Name: Brian Temu

Pronouns: He/Him

Semester of Internship: Summer 2024

Major: Data Science

Current Class Level: Master's Student

This semester I completed a(n)...: Internship

Internship, Co-op, or Research Site (Company/Organization Name): University of Maryland, Baltimore - Institute of Genome Science

Location of the Organization (City, State): Baltimore, Maryland

Title of position: Laboratory Assistant/Data Science Intern

Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities:
During my internship as a Laboratory Assistant at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, I was deeply involved in research focused on bacterial vaginosis (BV). My day-to-day responsibilities included a variety of tasks integral to the ongoing research efforts. One of my key roles was learning and utilizing a bioinformatics tool called antiSMASH, which was used to analyze biosynthesis gene clusters from various patient samples. This involved inputting genetic data, running analyses, and interpreting the output to identify potential biosynthetic pathways contributing to bacterial activity in BV cases.

Beyond mastering antiSMASH, I expanded my knowledge through reading bio-research papers, which helped me understand the broader context of our work and stay updated on recent scientific findings relevant to bacterial genomics and microbial interactions. I also learned to navigate and utilize the Grid, a computational framework that supported complex data analysis tasks, enhancing the efficiency of our research process.

Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?
I first learned about the opportunity during the Spring Career Fair 2024, where I had the chance to meet the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) team. During our conversation, I inquired about any current open positions within their department. The team was very informative and encouraged me to express my interest via email. They provided detailed guidance on whom to contact and what information to include in my application.

What resources did you use to find your current experience?
UMBC Career Center, Career Fairs, LinkedIn, or other social media platforms.

What have you enjoyed the most about your position and organization?
I have enjoyed the collaborative environment. I was able to work with highly knowledgeable professionals in the field, and I took the opportunity to learn from their expertise.

How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?
I made an impact through my work as a Laboratory Assistant by contributing to critical research on bacterial vaginosis (BV). My use of the antiSMASH tool for analyzing biosynthesis gene clusters provided valuable insights that supported the team's understanding of BV. Learning and applying new tools like the Grid improved data processing, making our workflow more efficient.

What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?
I would advise students to prepare as early as possible and start networking with targeted companies or organizations they wish to join. Additionally, don't be afraid to send cold emails—they can open doors to valuable opportunities.

Please provide a short reflection or quote about what you liked most about your position / earning internship credit / working with the Career Center:
I enjoyed applying bioinformatics tools and learning lab techniques that enriched my understanding of microbial genetics. The Career Center’s guidance at the Spring Career Fair helped me secure this valuable opportunity.

LinkedIn is a game-changer for networking in today’s job market. With over 1 billion users from 200 countries (1), it provides the perfect space to showcase your expertise, connect with industry leaders, and discover exciting career paths. Yet, many students find themselves unsure of how to leverage the platform effectively. Don’t worry — here are some actionable tips to help you succeed on LinkedIn.

Optimize Your Profile: First impressions matter, and your profile is the gateway to connecting with potential employers and collaborators. Craft a headline and summary that highlight your goals and unique strengths — avoid generic titles like “Graduate Student.” Choose a professional photo, and include detailed work experience that aligns with your desired industry. Add relevant skills tied to each position and incorporate industry keywords to enhance your visibility in recruiter searches.

Engage with Intent: Networking on LinkedIn is more than sending connection requests. Personalize each invitation by mentioning shared interests, mutual connections, or why you admire someone’s work. Unsure how to phrase it? Tools like ChatGPT can help you craft thoughtful messages. Stay active by commenting on posts, sharing insights, and joining conversations. Consistent engagement positions you as a proactive professional and keeps you on your network’s radar.

Use Advanced Tools: LinkedIn’s “Alumni Tool” is invaluable for finding UMBC alumni in your target industries. Reach out for informational interviews — many professionals are happy to share advice. If someone doesn’t respond, don’t be discouraged; move on to the next connection. Joining professional groups and participating in discussions is another great way to expand your reach and connect with like-minded individuals.

Tailor Your Outreach: Networking is about relationship-building, not immediate job offers. Avoid directly asking for a job in your first message. Instead, focus on establishing trust and rapport. Share value, offer help when possible, and become a reliable presence in your network. Over time, this approach can position you as someone they think of when opportunities arise.

With consistency and strategy, LinkedIn can be your gateway to a strong professional network and fulfilling career opportunities. If you need help to get started, sign up for a LinkedIn appointment with the Career Center. Otherwise, check out the UMBC Alumni page on LinkedIn today and start networking.

(1)   https://www.socialpilot.co/blog/linkedin-statistics

BEYA STEM Career Fair (FREE --Both In-Person or Virtual)

Friday, February 14, 2025

Saturday, February 15, 2025

Time: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Registration Deadline: Tuesday, February 11, 2025

Open to ALL Students (undergraduate and graduate)

Jobs--full-time, part-time, internships and graduate admissions

This event is sponsored by Career Communications Group (CCG) and is part of their large annual conference, which will be held at the Baltimore Convention Center. Representatives from major corporations and universities will be available to meet with students pursuing careers in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) fields as well as Business, Finance, and Marketing. Why should you participate?

•       FREE Career Fair (in-person & virtual options)
•       Career seminar options
•       On the spot job offers
•       Networking with recruiters
•       Learn and network with the country's best and brightest STEM minds

Registration is required. Your registration will give you access to the in-person and online Career Fairs. The UMBC Career Center will provide a free shuttle bus to the Career Fair on Friday. If you would like to take the free shuttle bus, you must register with both BEYA and the UMBC Career Center by Tuesday, February 11th.

