What does it mean to dress professionally? How about business casual? What’s the difference? Why is this so difficult??? If you’ve asked yourself these questions, you’re certainly not alone. One of the most difficult things about transitioning into the professional world is figuring out how to dress like a professional. I’m still figuring out the best way “professional dress” works for me, and even though there are some basic rules, your professional style can be just as unique as your personal style! If you want to help out your fellow students with their business attire, be sure to donate your professional clothes for the UMBC Suits You: Professional Clothing Drive with multiple donation stations set up across campus until March 8th. And as always, please feel free to comment any opinions or ideas you may have.

I’d like to preface these tips by saying that the standard rules for business attire are pretty set in traditional gender roles, so even though I’m giving you the basics, you should be able to express yourself through your attire in a way that makes you feel comfortable and confident!

Shoes: your shoes should be closed-toed, and the heel should not be very high - the last thing you want is to stumble and fall on your way into the interview. Flashy colors or sparkle aren’t recommended, because you don’t want the employer staring at your feet the whole time!

Bottoms: The biggest thing here is simply don’t wear jeans. A lot of “dress pants” come in a huge variety of styles, so as long as they fit properly and match with the rest of your outfit, you’re probably fine. Your bottoms should be full length, and definitely shouldn’t be shorter than capri length. Generally, if you are wearing dress pants, you should also be wearing a belt. Skirts and dresses should hit around the knee (even better if they have pockets!)

Tops: There’s a lot of flexibility here. Recommendations would be to have a collared shirt with buttons, a nice blouse, and a blazer if you’re really feeling it. Doing some research about the company can also go a long way, because some companies have stricter dress codes than others.

Accessories: This is another area where I really don’t want to discourage your personal style, so all I can say is don’t make it distracting. If you want to wear a spiffy bowtie or a statement necklace, go for it! But first, get in the mind of the employer: could this be distracting? Will they be blinded by the glint of your jewelry instead of listening to what you have to stay? This is important to consider.

DISCLAIMER: You should not feel the need to censor your attire in a way that masks your religious affiliation or national origin, and discrimination based on creed, religion, or nationality is against the law. For more information, read UMBC’s Statement on Non-Discrimination.

The main takeaway here is that business attire doesn’t have to be that restricting. There is a certain level of modesty that is expected, but you should still be able to show off your personality. If you still have questions, you should attend the Adjust Your Mirror: Dress to Impress Workshop on March 26th in Commons 331. These tips are simply guidelines to follow, because the way you dress should not be the thing between you and your dream job.

Name:Luke Kessler

Internship, Co-op or Research Site: W.R. Grace

Position Title: R&D Engineering Intern

Major(s)/Minor(s):Chemical Engineering

Work Term:Summer 2017

Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities.

I performed rheological testing and data analysis on a wide variety of polypropylene products that are produced through Grace's UNIPOL PP process. The equipment I operated on a daily basis included a rheometer, differential scanning calorimeter, and industrial compression molding machine. I constructed a database in Microsoft Sharepoint to house all of my results and analysis. This database is now accessible to Grace and its clients who need the data to design the extruder-pelletizing units used in their production process.

Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?

I applied for an on-campus interview through UMBCworks and met with the career center to fine tune my resume. Then a human resources representative at Grace reached out to me about two weeks later to arrange a phone interview with the hiring manager.

What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization?

Experiencing science outside the classroom was an exciting and valuable experience.  I am the kind of person who understands a concept better when there is a direct application of it sitting in front of me. This experience was full of hands on learning. Additionally, all of the employees I interacted with loved talking about what they did and always encouraged me to ask them questions about their work or my own.  

How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?

I performed work for Grace that they said was high on their priority list due to recent increases in the capabilities of their technology. Engineers at Grace are currently using the rheological database I constructed to help Grace’s licensees get the best possible performance out of their plant equipment.  I also made an impact on myself by building my soft skills in the workplace.  At the conclusion of my internship I had to present my work in front of the CEO and all of the managers.  Preparing for that really helped me refine my presentation skills.

What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?

