The semester they didn’t warn you about.

About The Ninth Semester

We’re here to help Gen Z build careers that feel like theirs, from the first internship to the dream job that doesn’t exist (yet).

At The Ninth Semester, we make early career clarity, confidence, and opportunity accessible for the next generation.

Group of people posing in front of large red letters spelling 'TED' at a conference with a black and white geometric patterned floor and a backdrop reading 'NEXT NORM'.

We support students, first-gen grads, and early career professionals who are figuring it out in real time.

You might be navigating your first job search. Or wondering how to turn your major into something meaningful. Maybe you’re applying to internships while holding down two part-time jobs.

Whatever your path looks like - we see you. You deserve resources that are honest, actionable, and designed with you in mind. That’s what we’re building.

Meet the founder

Jade Walters is a multi-hyphenate marketer, consultant, and creatorpreneur working at the intersection of early career recruiting and brand storytelling. After graduating from Howard University (‘21), she moved from NYC to Chicago to join TikTok’s advertising sales team, later pivoting to HR tech at Yello/WayUp as their Employer Branding Lead.

Today, she works independently as an employer branding and recruitment marketing consultant for early career recruiting teams.

Inspired by struggles during her post-grad job search, Jade launched The Ninth Semester, an award-winning early career platform supporting 250,000+ students and grads as they design their dream careers.

Jade is a 2025 TEDx speaker, where she shared the story of her non-traditional, non-linear career journey and inspired the next generation to take fearless ownership of their careers. Featured as a Gen Z in the Workplace expert in The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, and CNBC, she has partnered with 25+ organizations, including Handshake, Howard University, and Procter & Gamble. Jade is a proud, first-generation STEM graduate.

Learn more about Jade's work

Career support with honesty, access, and actual results

(because career advice shouldn’t be a secret)

Weekly blog posts

that fight career gatekeeping with real, unfiltered advice

Social-first career content

across LinkedIn, TikTok & Instagram

Curated job boards & entry level roundups

designed for students and recent grads, shared weekly on Linkedin, TikTok, and our Office Hours newsletter

Office Hours newsletter

packed with strategy, job leads, and career Q&As

Free digital guides and resources

including our viral interview e-book

Virtual workshops and campus events

tailored for students & recent grads

Frequently asked questions

There are traditionally 8 semesters in college. The “9th” semester is the one they didn’t warn you about. This is when you’re learning how to become an adult, navigate post-grad life, find your first “big-kid” job. There’s no playbook about how to get through this - so that’s why I created The Ninth Semester.
Before the rise in early career creators (one that I am proud to have been at the forefront of!), there were NO real resources available for students and recent graduates to turn to learn about job opportunities or how to prepare for their first internship. After changing my major and making a career pivot, it was hard and lonely to find my place in my post-grad career. A lot of the career creators I found focused on mid-level and senior professionals, I needed someone who could educate the new grads like myself. I created The Ninth Semester to be the early career resource I wish I had and I didn’t want other first gen professionals to struggle within their career journeys like I did. The Ninth Semester is a safe space for early career professionals to find community throughout their careers, have a big sister and cheerleader (me!) in their corner every step of the way, and receive FREE career educational materials.
I am a proud, first-generation 2021 graduate of the illustrious Howard University in Washington, D.C. I entered as a Nursing major with a Sociology minor. I changed my major during the spring semester of my Sophomore year. I graduated with a B.S in Health Education with a concentration in Maternal and Child Health, minor in Sociology.
My top platforms, in order, include: Word of Mouth, Google, and my Linkedin feed. I spend a lot of hours a week finding diverse opportunities across several industries. I’m also grateful for the people who DM programs to share! I curated a list of 20+ platforms to find early career opportunities, you can read them here.
Have the audacity to show up in any room you want to be in. I was told ‘no’ so many times when trying to enter the early career recruiting industry. Those no’s didn’t stop the passion I had for the industry and was another major reason why I started The Ninth Semester. I turned that passion into education, advocacy for early career professionals, and designing my own career path. I spent the past 4 years pouring into the skill sets I needed to go from STEM graduate to recruitment marketer rockstar. No one gave me a seat at the table, so I built my own.
Don’t let anyone get in the way of where you want to be in your career. Turn those nos into opportunities for yourself. Let passion and determination be the driving force that keeps you going. You are the lead designer of your career - you call the shots.

00s

I grew up in Brooklyn, New York as the youngest child of Barbados-immigrant parents. Reading and writing has been a part of my identity for over 20 years.

A young girl with braided hair decorated with colorful beads, wearing a blue coat, plaid skirt, maroon tights, and black shoes, stands outside against a beige brick wall, smiling at the camera.

2017

After graduating high school, I decided to pursue a Nursing degree at my dream school, Howard University in Washington, D.C. I had plans to become a Neonatal Registered Nurse.

A woman standing next to a sign for Howard University at night, smiling and wearing a sleeveless top and shorts.

A smiling woman with long braided hair sitting on a bed in front of a decorative tapestry with orange and blue patterns, wearing a red Howard University sweatshirt and ripped jeans.

2021

Inspired by my post-grad job search struggles and my interest in early career recruiting, I officially launched The Ninth Semester. It was the platform I wish I had throughout my early career. 2 months after graduating, I landed an AdSales planner role at Tik Tok thanks to a viral TikTok resume and relocated from NYC to Chicago.

2020

After the sudden passing of my father and the COVID-19 pandemic, I decided to stop playing it small and go after my secret goal of a creative marketing career. As a first generation college student, it was scary because we’re taught to go after “safe” careers - I found the courage to do the opposite.

Woman standing at an open gate, smiling, wearing a graduation stole, a gray hoodie with a large letter H, and red fuzzy high heels.

2023

Two years into running The Ninth Semester, the blog helped me land a full-time role as an Employer Branding Lead at a HR tech company and I grew my global community to over 100,000 students and recent grads. My content evolved from Tik Tok to shortform + longform content across socials and workshops + panels at national conferences and college campuses.

Smiling woman with braided hair in a bun making a peace sign photo on a boat during sunset over the ocean.

2025

After my golden birthday (25 on September 25th), I declared 2025 as my “bet on myself year. I left my Employer Branding role to run The Ninth Semester full-time focusing on creating content, in-person speaking, 1:1 coaching, and working on my next e-book. I recently gave a TEDx talk titled “I have a career that I made up. Here’s how you can too” to inspire the next generation to join me in taking fearless ownership of their careers.