Career Resource Library and Guides
The Office of Career Services produces the annual HDS Career Planning and Job Search Guide and a variety of tip sheets addressing career-related topics. Hard copies of these publications are available at the Office of Career Services on the ground floor of Swartz Hall. They can also be accessed online through the document library in Hired or the Career Services section of my.hds (login required).
We also maintain a small, but broadly focused collection of books and other materials addressing common career-related questions of HDS students and alumni. These materials may be borrowed for short periods of time. Here are a few examples of materials you can find in our collection:
- A Guide to Careers in Community Development
- Careers in International Affairs
- Career Opportunities in Education
- Careers in Non-Profits and Government Agencies
- Getting Unstuck: How Dead Ends Become New Paths
- Harvard Business School Guide to Finding Your Next Job
- Harvard College Guide to Careers in Public Service
- The ASJA Guide to Freelance Writing
- The Eco-Guide to Careers that Make a Difference
- The Graduate Guide to Grants
- The Overnight Résumé
Who Will Go for Us: An Invitation to Ordained Ministry
Related services provided by other offices
HDS Office of Ministry Studies
Field education, ministry preparation and more
HDS Faculty Advisers
Preparation for doctoral studies
HDS Office of Financial Aid
Fellowships and grants
Harvard International Office
Consultation on employment policy vis-à-vis foreign citizenship
Student Employment Office
Student employment at Harvard
Career Topic Areas
Each of these topics provides links to sites for further research and consideration on an abundance of career-related topics.
Below you will find links to Harvard-affiliated organizations and resources for networking within Harvard University. These are a selected few of the many programs available at Harvard; for more listings, visit these websites at other Harvard schools:
- Graduate School of Education Research Centers, Projects, and Initiatives
- Kennedy School Research Centers and Initiatives
- Law School Research Programs and Centers
- School of Public Health Academic Departments, Divisions, and Centers
Carr Center for Human Rights Policy
The center's mission is to train future leaders for careers in public service and to apply first-class research to the solution of public policy problems. Opportunities include a student-fellows liaison program and internships.
Center for Education Policy Research
A partnership among districts, states, foundations, and university-based researchers, the Center for Education Policy Research leverages the overwhelming amount of newly available school-, teacher-, and student-level data to address previously intractable policy questions in education.
Center for Jewish Studies
The center is the focal point for the study and teaching of Judaica through publications, fellowships, lectures, and symposia on topics of interest to scholars and to the general public.
Center for the Study of World Religions
The CSWR is a world-renowned research center for the comparative, historical, and cultural study of the world's major religions and spiritual traditions.
David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies
Founded in 1994, the DRCLAS works to increase knowledge of the cultures, economies, histories, environment, and contemporary affairs of past and present Latin America. It also posts grant and fellowship opportunities.
Edmond & Lily Safra Foundation Center for Ethics
The primary mission of the center is to help increase the expertise of faculty who are teaching ethics courses at the professional-school level, and to encourage younger scholars to make the teaching of ethics their career objective. Fellowships are awarded on a yearly basis.
Forum on Religion and Ecology
The forum is the largest international multireligious project of its kind. It explores religious worldviews, texts, and ethics in order to broaden understanding of the complex nature of current environmental concerns.
Harvard Black Alumni Society
Founded in 2002, the HBAS has grown into a national organization with operations in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, and Washington, D.C. It sponsors national and regional networks, a mentoring program, professional development events, and more.
Harvard Gender and Sexuality Caucus
The Harvard Gender and Sexuality Caucus is composed of more than 5,000 gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Harvard and Radcliffe alumni/ae, faculty, staff, and students. Among its several purposes, the HGLC maintains and expands a network of LGBTQIA+ alumni and sponsors a summer public-service fellowship opportunity open to any full-time student of any Harvard School.