Start applying in September and don’t give up! I applied to over 30 positions until I got a call back offering me the job. Do anything the gain experience, whether its TAing, working in a professors lab, or some form of unpaid shadowing. These experiences can help you grow your network and potentially lead to things like internships.  

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I’m gonna be honest: thinking of the future is terrifying. A year from now I’ll be graduating from college, and I don’t have a clear picture of what my next step is yet. But guess what? That’s totally okay! I am thinking and planning, and that is a great first step. I might go straight to graduate school and become a certified counselor; I might work for a year first, who knows! I’ve talked in my past posts about my major-deciding journey, but now I’ve moved on to the career-finding journey, which is just as hard. Whenever I tell people my major, their first question is “What do you plan to do with that?” and I just don’t have a straight answer. Some people know exactly what they are destined for, and that’s great! But there’s no shame in taking your time to figure out your purpose. I'm going to give you some tips so you don't look like this:

...And you start looking like this:

If you haven’t decided on a major yet: I totally sympathize. I was never officially undecided, but I changed my major THREE times my freshman year. And for me, that process was necessary to get me where I am now. The Career Center has a Library of Assessments you can take to get a better idea of your skills, and what kinds of careers match up. I have used all of these already, so I can give them the Seal of Approval™. Plus they’re fun! These are still great for people who have their major figured out because you can also look at popular careers for people in your major. Also, the Office of Academic Advising has a bunch of tools to help out! Using these resources can really help ease the anxiety of the major-selection process.

If you have a major but aren’t sure what to do after graduation: I also deeply sympathize. I’m a psychology major, which a) can translate to an infinite number of fields, and b) almost always requires some kind of graduate degree to get a decent career. I’m still honing in on what my ideal job would be, but guess what: some people don’t have one ideal job! Just like some people don’t believe in “the one” in terms of romantic partners, some people are totally happy career-hopping their whole lives! Since kindergarten we’re fed the idea that we’re supposed to go to college, we find one job, and we do that job until we die. But that’s not the only option, and it’s freeing to realize that we can pick a job and later on change our minds, and it’s not the end of the world! Check out this video on how to land your first job after graduation.

The Career Center has a whole page about How to Move from College to the Workforce, which gives you a checklist for getting ready to be an Adult™ in the Real World™. Another great resource is the informational interview, which is simply talking to someone in your desired field about how they got there and what their job is like. Good mentorship goes a long way, and can also be a good networking tool! And as always, you can make an appointment to meet with a career specialist about anything from deciding on a major to exploring graduate programs. The future is scary, but we’re in this together! Please give this a paw and comment on how you chose your major, or how you’re preparing to enter the workforce!

Name:Richard DeShay Elliot

Internship, Co-op or Research Site:University of California-Irvine

Position Title: Research Fellow

Major(s)/Minor(s):American Studies

Work Term: Summer 2017

Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities.

During the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program, I expanded research on Republican speeches that I originally started at UMBC. I worked with Dr. Simone Chambers of the Political Science department at UCI and I thought she would be a good research mentor because our research is very similar. I also studied for the GRE.

Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?

I found out about this position when Daniel Fabrega, the Manager of Graduate Preparation and Recruitment, visited UMBC last year. I submitted my application in the beginning of the spring semester and was accepted near the end of the spring semester.

What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization?

I enjoyed the attitude of the UCI staff towards myself and the other researchers. They understand our skills and want to let us work at our own pace, and that's quite refreshing. I was also able to work with several professors who were quite insightful in the field of Political Science.

How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?

I continued my work in showcasing how Republican rhetoric by presidential nominees has shifted in the wake of the Tea Party's birth and the rise of Donald Trump. I hope to focus on political rhetoric as a field of study, particularly as America goes through the current political phase.

What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?

I would highly recommend it! UCI is similar to UMBC in things like diversity, research opportunities, and age of the campus, but UCI has great weather and niceties such as the only Social Ecology department at any American university. Research is a great opportunity to delve into deep parts of your field that you might not know you were even interested in.

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Want to be the next Intern of the Week? Make sure to fill out this form and stay tuned. New interns are announced every Friday!