I don’t know if you’ve heard the news, but April is the annual Career Center Career Month! It’s so big and exciting we even have a website dedicated to all things Career Month. Check it out here. But what exactly does Career Month mean? How are these events any different than the usual Career Center workshops? Well, I am so glad you asked…
One of the big differences is just how many events we are hosting. During Career Month, we will have at least one event almost every single day! Events are split into three categories: Networking, Career Exploration, and Professional skill building. We’ll have student-alumni networking events, bus trips to companies’ offices, and workshops for specific majors and interests. Want to know the NSA’s process for issuing security clearances? We have that. Want to transition your internship into a full-time offer? Stop by on April 22nd to find out. Curious about how to develop and maintain your personal brand? We can do that too. Check out our full calendar of events here! There's something for everybody.
Two major events that you should consider stopping by are our Arts with a Purpose event and our Clothing Closet event. Arts with a Purpose is on Thursday, April 11th. Stop by the top floor of the library and listen to talks by employers about how they’ve built successful careers in the arts. Be sure to stay till the end for a networking session! The Clothing Closet event is happening this week at the Harbor MPR! Come pick up your free professional outfit Wednesday or Thursday of this week!
Another big difference about Career Month is the prizes! We’re raffling a prize every day. To enter, all you have to do is take a selfie at a Career Month event, post it on your Instagram, and tag it with #UMBCCareerMonth. More information can be found here.
Each year, up to two new $1,000 scholarships may be awarded. Scholarship recipients are eligible for additional awards for up to four consecutive years, which may include post-graduate studies in engineering. Scholarship recipients also are given priority consideration for WSSC’s paid summer internship positions while enrolled in school. The scholarships and internship opportunities total a potential value of more than $10,000 over four years.
New this year, instead of a cover letter, applicants are asked to submit an introductory video telling a little about themselves and why tap water is better than bottled water.
To qualify for the 2019 scholarship program, applicants must also:
Name:Rachael Sanchez
Internship, Co-op or Research Site: UMBC Event Center
Position Title:Marketing Intern
Major(s)/Minor(s):Business Technology Administration/Media and Communication Studies
Work Term: Spring 2019
Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities.
My internship encompasses a lot of different aspects of Marketing, PR, and event promotion. I have weekly office hours where I come in and am assigned a task to do either individually or with my supervisor. I've worked on media lists (finding contacts for event media coverage) as well as editing photos for social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook. My main responsibilities are during events, such as Men's basketball games and concerts. I'm often running around taking pictures or coordinating games and activities during basketball games. It's a fast-paced job, but I love it!
Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?
I heard of the position through a past professor, who has emailed it out to the Media and Communication studies list proc. I then looked up the position through UMBCworks and applied. I also contacted Marie, my supervisor and the Marketing Manager, directly to discuss more details about what the internship would entail.
What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization?
I love getting a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to run a successful, large-scale event and getting to know the people that make it happen. Concerts are definitely a favorite, as I get to be right in all the action of what goes on in the production side of things and get the opportunity to assist with things like press photos and social media.
How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?
I believe I've made an impact through my internship by showing students that if you put yourself out there, you're able to not only learn a lot but gain valuable experience that will only help you grow both personally and professionally. I want to show others that it's possible to make time to do an internship and balance it with other things, like part-time jobs and academics.
What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?
I really enjoyed the opportunity to gain valuable experience through my internship that not only provided me with fun times but also a chance to discover more about other career fields that I am interested in pursuing and learning more about.
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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!
]]>Around this time of year is when everyone seems to start announcing their plans for the summer or for after graduation. The social media posts are unavoidable. And while it is exciting to see what cool things your friends will be doing in the future, if you don’t have a cool thing to announce, it can feel not so great. Maybe you’ve been applying for positions for months and haven’t heard back. Maybe this semester has been hectic and you haven’t begun to apply. Whatever situation you’re in, there is no reason to panic. Follow this step-by-step guide to get your plans in order.
