Career Accelerator Q&A with Krisinda Doherty

We sat down with Krisinda Doherty, Associate Dean for Professional and Career Services at the Harris School of Public Policy, to discuss the Career Accelerator program for incoming students. 

Tell us about yourself.

I’ve been at the university for thirteen years, with the last nine at Harris. Before that, I worked in the Office of Career Advancement at the College, supporting undergraduate students pursuing careers in business. And before I worked at UChicago, I did five years of management consulting.

At Harris, I was the Program Director for our Evening Master's Program. Two years ago, I started my current role and have enjoyed transitioning back to career services.

What was the thinking when your team decided to launch the new Career Accelerator?

There’s a saying that finding a job is a full-time job. It also often takes longer than anticipated. We know our students want to make an immediate impact and have financial obligations, so we thought about how to reduce the time of their search. We've launched these career accelerators to get students into the mindset of being a jobseeker before starting classes.

Can you describe how the program works at a high level?

There are three categories: 

The first week is Preparation Accelerators. Students get into groups of forty and are led through two ninety-minute career topic sessions with a coach to practice how they tell their story. They’ll also learn about recruiting timelines and acquire some baseline job search skills. Students will be grouped based upon years of work experience, and whether that experience is in the United States, because people at different points in their career need different services. We also have a very global student body, and for folks who have limited experience in the United States, there are some workplace expectations that are helpful to establish.

The second week is focused on Skill Accelerators, which reflect job-seeking skills. Students will choose between finance, consulting, or writing based on their interests.  

In the third and fourth weeks, we have our Networking Accelerators. Now that students have that solid foundation, they need to know how to get an interview. Networking is critical to that process, so we're offering opportunities for students to engage with alumni, and a career fair on September 25.

Can you expand on the Skill Accelerator topics?

The first choice is Finance. This is an introduction to accounting, finance and Excel. Finance jobs tend to ask some technical questions that test your familiarity with such topics, so we're giving students a basic understanding. Finance will be led by Utkarsh  Bhagat, a former investment banker who has taught finance, interview preparation, and Excel skills for years.

The second option is Consulting, or case interview skills. Part of the interview process at many consulting firms is being able to problem solve, which is done through a case interview. Case interviewing is a skill built over lots of repetition, so students will have the chance to practice with peers. The case interviewing sessions will be led by former McKinsey consultant Deborah Resnick, who coaches people on landing a job in consulting and co-led by Ethan Rucker, a career coach at Harris.

The third one is a Writing Skill Accelerator conducted by Executive Director of the Writing Program, David Chrisinger. Many jobs require a cover letter and want writing samples, so students will workshop effective writing deliverables. David will also walk through opportunities to publish work, including in the Chicago Policy Review.

What’s some advice that you have for students and their approach to the Career Accelerator program, so that they can maximize their experience?

A student recently asked me about the workload of the Career Accelerators, and while there are to-dos for these programs, students shouldn't feel pressured to do them immediately. My advice would be to focus more on what happens after the accelerator. Be very intentional post-orientation and schedule time to work on career development.

Registration is open. All degree programs are eligible to participate in the career accelerator. Some aspects of the program are on a waitlist, so incoming students should sign up soon.