Inquiring Minds Want to Know: Following the Career Paths of MIT Alumni

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Got the Scoop on MIT Grads:

How do our bright minds fare once they strut off the campus turf? We've got the lowdown. President Sally Kornbluth penned a letter to MIT alumni stating the world is primed to reward our grads for their brains and know-how. Deborah Liverman, who's handled MIT's Career Advising and Professional Development (CAPD) during Kornbluth's tenure, has witnessed firsthand how MIT students put their education to work across the globe in academia, industry, entrepreneurship, medicine, government, nonprofits, and beyond. Here's Liverman's insider scoop on trends in student career paths and the complexities they face in the job market.

Q: What's up with MIT students once they graduate?

A: We survey our undergraduates and grad students annually, giving us a treasure trove of data. Our 2023 graduating student survey revealed 49% of bachelor's students and 79% of master's students entered the workforce after graduation. Among those seeking work, 92% of bachelor's grads and 87% of master's grads snagged a job within three months of graduation.

These two cohorts dived headfirst into MIT's experiential learning opportunities, with Class of 2023 seniors participating in UROPs (Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program), internships, teaching, mentoring at campus makerspaces, and more. Master's grads got hands-on in internships, teaching, and entrepreneurial ventures or activities. Around 47% of bachelor's students credited previous internships or externships for the jobs they landed, and 46% of master's grads are now startup founders.

We survey phds separately, but the assumption many harbor – that most leave academia – proves false. About 41% of phd graduates planned to work in industry. As of the survey date, over 76% had signed work contracts or made definite commitments to a postdoc or other job, while only 9% were jobless and seeking prospects.

The Prehealth Advising team supports students and alumni applying to med school. Last year, they helped 73 hopefuls consisting of 25 undergrads, eight grad students, and 40 alumni, boasting an acceptance rate of 79%—much higher than the national rate of 41%.

Q: What's CAPD's deal with developing students' professional skills and aiding them in career choices?

A: The career and graduate school landscape is ever-evolving. CAPD is, too, so we can best support students and keep 'em career-ready.

Recently, we altered our advisement model from a discipline-specific focus to prioritizing students' career interests. This allows our advisors to better discuss students' unique values, ambitions, and other influencing factors during one-on-one sessions.

We've been concentrated on providing new avenues for students to test-drive careers. For instance, we've add two roles – assistant director of career exploration and assistant director of career prototype – and offer career exploration fellowships and grants to students.

Career exploration is vital, but we want to cater to students' busy schedules. CAPD offers various formats, from one-hour workshops and speaker sessions to daylong shadowing experiences and prolonged internships. We collaborate with departments to create the Career Exploration Series and various speaker series, like Infinite Careers, exposing students to various career paths. We've also created more opportunities for students to interact with alumni and employers through daylong shadowing opportunities, micro-internships, internships, and employer coffee chats.

We're also tweaking existing programming to build in career exploration, like the Fall Career Fair. This year, the fair drew 4,400 students, postdocs, and alumni, with 180 employers, offering excellent prospects for students and employers alike.

Grad students need exploration, too. CAPD offers programming catering specifically to them, including the CHAOS Process and our Graduate Student Professional Development offerings.

Q: What's hot in the job market, and how do students weigh factors like a company's ethics, political climate, environmental impact, and other considerations when accepting job offers?

A: It's becoming increasingly competitive for job seekers, but companies aren't always quick to hire. Many students experience delayed job offers and pushed-back start dates, especially in consulting and some tech firms. Regardless, students should keep an open mind and be ready for unexpected twists in their career paths.

Trending fields include biotech, government, space, aerospace, climate and sustainability, energy, and financial services. With the rise of AI in businesses, AI-related roles are in high demand.

Students consider many factors when evaluating job offers, from job content, company culture, and career growth opportunities, to compensation. However, they're also taking a closer look at an organization's adherence to their values and ethics. CAPD offers resources to help students decide which factors matter most and find companies that align with their values and aspirations.

No matter where students stand on the job market, CAPD is here to offer guidance, answer questions, and empower them to make the best career decisions for their future.

The bright minds of MIT graduates are sought after within various sectors like academia, industry, entrepreneurship, medicine, government, nonprofits, and more, as per Deborah Liverman.
In the 2023 graduating student survey, 49% of bachelor's students and 79% of master's students entered the workforce, with 92% of bachelor's grads and 87% of master's grads securing jobs within three months of graduation.
The Class of 2023 seniors took part in UROPs, internships, teaching, mentoring at campus makerspaces, and more, while master's grads got hands-on with internships, teaching, and entrepreneurial ventures or activities.
Around 47% of bachelor's students credited previous internships or externships for the jobs they landed, and 46% of master's grads are now startup founders.
About 41% of phd graduates planned to work in industry, with over 76% having signed work contracts or making definite commitments to a postdoc or other job.
The Prehealth Advising team supports students and alumni applying to med school, with a 79% acceptance rate in 2022.
To develop students' professional skills and aid in career choices, MIT's Career Advising and Professional Development (CAPD) has changed its advisement model to focus on students' career interests instead of being discipline-specific.
CAPD now offers career exploration fellowships and grants to students, added two roles – assistant director of career exploration and assistant director of career prototype, and collaborates with departments to create the Career Exploration Series and various speaker series.
CAPD also caters to students' busy schedules by offering various formats for career exploration such as one-hour workshops, speaker sessions, daylong shadowing experiences, prolonged internships, and employer coffee chats.
Students consider various factors when evaluating job offers, from job content, company culture, and career growth opportunities, to compensation, ethics, political climate, and environmental impact.
Trending fields include biotech, government, space, aerospace, climate and sustainability, energy, and financial services, with AI-related roles in high demand due to the rise of AI in businesses.
CAPD provides resources to help students decide which factors matter most and find companies that align with their values and aspirations.
CAPD continues to offer guidance, answer questions, and empower students to make the best career decisions for their future, regardless of the competitive job market and companies' hiring processes.