1. Let the Career Center set you up for success. Bring your resume into drop-in hours (2 pm - 4 pm every weekday) and make sure it is up to date with all your current information. After that, make an appointment with a Career Specialist to discuss job/internship search strategies and get their feedback on possible positions or companies that are accepting applications. Finally, look at our Career Guide for any document examples or explanations you might need for your applications.
2. Find new opportunities. If the places you’re looking don’t have any open positions, look somewhere else! Right now there are over 1800 full-time positions and 600 internship positions on UMBCworks. Also, take a look at those newsletters you get from the Career Center every week. They are full of jobs for your major that were posted in the last few days. Finally, come to a few Career Center events. Our Career Month will be kicking off in April, and we will have at least one event every day! That's a ton of chances to network and meet new people.
3. Follow up with connections. I can’t stress this enough! If someone gives you their card, email them. If someone asks for your availability for an interview, let them know! Be polite, professional, and punctual in all your communication. It’ll do wonders.
4. Make a plan B. Working immediately after the end of the semester isn’t the only option. If you’re returning in the Fall, take this summer to expand your skill set. The key is to use your time wisely and avoid the trap of TV and snacks all summer. Ideally, you could split your time as follows: 20 hrs/week in a part-time job, 15 hrs/week gaining experience in your field (like projects or volunteer positions), 5 hrs/week building your skill set. You’re working the equivalent of a full-time internship and will have a ton of new information to list on your resume. If you’re graduating this semester, use the same sort of time split, but shave a few hours off each category and use those 6 or so hours a week to look for a full-time position in your field.
]]>The office of Off-Campus Student Services (OCSS) seeks motivated, passionate, hardworking, and ethical transfer students to employ as Transfer Student Network Leaders (TSN Leaders) for the Fall 2019 and Spring 2020 semesters.
TSN Leaders will serve as advocates for transfer students on the UMBC campus, and they will assist with the retention of these students through the planning and implementation of intentional and impactful programs and events. TSN Leaders will also assist with administrative work within the OCSS office, and serve as peer mentors for our Transfer Mentor Program.
APPLY HERE-
https://umbc.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_aWx63BLFZiQNAkB
Transfer Student Network Leader Duties:
· Plan and implement workshops and programs that address the needs of transfer students
· Serve as a peer mentor to incoming transfer students (meet 1:1 with each mentee at least once a month, attend campus events with your mentees, etc.)
· Represent OCSS by sitting at the front desk and answering student, staff, and visitor questions
· Serve as a role model to UMBC students and develop a sense of community among transfer students
· Foster relationships with prospective students at surrounding community colleges and Shady Grove campus transfer students
· Assist with OCSS events as needed, including but not limited to, Welcome Week, Transfer Appreciation Week, and Commuter Week
TSN Leaders must be:
-Transfer Students
-Undergraduate Students
TSN Leaders must maintain a 2.5 GPA prior to and during employment with OCSS.
This application closes on Friday, March 29th at 11:59 PM. A resume must be attached at the end of this application in a PDF file.
]]>Summer 2019 Job Openings
Residential Life accommodates approximately 3,000 summer conference guests at a given time in our suite-style halls and apartment communities. We are looking for key individuals to fill positions within Summer Conferences and Facilities. Students in these positions are front-line ambassadors and are integral in creating a welcoming environment for our guests and to the overall success of our summer program. These positions offer students an excellent opportunity to cultivate their customer service, management, leadership, teamwork, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills.
Questions for summer conference staff should be directed to Jessica Williams, wjessica@umbc.edu or Matthew Wood, matt21@umbc.edu for facilities.
Please Note:
Lead Maintenance Assistant _LMA
Apply here to be a member of our Desk Staff team for the 2019-2020 academic year. Applicatioons are due March 29, 2019.
Please Note:
Interviews for Desk Staff and Office Assistants will be held on a rolling basis throughout the academic year.
If you have any questions, contact reslifeselection@umbc.edu.
DuPont’s Information Technology division has revamped their undergraduate co-op program and kicked off recruiting for the fall 2019 class.
