Composing Your Career

This four week, non-credit workshop equips NYU Wagner students to strategically navigate the complex world of public service careers. Through research, reflection, discussion, and written assignments, students develop core career planning skills and articulate their professional goals. The course centers on the “F.O.R.” framework: identifying Fields of interest, exploring relevant Organizations, and understanding potential Roles within them. Students will apply this lens to analyze past experiences, evaluate current opportunities, and plan for future impact. Activities include building a 90-second elevator pitch, exploring career pathways, and learning how to describe professional interests with clarity and confidence. Emphasis is placed on the “S.E.E.” strategies to help students maximize their time at Wagner and to be Smart, Experienced, and Engaged. The course culminates in an individualized action plan to guide students’ academic and career decisions throughout their graduate studies and beyond.