Summer Search's National Virtual Career Coaching Program
What is The Career Coaching Program?
Summer Search's National Virtual Career Coaching Program (CCP) provides an opportunity for experienced, professional volunteers to work directly with Summer Search participants by supporting their career exploration and helping them develop the hard and soft skills required to secure an internship or job. CCP allows Summer Search post-secondary participants and recent alumni to benefit from the caring support, professional skills and experiences of our Coaches. Together, each pair will work to prepare participants as they make informed decisions about their career development and trajectory.
We’re excited to continue creating new connections and networking opportunities for our Summer Searchers!
Fill out a Career Coaching Program Volunteer application!
The deadline to apply is September 3rd.
Please reach out to the Career Team at career@summersearch.org for additional questions.
2026-2027 Career Coaching Program
Career coaches meet one-on-one virtually with a Summer Search post-secondary participant. Coaches use their professional experience and knowledge to advise participants on career exploration, navigating the early stages of their careers, and so much more! Career Coaches and their mentees will connect virtually at least twice a month for a minimum of one hour per meeting.
Each coach-participant pair works together to support the participant's growth, build confidence, and help them make informed decisions about their career goals and next steps.
IMPORTANT DETAILS
- The program is 6 months long allowing for deeper, more meaningful connections and impact.
- CCP is national, open to participants from all five Summer Search sites across the country (NYC, Philadelphia, Boston, Seattle, and the Bay area).
- Students can be paired with coaches outside of their hometown, broadening career exposure and expanding possibilities for connection and mentorship.
Important Dates
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AUGUST 17TH: VOLUNTEER APPLICATIONS OPEN
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SEPTEMBER 3RD: VOLUNTEER APPLICATION DEADLINE
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SEPTEMBER 22ND: VIRTUAL KICK-OFF
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OCTOBER 1ST: CAREER COACHING PROGRAM OFFICIAL STARTS
Testimonials
"I enjoyed getting to know someone who is in the business field and who provided me with experiences and support that motivated me to keep going with my career and goals!"
- CCP Participant
"It was super helpful to have someone inside the field giving you pointers and tips and giving you examples that applied directly to you."
- CCP Participant
"The highlight was getting an internship and going through my resume, CV & portfolio."
- CCP Participant
"It helped me gain a new perspective on the communications industry and got to speak with new people."
- CCP Participant
"A highlight was spending time with my mentee and being able to see her explore so many opportunities! I also enjoyed having really genuine conversations about what it's like to be a person of color and other aspects of our identities in various workplace settings."
- CCP Coach
"A highlight was helping my mentee prepare for a film she directed was exciting and rewarding.
She shared the script with me and was very receptive to notes and encouragement. I gave her scaffolding for her prep work and plenty of things to think about. It was awesome to see her run with it and share some processes with her collaborators."
- CCP Coach
"The highlight of my experience was when my participant got an internship offer from one of her top choice options. We worked very hard on this application and I was proud of how she incorporated my feedback to improve her essays and application."
- CCP Coach
Questions?
If you have general questions or if you are not sure if the career coach program is for you, but are interested in engaging with career programming at Summer Search in other ways, please reach out to our Career Team: