Continuing Education to Enter the Job Market. And Stay There Successfully

Many years are spent in the labor market after graduation. Over time, the transformations taking place are better understood. But, regardless of the situation and context, there is another important keyword: job satisfaction. Feeling satisfied with one’s current employment is fundamental for building a personal path of overall growth. However, only lifelong learning allows new knowledge to be acquired and further skills to be developed that allow satisfaction on the job market over the years. Following this philosophy, Employer Relations & Career Services activities at Bocconi accompany both students and recent graduates along a structured path before and after graduation, thanks to the support of a team of dedicated professionals. The final goal: medium-term professional integration within leading organizations in all sectors and the most important world markets. Then, after these initial stages, career paths are then supported by a variety of Alumni Career Advice services.

"We address increasingly complex global scenarios and trends in order to prepare and support students and recent graduates in the world of work. New technologies, artificial intelligence and data analysis are just a few examples of the new knowledge required," explains Bruno Mariani, Director of Bocconi’s Employer Relations & Career Services. "As a result, an increasing number of different professionals are involved in our activities, including our faculty, our alumni and employers, both in Italy and with an increasingly significant presence from abroad." This goes beyond knowledge, because even more than in the past, employers today are also looking for skills. "It’s a matter of knowing how to have an overview as well as analytical skills, the ability to navigate ambiguous contexts, a critical spirit, adaptability and, last but not least, to be prepared to interact with others, therefore also to have interpersonal skills." Initiatives offered to students can be divided into two macro areas: knowledge of the world of work on the one hand and, on the other, the offer of internship opportunities, work and meetings with employers. 

For Alumni, however, there is an investment in consolidating constant support over time, focused on professional development. "Supporting the employability of alumni, developing and sharing knowledge on the main trends related to professional development and offering activities with high quality training and empowerment content, as well as encouraging interaction and networking among participants, stand out among our main objectives. We believe in the importance of lifelong learning and we also make use of the skills of the Bocconi and SDA faculty to better support the professional careers of our Alumni, who then find lifelong learning opportunities in SDA Bocconi's executive course offering," says Elisa Centelli, Head of Alumni and Supporters Engagement Italy & Asia. 

"We believe in the importance of offering a set of programs and initiatives that meet everyone's professional aspirations and goals," adds Mr Mariani. This all starts during the university years with career counseling initiatives for students, allowing them to develop a greater awareness of their personal skills and how to best present themselves to potential employers. Digital activities can be accessed through the Career Counseling Hub, a platform that includes guidance services and suggests different paths depending on the content. Zooming out, students can take advantage of the Career Starter Pack — an e-learning program that enhances job seeking strategies — as well as International Career: Interactive Country Guides — with insights and information on the job market in several target destinations around the world — and the Career In Series — a blended course on the main career paths of Bocconi graduates that includes both online modules and specific networking sessions with junior Bocconi Alumni. In all, 132 career guidance initiatives and 5,445 individual counseling meetings were held in 2024. The results? A total of 78.3% of graduates are already employed on the day of graduation, while 39.4% find work abroad. One year after graduation, employment rises to 95.7% (keeping in mind that monitoring is multiyear) and those who accept a job offer outside Italy reach 36.4%. 

At the same time, Alumni who would like to focus on personal and professional development to consolidate employability and personal soft skills can take advantage of Career Advice, which offers a broad spectrum of services. First of all, a full calendar of seminars and workshops on career topics involve more than 2,000 Alumni every year in Milan alone, allowing them to expand their personal networks. There are also opportunities for individual career guidance with a career counselor specialist, coaching and online assessment (featuring a digital psychometric test that analyzes aptitudes, behaviors and motivations). Finally, four ad hoc tools are reserved for Alumni for job searches. These include the online Job Gate platform, which features job ads for middle management and senior positions from Bocconi employers, and facilitates the match between job supply and demand. The free CV@B platform allows companies and headhunters to consult each profile available. The HH Directory, instead, contains five headhunting company and recruitment agency guides, each with a specific focus on a macro region of the world. Lastly, Alumni can access Goinglobal, a portal with job advertisements and specific advice about how to grow internationally.