So, you’ve decided it’s time to gain some real-world experience by landing a great internship in 2021. However, Interviews are often the most important decision-making component for an employer, so making sure you’re prepared to do your best is part of your career development. 

DO YOUR RESEARCH

Knowledge is power, and in this case, your competitive edge when demonstrating your value to an employer. Knowing about their business, mission, industry, and products or services shows enthusiasm and helps to build your personal brand.

 PLAN THE DETAILS

 How can you best prep for your interview? Have your résumé & reference list handy. Also, plan out your professional outfit and get it pressed/cleaned. If in person, figure out a clear path to your destination or if virtual, double check that your software (Zoom, Webex, and etc.) and hardware (web camera, mic, and etc.) are operating and up to date. 

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!

 The potential for interview success is exponentially increased by reviewing and practicing your responses. Interview questions vary depending on the type of interview, but there are some questions that everyone should be prepared to answer. Practice is key. But don’t sound like a robot!

TIP OF THE DAY:

“A super important step is to send a letter and/or email thanking the employer for their time!”

READ THIS:

• Master the Interview
• Interview Questions
• Types of Interview
• How to Dress
• Ace the Interview

WHAT’S MY NEXT STEP?

• Big Interview
• a FREE interview training system that features a new and innovative way to help you prepare more effectively for a job interview. Training AND practice are combined to help improve your interview technique and build your confidence. You can access a video curriculum and question library to learn how to craft your answers and then videotape your responses to review yourself or share with others for feedback.
• Schedule a with the Career Center to ask questions or improve your skills
• Interview Preparation and/or Evaluating Offers (Brief) – 30 minutes with your Internships Coordinator
• Interview Preparation and/or Evaluating Offers (Full Session) ) – 60 minutes with your Career Specialist
• Caroline
• Diane
• Rachel
• Practice Interview with a Career Specialist (must schedule by phone or email) – 60 minutes with your Career Specialists
• careers@umbc.edu
• (410) 455-2216 from 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM

-          Caroline

-          Diane

-          Rachel

Remember, all scheduling is handled in UMBCworks! While all staff are happy to communicate to students directly, our appointment calendars are managed though UMBCworks and require scheduling to occur at least 24-hours in advance.

Get the scoop on exciting internship opportunities! Follow the Career Center on Twitter, where we’ll be highlighting amazing internships across a variety of industries all week!

On behalf of the Career Center, along with the National Society of Black Engineers, we are excited to present our first virtual Diversity Recruitment Event.     We will kick-off the program on next Wednesday,10/21 with our Keynote Dr. Letitia Dzirasa, Commissioner of Health for the Baltimore City Department of Health followed by our Virtual Networking Fair on Thursday, 10/22.  Open to all UMBC students/recent alumni of all majors.     REGISTRATION is required for the Networking Fair.  Similar to an in-person fair, you will be able to talk to 30+ employers directly looking to hire UMBC talent for intern and full-time roles. You can have 1-on-1 video chats with representatives or attend group video chats.  See details below.     Looking forward to your participation, The UMBC Career Center Team     Keynote Speaker Dr. Letitia Dzirasa, M.D. Commissioner of Health, Baltimore City Department of Health Wednesday, Oct. 21, 3-4 PM See the separate myUMBC event for details. Let us know your attending too. Networking Fair - 30+ employers Thursday, Oct. 22, 11:30 AM-3:30 PM Network with 30+ employers from a variety of industries who are eager to fill full-time and internship opportunities with UMBC students and alumni Get career advice and gain access to top employers The Networking Fair will be run via the Virtual Career Fairs module in UMBCworks. View the Quick Tour of Virtual Career Fairs for Students.   REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED: Log into UMBCworks to REGISTER NOW and see full details on registered employers.   Be sure to complete your UMBCworks profile and upload your resume. Also, double check your graduation year and uploaded photo in your Account section of UMBCworks, as employers will see this information when they are chatting with you. Dress professionally, as you will also have the opportunity to video-chat with recruiters.

Whoa! How did that happen?! It is the midpoint of the semester! These next few weeks of midterm time are a great chance to re-evaluate and adjust your study habits, and to keep going with the things that are working well. 

Have you:

• Attended office hours?
• Formed study groups?
• Utilized the Writing Center?
• Connected with the Math and Science Tutoring Center?
• Developed a good time management flow?

If you’re struggling with any of these things, connect with your Woolie, RA, CA or TSN Leader, or Campus Life for support. #UMBC

Have you had trouble finding an internship in the past? Follow these steps to obtain your dream position!

Step 1: Tailor your resume to fit your industry AND the job. A one size fits all resume simply won’t make you stand out as a candidate. Make sure to pay attention to key words including skills and experience listed in the job description. Incorporate those into the way you describe your own skills and experience. Make it OBVIOUS that you’ve got what the employer is looking for!

Step 2: Network. Networking is noted as one of the most successful ways of finding a job or internship. Career fairs (and other events) are the way many companies seek to hire students just like you. Also make sure to take advantage of LinkedIn and your personal circle to learn more about breaking into the industry. Remember, who you know matters!

Step 3: Keep a detailed list of all jobs applied for. An organized search is extremely important! Create a document that includes job title, company name, date applied, closing date, and job contact for every position you apply to.

Step 4: Follow up on the application. Most candidates passively pursue a job search by waiting for the employer to reach out. YOU can be ACTIVE in your search by sending a polite (and succinct) note to reiterate your interest in the position. You can do this by emailing the company contact listed in the job description or simply searching for a recruiter on LinkedIn.

Step 5: Use a variety of job search tools. UMBCworks is the best place to start! We know that employers who post on UMBCworks are interested in UMBC students! From there you can broaden your search to LinkedIn and other job boards that are specific to your industry.

