Career Launch Initiative

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Ready today. Prepared for tomorrow. With Spartan Pride.

Get Involved with CLI

Want to know more about CLI and how to get involved? Reach out to Professor Jordan Walters at jordan.walters@sjsu.edu or fill out the form below.

Sign up to become a CLI Professional Advisory Council Associate

What is CLI?

Students and professionals network at a CLI session

An Opportunity to Start Your Career

The Career Launch Initiative (CLI) is a two session program that provides students the opportunity to build a toolkit for success and enhance their confidence for future career paths. The sessions are engaging, involving students, faculty members, and professionals, many of whom are SJSU alumni.

CLI Professional Advisory Council

CLI Professional Advisory Council

CLI has been a collaborative effort of faculty, Administration, staff, alumni, the Career Center, Business Honors, the Department of Marketing & Business Analytics, on-campus organizations, external representatives and, of course, students. To that end, we have built a Career Launch Initiative Professional Advisory Council (CLI PAC), a charter infrastructure of 50+ experienced individuals willing to train and mentor, facilitating alumni connections and affiliation, and further developing community outreach. With each session, we continue to gain insight as to how best to connect, deliver a consistent message regarding career readiness, and inspire all to increase brand awareness and Spartan Pride.

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Washington Square: The Magazine Spring 2025 Issue

Check it out! The newest Washington Square Magazine, SJSU's own university and alumni magazine, includes a feature on CLI called "Unlocking Career Potential and Growing Networks in Just Two Sessions."

Read the Article

Student Testimonials

"The most helpful part of CLI was the wow factor, since that was something that I previously was unaware of and was new to me. I think the CLI should be part of the core curriculum at SJSU, since a lot of students may not be aware of what they should and should not have on their various professional documents."– D.S

"I loved the CLI. I rate it a 10/10. It was extremely useful for me as I only have limited experience with interviews that do not involve a corporate setting. On top of that, being a first generation college student, I don't really have many people around me to seek guidance from. It's nice to finally have an opportunity to learn from people who have first hand knowledge."– C.L

"I found updating my job recruitment portfolio to be the most useful part of the process. My resume, reference list, and LinkedIn were not up to date prior to this project. Now, I have all these prepared ahead of my next career opportunity."– N.R.

CLI Professionals

We are excited to share highlights from our recent Career Launch Initiative (CLI) sessions! A heartfelt thank you to our CLI Professional Advisor Council for generously volunteering their time, expertise, and mentorship to support our students. Your guidance, coaching, and encouragement play a vital role in helping our students build confidence, develop professional skills, and prepare for successful careers. We are truly grateful for your continued partnership and commitment to student success. Thank you for making a difference!