Harvard Innovation Lab
The Harvard Innovation Lab is a new and innovative initiative that fosters team-based and entrepreneurial activities and deepens interactions among Harvard students, faculty, entrepreneurs, and members of the Allston and Greater Boston community. The i-lab encourages entrepreneurship and innovation across the University, bringing together many cross-curricular interests.
Harvard University Muslim Alumni
Serves as a network for Muslim alumni of the various schools, seeks to create more resources at Harvard for Muslims, promotes a positive image of Islam and Muslims, and supports the rights of Muslims to obtain high-quality educations.
Harvardwood
A nonprofit organization for Harvard University alumni and students in the arts, media, and entertainment. Founded by three alumni in 1999, Harvardwood has since grown to a diverse membership of over 5,000 individuals working in Los Angeles, New York, and worldwide. Website includes internship opportunities.
Hauser Institute for Civil Society
The center aims to illuminate the vital role that the nonprofit sector and nongovernmental organizations play in aiding societies to discover and accomplish important public purposes.
Institute of Politics
Located at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, the IOP's mission is to unite and engage students, particularly undergraduates, with academics, politicians, activists, and policymakers on a nonpartisan basis to inspire them to consider careers in politics and public service. The institute strives to promote greater understanding and cooperation between the academic world and the world of politics and public affairs. The IOP hosts forums and provides resources on internships and conferences.
Islamic Legal Studies Program
The ILSP is a research program that seeks to advance knowledge and understanding of Islamic law through objective and comparative methods. It aims to foster an atmosphere of open inquiry that embraces many perspectives: Muslim and non-Muslim, scholar and practitioner, contemporary and classical, Sunni and Shi'i, law and religion. It seeks to promote appreciation of Islamic law as one of the world's major legal systems.
Nieman Foundation
The foundation was established in 1937 to "promote and elevate the standards of journalism in the United States and educate persons deemed especially qualified for journalism." Fellows from all over the world are selected each year to study at Harvard and share their experiences.
Pluralism Project
The Pluralism Project was developed by Diana L. Eck at Harvard University to study and document the growing religious diversity of the United States, with a special view to its new immigrant religious communities. Opportunities frequently include research grants.
Program on Negotiation
The Program on Negotiation (PON) is a university consortium dedicated to developing the theory and practice of negotiation and dispute resolution. PON is committed to developing the theory and practice of negotiation, to nurturing the next generation of negotiation teachers and scholars, and to helping students become more effective negotiators. They accomplish this through research, seminars, courses, conferences, publications, and special events. PON includes faculty, students, and staff from Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Tufts University.
Project Zero
An educational research group at the Graduate School of Education, Project Zero's mission is to understand and enhance high-level thinking and learning across disciplines and cultures and in a range of contexts, including schools, businesses, museums, and digital environments. Project Zero's work includes investigations into the nature of intelligence, understanding, thinking, creativity, ethics, and other essential aspects of human learning.
Public Education Leadership Project
A joint initiative of the Graduate School of Education and the Business School, PELP aims to drive student achievement through improving the leadership and management of complex urban school districts. Harvard and nine participating school districts have collaboratively designed PELP to dramatically improve the educational outcomes of these districts.
Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston
The Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston strives to improve the governance of Greater Boston by strengthening connections between the region's scholars, students, and civic leaders. Based at the Harvard Kennedy School, the institute pursues this mission by promoting emerging leaders, producing new ideas, and stimulating informed discussion. Its Public Policy Summer Fellowships offer graduate students the opportunity to do paid summer internships at state or local agencies and participate in a seminar series with other fellows.
Social Enterprise Initiative
The Social Enterprise Initiative at Harvard Business School applies innovative business practices and managerial disciplines to drive sustained, high-impact social change. It's grounded in the mission of HBS and aims to inspire, educate, and support leaders who make a difference in the world. The Social Enterprise Initiative engages with the nonprofit, for-profit, and public sectors to generate and share resources, tools, and knowledge.
