Services | Employment After Graduation | Credentials Service | Musician Referral Service
School of Music Career Services
Music Administration Building, Room 31
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Dorothy Wyandt, Placement Assistant
847-491-7485
d-wyandt@northwestern.edu
Current Students: Visit our list of on-campus auditions
for summer festivals, institutes and competitions.
What can Career Services do for students?
The Career Services Office can play a vital role for students both before and after graduation. Specifically, it:
- helps students and alumni find part-time and full-time employment in the music field
- provides information about summer festivals, music competitions, and summer job opportunities
- offers more than ten workshops throughout the academic year on career issues
- provides assistance in constructing resumes and vitaes, cover letters, and press materials
- serves as a resource center for those interested in graduate school
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Finding Employment after Graduation
The offerings of the Career Services Office are available to all Northwestern University School of Music students and alumni who are looking for post-graduation positions. If you relocate after graduation, arrangements can be made for you to obtain the services of a university in the area of your choice. This is particularly useful for those looking for public school teaching positions.
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The Career Services Office receives notification of job openings in:
- public school teaching
- university teaching
- arts organizations
- orchestras
- opera companies
To access this information, come to the Career Services Office where you may:
- consult periodicals, such as International Musician (orchestra auditions) and Classical Singer (voice auditions) and other reference materials
- obtain a constantly evolving list of useful web sites
- read job postings on the bulletin board outside the office.
While you are on campus, you are expected to review job notices in the office. Alumni may register to receive for a modest fee a job bulletin or email listings of jobs. Current students can register for the email listings at no charge.
Credentials Service
Many of you will enter the teaching profession at some point in your career, perhaps only on a part-time basis. In education, as well as in some other musical careers, the prospective employer will expect to review a credential packet. This includes information about where you live, your education and experience, and your professional recommendations. The Career Services Office will help you to establish such a file and act as custodian for your letters of recommendation. There is no charge for establishing a credential file but there is a small charge for mailing it to prospective employers.
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Other Services Offered by the Career Services Office
Cover Letters, Resumes and Interview Coaching
The Career Services Office has resource materials that will help you write a letter of application, produce a good resume or curriculum vitae, and prepare you for an interview. Constructive criticism is always available.
Workshops
Workshops on a wide variety of career-related topics are offered each year. Check the bulletin board, the Career Services Office, or your email for details.
Individual Appointments
Any student may make an appointment for individual career counseling, or for one-on-one help with resumes and promotional materials.
Resource Center
- Printed and web-based materials
The office holds subscriptions to many key magazines and other publications related to music. There is also a wide variety of books, pertinent articles, and lists of websites with helpful information.
- Summer Festivals
Many prestigious summer programs hold regional auditions on campus. Career Services
can provide registration materials and other details. The office also has information
about other national and international programs.
- Competition information
- Graduate programs and assistantships
Musician Referral Service
The Career Services Office receives many calls each day from individuals and businesses interested in hiring musicians to teach, perform, arrange music, and work in various music-related positions. Any current Northwestern student or graduate may apply and may pick up registration materials. The signature of your applied teacher or a Northwestern faculty member who knows your skills is required before we can refer you for jobs. Many alumni make a fine living by teaching and performing in the Chicago area and this experience will help you get started. Please note that ongoing part-time positions are posted on the bulletin boards outside MAB 31.
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