Individual Meetings

We offer three types of individual meetings for students: career counselling sessions, CV checks, and interview preparations.

CAREER COUNSELLING SESSION

 

Do you want to discuss your personal career plan? Do you feel like you could benefit from a professional coaching or mentoring session? Do you want to discuss an upcoming interview, networking strategies, or your CV and cover letter in detail? Our career advisers Aline, Tiffany and Kevin are here to help you! 

Career counselling sessions are designed to complement our career workshops. It is strongly recommended to attend one workshop and ideally the relevant career workshop before booking a career counselling appointment. For example, if you wish to discuss networking during your counselling session, we strongly recommend you first attend the networking workshop.

If you specifically wish for your counsellor to review your CV/cover letter during the counselling, it is mandatory to have previously attended the workshop on CV and cover letter writing.

Each session is between 45 minutes to 1 hour in duration.

To book a counselling session with Aline, Tiffany, or Kevin, click the link in their profiles below.

Who can book a counselling session?

  • Current students enrolled in a Master, PhD or LL.M in International Law at the Graduate Institute can book a session.
  • Alumni students have access to counselling sessions for 6 months after their graduation date.
  • Students from the Geneva Academy, MIDS, Executive Education and GCSH (ex-CERAH) programmes cannot book a counselling session. They must contact their own departments for counselling options.

 

When can I book a counselling session?

  • Each student can book one counselling session per semester.
  • Newly admitted Institute students can book a counselling session from 1 November onward. (However, newly-arrived exchange students can book a counselling session immediately.)
  • If you want to discuss your CV and/or cover letter, please book a CV check (please note that it is mandatory to have attended a CV/CL workshop before having access to a CV check).

Aline DIMITRIOU 

Aline has 14 years of experience in counselling and placing international students in the public and third sectors of La Genève Internationale (including IOs, NGOs, UN agencies, diplomatic missions, etc.). As a certified professional coach, she also has a solid experience in career transition and professional development. She studied abroad for three years (Barcelona and Austin,Texas) and speaks French, English, Spanish and Portuguese fluently. She holds a master’s degree in International Business Negotiations from the Université d'Avignon et Pays du Vaucluse, and she is certified in Personal and Professional Coaching from la Haute Ecole de Coaching of Paris.

book a COUNSElLING SESSION

 

Kevin MERKELZ

Before joining the Graduate Institute in 2022, Kevin was a career humanitarian aid worker. He spent 10 years in the field with various United Nations agencies, international NGOs, and private humanitarian companies in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. He was also frequently involved in recruitment  – from interns and entry-level positions to mid-level and senior specialists – and has extensive experience reviewing CVs, cover letters, and interviewing techniques from the perspective of a hiring manager. He holds a master’s degree in Conflict, Governance and International Development from the University of East Anglia.

Book a counselling session

 

Tiffany PALMER

Tiffany has lived in Switzerland most of her life and has an experienced knowledge of the Swiss job market. She has changed career fields quite a few times going from marketing in the luxury market, events management for small and medium companies, business development for NGOs, sales for an international school, and now being a career adviser at The Institute. Her several transitions helped her to relate to students students looking and sometimes struggling to find their own career path.  She can empower students to market themselves  to succeed in getting the job that they wish for especially when it comes to transitioning careers. Passionate about the development of students, she took part in organizing various workshops and events around entrepreneurship in Switzerland.

Book a counselling session

 

CV Check CORNER


Do you need to review your CV and cover letter? Our career advisers Tiffany and Kevin are here for you!

CV checks are short individual sessions with students. It is mandatory to attend the CV and cover letter workshop before coming to our CV Check Corner.

The CV Check Corner takes place every Wednesday from 9am to 11am at La Fab. No need to book a meeting, you can drop by La Fab, bring your CV or send it via email to career@graduateinstitute.ch and one of our career advisers will review it on the spot.

 

Interview preparation


Do you have an interview coming up? Our career advisers Tiffany and Kevin are here for you!

Interview preparation sessions are individual 30-minute meetings with students designed to practice their interview skills usually prior to an actual interview coming up. This is an opportunity for students to practice their answers and especially, work on their mindset to attend the interview with confidence.

To book an interview prep session, please wait until you have a confirmed interview invitation from an employer. Then, email us at career@graduateinstitute.ch to request an appointment. We will always try to meet with you before your interview date, even on short notice.