W. E. B. Du Bois Research Institute
The W. E. B. Du Bois Research Institute is the nation's oldest research center dedicated to the study of the history, culture, and social institutions of Africans and African Americans. The institute awards up to 20 fellowships annually to scholars at various stages of their careers in the fields of African and African American Studies, broadly defined to cover the expanse of the African Diaspora.
Weatherhead Center for International Affairs
In its recognition that knowledge is a product not only of individual academic research, but also of vigorous, sustained intellectual dialogue among scholars and nonacademic experts, the center sponsors a wide array of seminars, research programs, workshops, and conferences.
Women's Studies in Religion Program
The Women's Studies in Religion Program (WSRP) at Harvard Divinity School promotes critical inquiry into the interaction between religion and gender. It sponsors research and teaching in feminist theology, biblical studies, ethics, and women's history, as well as interdisciplinary scholarship.
Currency Converter
Escape Artist
Features articles on relocating to overseas locations, as well as living overseas.
Europass
A set of five documents, including a CV, intended to help job candidates make their skills and qualifications clearly and easily understood throughout Europe. An initiative of the European Commission.
ExpatExchange.com
A portal for international living.
Fulbright Programs
Includes programs for U.S. and non-U.S. scholars.
Go Abroad
Search for job or volunteer opportunities, internships, language schools, and more.
Harvard University Committee on General Scholarships
Includes information on traveling fellowship funds.
Hired
Career management system offered by Harvard Divinity School. Registering with Hired gives users access to nearly 1,000 active employers and over 800 current job and internship listings both in the U.S. and abroad.
Transitions Abroad
Portal to job information, articles, internships, and more.
U.S. Department of State
U.S. Department of State Resources for Work Abroad
University of Michigan Directory of Work Abroad Websites
Association for Clinical Pastoral Education
Includes a directory of accredited CPE sites, plus announcements of supervisory and residency CPE positions.
Association of Theological Schools
Includes a directory to accredited theological schools in the United States and Canada, most of which post openings at their websites.
CareerOneStop
Information on job trends, credentials, salaries, etc., in the United States, including information by state. Compare credentials against typical credentials in a given field. Read actual job descriptions.
Carney Sandoe & Associates
Many independent secondary schools use recruiting agencies. Carney Sandoe charges a fee for this service.
Chronicle of Higher Education
Includes a widely used employment section.
Craigslist
Choose from among several popular cities. Receive new listings meeting your interests daily by email.
Feminist Career Center
Maintained by the Feminist Majority Foundation.
Glassdoor
Glassdoor is a free online career community where past and present employees submit company reviews, salaries, and interview information on over 300,000 companies in over 190 countries.
Harvard GSAS Fellowship Office
Maintains databases of fellowships and grants, and offers advice online.
Harvard Kennedy School Job Database
The Harvard Divinity School Office of Career Services maintains a sharing arrangement with the Harvard Kennedy School Office of Career Advancement. To access its job listings, follow the instructions under the "announcements" section on your screen immediately after logging in to Hired.
Harvard Student Employment Office
The Harvard Student Employment Office is among the best places to look for student jobs. Receive new listings daily by email.
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Job Database
The Harvard Divinity School Office of Career Services maintains a sharing arrangement with the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Career Services Office. To access its job listings, follow the instructions under the "announcements" section on your screen immediately after logging in to Hired.
HDS Field Education Program
Placements at parishes, schools, community agencies, and more.
HigherEdJobs.Com
Listings for faculty, adjunct faculty, instructors, campus ministers, administrators, and more.
hireCulture
A database of cultural employment opportunities in Massachusetts maintained by the Massachusetts Cultural Council. hireCulture exists primarily for the benefit of nonprofit arts, science, and humanities organizations in Massachusetts.
Hired
Career management system offered by Harvard Divinity School. Registering with Hired gives users access to nearly 1,000 active employers and over 800 current job and internship listings both in the U.S. and abroad.
