Women on stage participating in a panel discussion at the Student Sales & Marketing Conference, October 5-7, 2024, in Atlanta, Georgia, with an audience seated in front.

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.

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)

Career resources

From resumes to real talk, we break down the job search step-by-step.

1:1 Career coaching

Get personalized advice, support, and strategy; right when you need it most.

Job opportunity roundups

Curated, vetted, and always paid. Updated regularly for the roles that matter.

Community workshops

Interactive, relatable sessions that help students and grads get career-ready.

Frequently asked questions

Cookie apple pie donut sweet roll topping macaroon. Croissant bonbon powder danish chocolate. Tart powder lemon drops cake candy canes.
Cookie apple pie donut sweet roll topping macaroon. Croissant bonbon powder danish chocolate. Tart powder lemon drops cake candy canes.
Cookie apple pie donut sweet roll topping macaroon. Croissant bonbon powder danish chocolate. Tart powder lemon drops cake candy canes.
Cookie apple pie donut sweet roll topping macaroon. Croissant bonbon powder danish chocolate. Tart powder lemon drops cake candy canes.
Cookie apple pie donut sweet roll topping macaroon. Croissant bonbon powder danish chocolate. Tart powder lemon drops cake candy canes.