•      To register, please follow the instructions at: https://careers.umbc.edu/beya 

Please be sure to upload your resume at the time of registration.

 Contact Diane Crump-Fogle (crump@umbc.edu) or Chrisi Giannakaris (chrisig@umbc.edu) at the UMBC Career Center for additional information.

Starting your career journey can feel like an overwhelming task, especially if you have yet to land relevant experience for your resume. However, with the right approach and mindset, landing your first career experience is not only possible, but also achievable.

Here are some essential tips to get your foot in the door with employers:

Tailor Your Resume. Optimize your resume as much as possible by aligning relevant experiences and skills with your job descriptions of interest. Use ChatGPT to determine the top skill-based keywords in the job description and see which ones can be incorporated into your resume. Not able to hit all the qualifications? No worries! Research has shown that just matching 50% of the keywords is good enough to be invited to an interview (1).

Develop Your Network. The power of networking when it comes to the job market cannot be understated, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics citing that 70% of jobs are found through networking (2). The Career Center offers a variety of different events with networking opportunities, including career fairs, industry panels, and UMBC Connects events, such as our campus visit with Career Center Employer Partner Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab on Wednesday, November 20th. There are also several online options to help build your network, including Retrievers Connect and the UMBC Alumni tab on LinkedIn.

Build Your Online Presence. According to Harvard Business Review, 40% of recruiters say that they have hired a candidate based on their LinkedIn profile alone (3). Therefore, it’s important to start building a LinkedIn profile that’s worth reviewing. Add a professional headshot and relevant cover photo, craft a strong About section, and include media and skills to your experiences. Need help with your profile? Schedule a LinkedIn appointment with the Career Center.

Get Interview Ready. Review common interview questions and make sure you’re comfortable answering them. For behavioral questions, prepare stories showcasing your skills using the STAR Approach (Situation, Task, Action, Result). Use Big Interview to practice answering questions in real-time, and share your videos with the Career Center for feedback. You can also schedule an Interview Prep or Practice Interview appointment to meet with someone in person.

Consider Volunteer Work. Search for local organizations that champion causes you’re passionate about and reach out to them to see if you can work for them. If you’re able to do tasks related to your major or industry of interest, that’s even better. Or you might consider exploring the many programs and initiatives of The Shriver Center or work closely with a faculty member in their research lab on campus. Either way, you’ll gain valuable and meaningful work experience. For more information about volunteer work and the job market, check out this blog post.

In conclusion, your efforts will pay off if you approach your job search strategically and stay persistent with the process. Everything mentioned here may take time, but with consistent effort, your first career will soon be within reach.

(1) https://www.theladders.com/career-advice/study-you-only-need-to-be-50-qualified-to-land-a-job-interview

(2) https://jobs.washingtonpost.com/article/how-to-land-a-job-by-networking 

(3) https://hbr.org/2019/05/your-approach-to-hiring-is-all-wrong

• Stipend: $12,000 for undergraduates, $14,000 for graduate students
• Duration: 10 weeks (June 2 – August 8, 2025)
• Location:  Army Research Laboratory (ARL) and UMD facilities (on-site, no remote option)
• Eligibility:
• U.S. citizens
• Full-time university students (all levels)
• Minimum preferred GPA: 3.0

1. Resume (1 page)
2. Cover Letter (1–2 pages): Include your education, experience, interests, GPA, internship goals, and up to 3 project preferences.
3. Apply here: http://go.umd.edu/nsssipsu25

• Autonomy for Air & Ground Unmanned Systems
• Large Language Models
• Hypersonics
• Biocomputing and Synthetic Biology

Navigating the job market can be a daunting process for any student, but international students in particular often face additional challenges — from dealing with visa requirements and work authorizations, to understanding cultural differences throughout the hiring process. These obstacles can make the job search even more overwhelming, but with the right tools and resources, international students can find success.

If you’re an international student, we’re here to help! Here are some tools that international students can use as they encounter the current job market landscape.

Research. My Visa Jobs.com provides H-1B Visa and Green Card reports for every year, listing the top Visa sponsors (that is, employers) via a number of different filters including occupation, job title, location, industry, college, petition status, etc. If you’re just starting out on your job search journey, this could be a good tool to use to determine which employers in targeted industries and/or locations of interest are open to hiring.

Search On-Campus. If you’re on an F-1 Visa, on-campus jobs are the most accessible employment opportunities available to you. Therefore, you need to know where to find them. This blog post by the Career Center lays out five tips to help international students locate on-campus employment. By knowing where to look, you can get a jump start on your search before the wave of applications roll in.

Search Off Campus: If you’re an international student able to look off-campus for a job or internship, you may want to check out GoinGlobal. With their job search function, you’re able to search 16+ million worldwide opportunities in various industries. So, whether you want to stay in Maryland or go elsewhere, GoinGlobal is a great tool to see what’s out there.

Explore Career Paths: Not quite sure how to get to where you’d like to go in your career? Look no further than Steppingblocks, a digital career counselor tool that uses data from real-life alumni and professionals to show you various alumni career trajectories. You can also explore skills, education, and employers for particular industries as well. For more information, check out this blog post.

Network and Learn: When it comes to the job market, information is power. The more you know, the more strategic you can be. Additionally, your network means everything in the job search. The more people you know, the closer you’ll get to landing a position. Therefore, if there are events available where you can do both, it’s important to seize those opportunities when you can. On November 11-15, the virtual International Career Summit is taking place, jam-packed with workshops, presentations, and panels designed to equip you with what you need to succeed in your job search. Learn more about the Summit and be sure to register!

We hope these tools and resources can help you confidently pursue opportunities, connect with employers and alumni, and smoothly transition into the next phase of your professional journey.