Idealist.org
In addition to job listings in the nonprofit sector, links to thousands of organizations worldwide, and includes a number of articles and tools for people interested in careers for the public good.
Indeed
Enter a job title and location. This tool searches thousands of job boards. You can also register to receive new listings by email or instant message.
Ministry List
Ministry List is a service of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary that seeks to serve churches and ministries around the world by providing a place to post and search ministry positions and candidate profiles. Note: Most denominations heavily represented at HDS use internal systems for placing ministers rather than listing openings publicly. Contact the Office of Ministry Studies to discuss the most effective ways of searching for positions within your denomination.
National Association of Independent Schools Career Center
Articles, assessments, job listings, and more.
Philanthropy Jobs
News, articles, job listings, and occasional advice on salaries and strategies for job seekers. Maintained by The Chronicle of Philanthropy.
United Way of Massachusetts Bay, Inc.
Use to search for volunteer opportunities, or as a very good directory of agencies in Greater Boston. Affiliated with United Way.
USA Jobs
Large virtual career center for U.S. jobs. Post résumés, view job listings, research salary, growth information, and more.
GradSchools.com
Offers fewer tools than the U.S. News & World Report for comparison of programs, but is more comprehensive in terms of areas of academic foci. Includes international programs.
Princeton Review
Graduate school search tool. Also links to helpful articles on a wide variety of questions and issues regarding graduate study.
Questions to Ask When Considering a PhD
A guide to finding a "good fit" in a PhD program. Provides questions to ask yourself, questions to ask about specific programs, and questions to ask faculty members with whom you wish to work.
StudyAbroad.com
Links and information on overseas study programs of many varieties.
U.S. News & World Report's Best Graduate Schools
Compare admissions standards, read student reviews on quality of life, and more.
USA JOBS
The federal government's official jobs site.
Homefair
Lots of good information and interactive tools for relocating within the United States. Some limited tools for international relocation as well.
CareerOneStop
Information on job trends, credentials, salaries, etc., in the United States, including information by state. Compare credentials against typical credentials in a given field. Read actual job descriptions.
Chronicle Career Resources
News, articles, and first-person accounts on professions in academe and transitioning out of academe. Maintained by The Chronicle of Higher Education.
Idealist.org
In addition to job listings in the nonprofit sector, links to thousands of organizations worldwide, and includes a number of articles and tools for people interested in careers for the public good.
National Association of Independent Schools Career Center
Articles, assessments, job listings, and more.
Occupational Information Network (O*NET)
Analyzes skills as they relate to potential fields. This site is also a good resource for researching careers.
Occupational Outlook Handbook
More detailed information on general educational requirements, outlook for growth in a field, professional associations, and basic salary information for professions.
Philanthropy Jobs
News, articles, job listings, and occasional advice on salaries and strategies for job seekers. Maintained by The Chronicle of Philanthropy.
US.Jobs Career Resources
Links to additional sources for information on salaries, growing fields, and more. Scope limited to the United States.
Converting Your CV to a Resume
A guide from Columbia University Center for Career Education.
CV Portal
From JobStar. Links to several guides to writing a CV. Samples and templates are included. We recommend doing some comparison before writing.
Europass
A set of five documents, including a CV, intended to help job candidates make their skills and qualifications clearly and easily understood throughout Europe. An initiative of the European Commission.
Résumé Advice Essays
WorkBloom maintains short essays from experts on the most up-to-date advice on résumé-writing.
Résumé Help: Writing Services, Tips, and Examples (livecareer.com)
Livecareer.com has a variety of résumé, CV, and cover letter templates, as well as helpful articles and job search strategy tips.
JobStar's Salary Portal
Links to tables, surveys, and articles on salaries and negotiating salaries.
Occupational Outlook Handbook
More detailed information on general educational requirements, outlook for growth in a field, professional associations, and basic salary information for professions.
