Once you have reconnected with your family and friends, eaten far too much, and relaxed in front of a roaring fire until you can’t stand it any longer, think about doing some of these useful things:
ELEVEN GREAT THINGS TO DO OVER WINTER BREAK
(because ten is just too ordinary…)
1. Visit a graduate or professional school.
Whether you are just starting to think about grad school or if you are actually working on applications, in-person visits are always informative. Read more about the value of these visits here.
2. Set up an informational interview with a working professional.
Find out what a profession is really like and make connections with people in your future field by conducting an interview unrelated to a job search. Sample question: “What are the most important qualities for an aspiring pilot/engineer/dance therapist?”
3. Surf the websites of professional organizations in fields of interest.
Academic and professional associations have a wealth of information and intelligence on their websites. Examples: American Psychological Association, American Bar Association, American Society of Mechanical Engineers
4. Do some volunteer work or “shadowing” to get yourself into a work setting.
Use your social skills to arrange an opportunity to “shadow” your dentist, a pharmacist, or an accountant. This is an excellent way to find out if this career should stay on your short list.
5. Update and upgrade your resume.
Opportunities sometimes come up quickly and you want to be ready with that polished resume. Every college student needs a polished resume! If you need more convincing, read this.
6. Research and apply for summer internships.
Summer internships can provide both $ and valuable experience. The more competitive internships have deadlines in fall, but some are still open in January-March. If you have already missed a deadline, get all the information so you can apply early next year. Some internships are open to recent college graduates.
7. Read a book by colorful career counselor Donald Asher, such as:
• How to Get any Job with Any Major
• Graduate School Admission Essays
• The Overnight Resume: The Fastest Way to Your Next Job!
• Cracking the Hidden Job Market
Click here to watch a short, fun video of Donald Asher telling the story of a job searcher in a pink bathrobe.
8. Enter an essay contest, photo contest, or write something creative to submit for publication in Bartleby, UMBC’s literary magazine.
Get your creative and competitive juices flowing. These activities are good for your soul and your resume. Read here about one of the most prestigious and weighty essay competitions open to undergraduate students: The Elie Wiesel Prize in Ethics Essay Contest.
9. Plan an independent research or creative project and prepare an application for the UMBC Undergraduate Research Award (URA).
The URA provides up to $1500 to support research expenses such as equipment, travel, and materials. Applications are due no later than
ELEVEN GREAT THINGS TO DO OVER WINTER BREAK
(because ten is just too ordinary…)
1. Visit a graduate or professional school.
Whether you are just starting to think about grad school or if you are actually working on applications, in-person visits are always informative. Read more about the value of these visits here.
2. Set up an informational interview with a working professional.
Find out what a profession is really like and make connections with people in your future field by conducting an interview unrelated to a job search. Sample question: “What are the most important qualities for an aspiring pilot/engineer/dance therapist?”
3. Surf the websites of professional organizations in fields of interest.
Academic and professional associations have a wealth of information and intelligence on their websites. Examples: American Psychological Association, American Bar Association, American Society of Mechanical Engineers
4. Do some volunteer work or “shadowing” to get yourself into a work setting.
Use your social skills to arrange an opportunity to “shadow” your dentist, a pharmacist, or an accountant. This is an excellent way to find out if this career should stay on your short list.
5. Update and upgrade your resume.
Opportunities sometimes come up quickly and you want to be ready with that polished resume. Every college student needs a polished resume! If you need more convincing, read this.
6. Research and apply for summer internships.
Summer internships can provide both $ and valuable experience. The more competitive internships have deadlines in fall, but some are still open in January-March. If you have already missed a deadline, get all the information so you can apply early next year. Some internships are open to recent college graduates.
7. Read a book by colorful career counselor Donald Asher, such as:
• How to Get any Job with Any Major
• Graduate School Admission Essays
• The Overnight Resume: The Fastest Way to Your Next Job!
• Cracking the Hidden Job Market
Click here to watch a short, fun video of Donald Asher telling the story of a job searcher in a pink bathrobe.
8. Enter an essay contest, photo contest, or write something creative to submit for publication in Bartleby, UMBC’s literary magazine.
Get your creative and competitive juices flowing. These activities are good for your soul and your resume. Read here about one of the most prestigious and weighty essay competitions open to undergraduate students: The Elie Wiesel Prize in Ethics Essay Contest.
9. Plan an independent research or creative project and prepare an application for the UMBC Undergraduate Research Award (URA).
The URA provides up to $1500 to support research expenses such as equipment, travel, and materials. Applications are due no later than
March 2, 2012. Here is a link to the full details.
10. Work on your graduation game plan.
Whether you are a freshman or a senior, you need a graduation game plan. Read more about this here. Winter break is an excellent time to create, revise or update your plan.
11. Network, network, network!
Those older (22+) folks who come to visit during the holidays—relatives, friends of parents, friend of siblings, etc.—are gold mines of information and leads about internships, shadowing, the desirability of various occupations, grad schools, etc. Talk to anyone and everyone about your career interests! And if you have any doubts about the value of networking, go back up to item #7 above and watch the “pink bathrobe” video!
As time permits, you will benefit from any and all of these future-oriented activities over winter break. You may have even better ideas. Just do not claim to be bored, because there are plenty of interesting and fruitful things to do, see, and learn about to lay the groundwork for a successful future.
EXTRA CREDIT BONUS QUESTION:
What is a URA and why would you want one?
10. Work on your graduation game plan.
Whether you are a freshman or a senior, you need a graduation game plan. Read more about this here. Winter break is an excellent time to create, revise or update your plan.
11. Network, network, network!
Those older (22+) folks who come to visit during the holidays—relatives, friends of parents, friend of siblings, etc.—are gold mines of information and leads about internships, shadowing, the desirability of various occupations, grad schools, etc. Talk to anyone and everyone about your career interests! And if you have any doubts about the value of networking, go back up to item #7 above and watch the “pink bathrobe” video!
As time permits, you will benefit from any and all of these future-oriented activities over winter break. You may have even better ideas. Just do not claim to be bored, because there are plenty of interesting and fruitful things to do, see, and learn about to lay the groundwork for a successful future.
EXTRA CREDIT BONUS QUESTION:
What is a URA and why would you want one?
