilt.edu or by phone at 615-322-2750 to set an appointment with a coach in person or virtual to discuss how to identify and pursue opportunities.

    Job Postings in Handshake

    As a recent graduate you can continue to access Handshake to learn about employers coming to campus, and search for and apply to jobs. Simply login through the Alumni portal using your VUnetID and password. If you have login difficulties, please send an e-mail to careercenter@vanderbilt.edu explaining the problem.

    Information Sessions

    You can attend workshops, employer information sessions and career fairs hosted by the Center. 

  • Resources for Alumni 2+ Years Out

    The Vanderbilt University Alumni Association offers several career development resources on the Career Resources section of their website. This site provides all Vanderbilt alumni with access to job postings, career development workshops, and online tools, networking through Alumni Chapter events, LinkedIn, plus exclusive Vanderbilt discounts to help you along your professional path.

Engage with Vanderbilt Talent (Volunteering & Recruiting)

Alumni play a critical role in assisting Vanderbilt students in the exploration of potential career paths. Whether it’s through casual conversation or hosting a workshop, the advice, insight, and experience you can offer has a significant impact on students’ career decisions. We invite you to partner with us for student-alumni engagement programs throughout the year.

Ways to Support

  • Donate Your Time
    • Volunteer to be a guest speaker or panelist to provide advice and inspire students during in-person and virtual events.
    • Lead a workshop to help students build new professional skills.
    • Explore Commodore Compass, Vanderbilt University’s premier mentorship platform that connects students, alumni, faculty, staff, and parents in meaningful mentorship relationships
  • Donate Your Talent

    Learn more about recruiting at Vanderbilt through Handshake!

  • Donate Your Treasure

    Dare to Make a Difference

Supporting Your Vanderbilt Student

At the Vanderbilt Career Center, we believe parents and families play an important role in a student’s career development. Whether your student is exploring majors, applying for internships, or preparing for life after graduation, we offer a variety of resources to help you support them along the way. Scroll down to explore tools, conversation starters, and insights to stay informed and engaged as your student navigates their professional path.

Resources to Share with Your Student

  • Big Interview

    Big Interview isn't just a training course. Students can also get hands-on practice with mock interviews tailored to their specific major or area of interest. Resumes can also be reviewed on-demand with AI. 

  • Commodore Closet

    The Commodore Closet, a collaborative initiative between the Vanderbilt Career Center and Vanderbilt Student Affairs, is dedicated to providing students with access to professional attire. 

  • Commodore Compass

    Commodore Compass is Vanderbilt University’s premier mentorship platform connects students, alumni, faculty, staff, and parents in meaningful mentorship relationships. Join us today.

  • Handshake

    Handshake is the Career Center’s online resource to learn about and connect to professional opportunities on and off-campus.

    Here are the highlights:

    • Search for internships and job opportunities in different industries.
    • Experience the hiring process by applying and interviewing on-campus with employers.
    • Sign up for professional development workshops led by alumni or employers that provide insight into the workplace and skills needed to be competitive.
    • Search for Vandy In Career Community events, Career Fairs, and Information Sessions which are all offered on-campus.
    • Access Center-provided resources through the Resource Library.
  • Interstride

    Interstride is an interactive portal for your job search, immigration journey, and community building. 

  • Iris Photo Booth

    The Iris Photo Booth is located on the first floor of the Student Life Center (near the office of Global Safety), this resource is free and available to the entire Vanderbilt community. 

  • VandyPASS

    Pathways for Achieving Skills and Success is the Career Center’s innovative approach to showcasing skills students obtain. Engineered by Suitable, VandyPASS provides students a virtual roadmap by tracking their experiential learning and connecting it to different career pathways.

    VandyPASS empowers students to tell their unique stories to employers, to other institutions, and to peers.

aerial photo of vanderbilt campus

Vandy In

Vandy In Communities are industry-specific career communities. Support can consist of programming, coaching appointments, drop-ins, workshops, etc.

Learn More

Resources for Parents

  • Student Outcomes

    Access the student outcomes page to explore what Vanderbilt students do after graduation.

  • Questions to Ask Your Student

    As a parent, your influence is more powerful than you may realize—even as your college-aged child begins carving their own path. When it comes to career engagement and preparedness, your role isn’t to have all the answers, but to ask the kinds of questions that spark reflection, exploration, and confidence. The right questions can help your student begin crafting a life that’s both meaningful and practical.

    Start with curious and open-ended questions that invite your student to reflect on their evolving sense of identity and direction:

    • What classes, experiences, or people have energized you lately?
    • What kinds of problems do you enjoy solving?
    • Who do you admire, and what do you admire about their life or work?

    These types of questions help students connect their interests, values, and skills to real-world opportunities—without pressuring them into prematurely locking into one career path.

  • Career Conversations To Have

    You might begin with:

    • How are you making the most of the career resources on campus?
    • Have you had a chance to talk with a career coach, attend a networking event, or explore internships?
    • What are you learning about yourself from your work, volunteer, or extracurricular experiences?

    These gently nudge students toward engagement and ownership without micromanaging.

    Most importantly, frame career as a journey, not a race or checklist. Help your student see that clarity often comes through experimentation—not certainty. It’s okay if they don’t know “what they want to be.” Better questions are:

    • What kind of life do you want to build?
    • What would you like your day-to-day to feel like?
    • How do you want to contribute to the world?

    Support them in asking themselves these questions, again and again. Careers are not linear ladders but winding paths shaped by choice, change, and curiosity. Be a sounding board, not a foreman.

    Finally, resist the urge to evaluate every decision for practicality. Trust that meaning, engagement, and a willingness to learn will lead them toward not just a job, but a life worth living.

  • Your Role in the Career Search

    Coming soon