Philanthropy Jobs
News, articles, job listings, and occasional advice on salaries and strategies for job seekers. Maintained by The Chronicle of Philanthropy.
Salary.com
Includes a "Salary Wizard" that figures the national average salary for a job title adjusted for cost of living.
Simply Hired
Simply Hired's salary calculator shows how income stacks up against the salaries of those in the same profession, both locally and nationally.
American Academy of Religion
Provides information and links on the profession of religious scholarship.
CareerOneStop
Information on job trends, credentials, salaries, etc., in the United States, including information by state. Compare credentials against typical credentials in a given field. Read actual job descriptions.
Chronicle Careers
News, articles, and first-person accounts on professions in academe and transitioning out of academe. Maintained by The Chronicle of Higher Education.
Escape Artist
Features articles on relocating to overseas locations, as well as living overseas.
Forum for Theological Exploration
An initiative of the Lilly Endowment, Inc. The bibliography is an especially helpful resource for persons exploring the question of vocation theologically.
Idealist.org
In addition to job listings in the nonprofit sector, links to thousands of organizations worldwide, and includes a number of articles and tools for people interested in careers for the public good.
Job Hunter's Bible
Helpful information from Richard Bolles, author of What Color Is Your Parachute?, as well as links to additional assistance. Mr. Bolles's most popular books are also available in the HDS Office of Career Services.
Ministry List
Ministry List is a service of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary that seeks to serve churches and ministries around the world by providing a place to post and search ministry positions and candidate profiles. Note: Most denominations heavily represented at HDS use internal systems for placing ministers rather than listing openings publicly. Contact the Office of Ministry Studies to discuss the most effective ways of searching for positions within your denomination.
National Association of Independent Schools Career Center
Articles, assessments, job listings, and more.
Re-Envisioning the PhD
A wide range of (often career-related) resources for people who are considering pursuing a PhD or who hold one. A project of the Pew Charitable Trust.
USA JOBS
Large virtual career center for U.S. jobs. Post résumés, view job listings, research salary, growth information, and more.
VISION Vocation Network
Information and resources on vocations in Roman Catholic religious life or priesthood. Also has some resources with more broad applicability, including a spiritual-type inventory.
What Can I Do with My Degree in Religious Studies? (PDF)
This document from the McGill University Career Planning Service contains information about typical careers/jobs that can be associated with your degree as well as alternative careers that may utilize your education, skills, and experiences.
Online inventories can be enjoyable and helpful, but they are also limited. It is generally useful to include all of the following in your discernment process:
- Concrete experiences that you can reflect on, such as field education, an internship, volunteer work, job shadowing, or temporary employment.
- Consultations, such as the career consultations offered through the HDS Office of Career Services, or counseling offered by certified career counselors, pastoral counselors, and spiritual directors.
- Research on career fields, which may be done by perusing job announcements and position descriptions; reading professional journals and resources; conducting informational interviews; or scanning web resources, such as the professional field research sites we've identified above in the section Researching Professional Fields.
- Reflection, through spiritual practice and/or reflective exercises, such as the ones provided in the HDS Career Guide.
Ask the Question
A United Church of Christ site created to assist people in considering the question of vocation to various types of ministry. Stories of call, images for meditation, prayers, essays, information, and advice.
Forum for Theological Exploration
An initiative of the Lilly Endowment, Inc. The bibliography is an especially helpful resource for persons exploring the question of vocation theologically.
MAPP Quiz
"Motivational Appraisal of Personal Potential" identifies motivations as they relate to possible career fields. Requires about 20 minutes, and yields a narrative analysis of motivations at no charge. You will be offered additional services for various fees. We have not assessed the paid services.
Occupational Information Network (O*NET)
Analyzes skills as they relate to potential fields. This site is also a good resource for researching careers.
VISION Vocation Network
Information and resources on vocations in Roman Catholic religious life or priesthood. Also has some resources with more broad applicability, including a spiritual-type inventory.