Startups, Entrepreneurship & Freelance Work

Welcome!

Working at an early-stage startup, at a startup that is rapidly growing, or at an established company with a culture of innovation are all excellent professional opportunities that are possible for you after graduation. While the settings and work cultures may vary based on the size or type of company, what these opportunities have in common is that they place a high value on innovative thinking, encourage independent work, and are focused on problem-solving.

For more information on the ins and outs of becoming an entrepreneur, working at a startup or early stage non-profit, or becoming a freelancer, check out the many articles and companies within the Vault resource, or the Latest News curated for this community.

Below are valuable sources available for those at Yale interested in creating innovative solutions to challenges. The Office of Career Strategy also provides many external Career Resources for entrepreneurship, innovation, and startups towards the bottom of this page.

 

Finding Job Opportunities at Startups: A Guide for Students

Startups offer an exciting path for students seeking dynamic roles, meaningful work, and opportunities to grow alongside innovative companies. However, identifying the right opportunities in the fast-paced startup world can be challenging. Here are actionable steps and resources to help …

By Kelly McSergi
Kelly McSergi Director of Employer Relations
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Looking for a Resume Review or Mock Interview? Our AI Tool, Big Interview can help!

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) is a term you may have heard of, and if not, you will soon.

Through the Big Interview AI Resume Review, students can upload their draft resume and a job description and receive an ATS review, …

By Yale Office of Career Strategy
Yale Office of Career Strategy
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New Videos on CreativeStudy

Through SoA’s subscription to CreativeStudy (formerly Art World Learning), students have access to an expanding library of courses on real-world elements related to working in the arts, including freelance finance, budgeting, taxes, credit, debt, saving and investing, economics and art, …

By Lori Ferrara
Lori Ferrara Senior Administrative Assistant
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Resources

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YC Career Outcomes

The Office of Career Strategy collects information about Yale College graduates. This tool allows users to search outcomes by year and major. Please visit Statistics & Reports for more information on our data collection.

  • First Destination summaries are based on the Knowledge Rate of graduate outcomes six months after graduation according to National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) guidelines.
  • Knowledge Rate, defined by NACE, includes direct survey responses and basic employment or graduate school information collected through other sources, such as faculty, academic advisors, or LinkedIn. Yale’s information below on Starting Salary and Time of Year Offer Received is based only on direct survey responses.

Helpful Tips for the Interactive Tool:

  • There is no Enter or Submit Button; results will appear automatically
  • The default is ‘All Years’ or ‘All Majors.’ Choose specific years or majors for more granular results. Uncheck the selected major(s) to reset your search.
  • The tool returns results with at least five responses. For small majors, choose ‘All Years’ to show results
  • To ensure confidentiality, results are reported in the aggregate
  • If you require additional information contact the Office of Career Strategy

Most Recent Class Overview: Class of 2025

Knowledge Rate Employed or in Graduate School Mean Starting Salary Top Five Industries
90.7% of those graduating between July 1, 2024-June 30, 2025.

  • Survey Responses: 1,458 (85.4%)
  • Confirmed through LinkedIn or other sources: 249 (14.6%)
 95.3% employed or in graduate school within six months of graduation $94,028 among graduates employed full-time in the United States Financial Services, Education, Technology, Consulting, and Healthcare

 

  • First Destination
  • Top Employers
  • Employment Industry and Function
  • Size of the Organization
  • Starting Salary
  • Time of Year Offer Received
  • Internships, Research, and Study Abroad Experiences
  • First Destination Locations
  • Top Universities
  • Advanced Degrees Pursued

First Destination

First Destination refers to the postgraduate plans of Yale College graduates six months after graduation. The pursuits of Yale graduates include employment, graduate school, independent research, military service, and more.

Job Trends & SalariesIn partnership withLightcast logo

Search continually updated U.S. market trends to learn about job types (job functions), growth trends, and desired skills. The results will include general information about each job (functional area), employment trends from the past two years and projections for the next 10 years, employers that have that role, desired education level, skills for the position, and more!

TWO WAYS TO SEARCH:

  1. Find Career Data by Selecting Keywords: Enter keywords of various job titles and choose a state or search nationwide to learn more about that job.
  2. Filter by Industry and Occupation: Search by industry and choose among popular occupations/job titles within that industry.

Type in a keyword to select a relevant occupation. (If you'd like to see data for a specific location only, filter by state.)

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Friday 8:30am - 5pm 8:30am - 4:30pm

The office is closed weekends, holidays, and recess days.