TIP OF THE DAY:"The secret to getting ahead is getting started."― Mark Twain

READ/WATCH THIS:

• Video: “Job and Internship Search in the Time of Covid-19”
• Resume Tips
• Networking
• Where To Find Internships and Jobs

WHAT’S MY NEXT STEP?

Make an appointment with a Career Advisor. Career advisors are available to assist you one-on-one by helping you to map out an effective job search strategy. Schedule an Appointment

Get the scoop on exciting internship opportunities! Follow the Career Center on Twitter, where we’ll be highlighting amazing internships across a variety of industries all week!

COVID-19 Health & Safety

Protect Yourself with a Seasonal Flu Shot

UMBC Together

Relationship Violence Awareness Month (RVAM) brings people together to create and generate discussion and skill-building on how to prevent relationship violence in our schools, workplaces, and communities, Since most of our campus remains learning and working remotely, we won’t be able to physically come together this October to do this critical work in person… but it doesn’t mean that learning is cancelled!

The Women’s Center is creating weekly postings to help guide your self-learning that we’ll share with you each week in October. We’ve arrived at week 2!  Below is a short list of relevant webinars or events, podcasts or blogs, and on and off-campus resources dedicated to cultivating awareness about relationship violence, posting your skills and knowledge around the intersecting issues, and increasing access to important resources.

While some of the learning content we’re sharing is all-encompassing, we’re also narrowing down on  few key themes this year to include: The Covid-Crossings of Relationship Violence, Relationship Violence’s Matrix of Oppression, and Un/Healthy Relationships for Young Adults. Through self-guided learning, you can dig deeper by listening to a podcast, reading a blog, attending a webinar and more. 

We’ll also be sharing this content on social media so let us know what you’re learning or what questions you have in the comments! 

• Brave Space Forums with the Women’s Center discuss intersectional feminist topics. This year, our Brave Space Forums will have topics under the theme “COVID-19 Crossings”. Join us this week, Thursday, October 15th at 4pm for our Brave Space Forum: Gender in a Pandemic. We will be discussing the ways the pandemic has reshaped, interrogated, and made us reflect on gender roles. Click here to RSVP for this week’s event!

• Last week we shared the Power and Control Wheel, but have you heard of the Equality Wheel? The Equality Wheel offers a view of a healthy relationship that is based on equality and nonviolence. It is applicable to all forms of relationships; with friends, dating partners, intimate partners, life partners, or family members. One of the misconceptions about relationship violence is that it is usually discussed in the context of heterosexual relationships. However, this is far beyond the truth. Intimate partner violence is also an issue in the LGBTQ+ community. Because of this misconception, it was challenging to find an equality wheel that was not explicitly emphasizing one sole gender identity 

• Here is a recent news article titled “ Should You Call The Police If You Hear Your Neighbors Fighting?” A domestic violence expert explains why dialing 911 can sometimes cause more harm than good. This is part of a HuffPost series looking at alternatives to policing.

• TurnAround is an off-campus resource that provides services for all survivors of relationship violence. They also promote resources and information that bring awareness for intimate-partner and sexual violence. Follow TurnAround on their Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter account, where they provide daily posts dedicated to bringing awareness regarding sexual violence, intimate partner violence, and human trafficking. For more information about their services, click here.

Looking for internship or research opportunities? Want to learn more about a career field or industry? Learning how to network can yield great results, even in the virtual world!

What is networking?

Simply put, the process of making personal and professional connections and building those relationships over time in order to either (1) advance your career knowledge or (2) help you find opportunities related to areas of interest.

When and where should I network?

Networking can occur at any time anywhere -- family gatherings, doctor appointments, conversations with other students at social events, academic department gatherings, or even in the grocery check-out line. The best place to start is by connecting with people you already know. Your network already includes family, friends, neighbors, UMBC faculty and staff, and colleagues.

Can I network now? In a pandemic?? 

Yes!  You can reach out to anyone you know – virtually! 

Although we are in a virtual world, UMBC students also have many opportunities to interact with faculty, staff, alumni, and employers. The Career Center hosts a wide variety of virtual events throughout the academic year ranging from intimate, industry-specific employer panels to large career fairs. See our calendar of events.

How do I start?

The easiest way to begin is with a brief email explaining your motivation for reaching out.  Be sure to attach your resume. To structure the conversation, you can follow the Informational Interview guide – which will help you with questions to consider asking.

Join a student organization to build your network!

Here at UMBC there is wide variety of student organizations!  Whether it is cultural organization, a student group, a living learning community—those bonds begin now and continue long after you graduate. Explore the many affinity groups and clubs of interest.

TIP OF THE DAY:

“Networking can open many doors for students by providing opportunities to gain information, useful skills, and perhaps even your next position… but it can be challenging for those of us with more introverted personalities. The simplest way to start things off, either in person or via email is with a question. The question could be about what their job is, the talk or lecture they just gave, or other interesting item you’d like to know about.”  Cesar E. Perez-Gonzalez, Ph.D., Training Director, NIH, National Eye Institute

READ/WATCH THIS:

• Article: Tips for Successful Networking
• Video: Micro Session: Perfect Your Pitch (10 minutes)

WHAT’S MY NEXT STEP?

Now that you know the many benefits of building a robust network, consider one of the following next steps:

• Join at least one UMBC student organization of your choice to start building connections with those who share similar interests.
• Identify someone in your network and craft an email, requesting an informational interview.
• Craft a 30-second commercial to use for your next informal encounter!

Get the scoop on exciting internship opportunities! Follow the Career Center on Twitter, where we’ll be highlighting amazing internships across a variety of industries all week!