According to DuPont, "Our Technology Development Programs provide a variety of meaningful assignments that will enable you to gain valuable experience in the rapidly changing worlds of information technology and digital solutions".
Below are links to open positions:
2019 Fall Technology Co-Op Opportunity: Strategy and Digital Solutions
2019 Fall Technology Co-Op Opportunity: Enterprise Services
2019 Fall Technology Co-Op Opportunity: Cyber Security
2019 Fall Technology Co-Op Opportunity: Enterprise Solutions
For more information on the exciting changes at DuPont, please visit The New DuPont site.
]]>Name:Steven Bailey
Internship, Co-op or Research Site: UMBC Event Center
Position Title: Operations and Events Intern
Major(s)/Minor(s):Psychology
Work Term:Summer 2018, Fall 2018
Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities.
My internship was an unstructured yet hands-on experience that introduced me to all aspects of operations and events management at the UMBC Event Center. This internship, being unstructured, allowed me to be incredibly flexible in what I could do or wanted to learn. In this case, when I started the internship in July 2018, I was already employed as an Operations Supervisor at the Event Center, so this internship in a way served as more of an extensive training program for my current role, as well as allowing me to get my feet wet in a career path I’d never considered: venue management.
My duties varied by day, though a huge part of my internship was taking over all of the hiring for all part-time staff positions at the Event Center, particularly in Operations and Event Services. I completed administrative tasks, such as updating inventory for the Event Center, assisting with the creation of training manuals for both Operations and Event Services, processing on-boarding paperwork for new hires, and working on small tasks as assigned by management. One of the bigger projects that I was working on was a project my supervisor assigned to me to find out more information from how other venues worked from different venue management firms in the United States that worked with university athletic departments.
A lot of my time in my internship was spent working events. Since I was already a supervisor, I was directly responsible for overseeing anywhere between 2-20 part-time staff during events in both Operations and Event Services, whether it be a concert or family show (such as Double Dare Live!) or a game. I worked and still work a wide variety of events, ranging from UMBC Commencements to circuses to university games. As part of my internship training, I received hands-on instruction on the operation of the Daktronics ribbon and video boards that we have in the arena, and received training on the operation of the Allen Heath soundboard. Depending on the event, I would sometimes obtain alcohol or other items that the artist requested. On rare occasions, I would be called on to work certain roles, such as a Runner or a Camera Operator, though this was only if the production didn’t have anyone else or if someone called out. Even though the internship was unpaid, I was able to basically make it paid due to working so many hours as a Supervisor during operations shifts.
Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?
It was really straight forward. In May 2018, I had just been promoted, and realized I needed an internship. The intern before me had just been hired full time at the Event Center, and I saw an opening and went for it. I spoke to the Director of Operations and Events about it, and he brought me on. He saw that I was doing a good job as a Supervisor, and didn’t require me to turn in an application.
What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization?
The people, including both the Operations Manager and Events Manager, and the Director of Operations and Events. These three managers, especially the Operations Manager, essentially took me under their wing and showed me the ropes of the industry, while also teaching me professional skills along the way that I didn’t realized I lacked at, such as professional dress and working with large groups of people.
Along with the people was the opportunity. The building is so new, and Oak View Group Facilities, the company managing it, was formed only in the past decade, so there’s so much room to make an impact and truly show off your skills. My internship allowed me to truly test myself in what I could do both physically and mentally, and allowed me to make great connections along the way. Despite being the first UMBC student to be the Events and Ops Intern at the Event Center, and not have any background in this field, I never felt like I was falling behind, despite the fact that I was facing such a steep learning curve
How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?
I was the first UMBC student to intern in Events and Operations, and have hired dozens of UMBC students throughout my time there, and have inspired other UMBC students with similar backgrounds like mine to pursue this opportunity. I’ve worked at the Event Center since before it opened, and have seen it grow in both personal and its operations, and I have been fortunate enough to be directly involved in this process. Because of my efforts in hiring, our Event Services department grew by over 20% over three months, and my hard work resulted in praise and increased opportunity from my superiors. I was able to use my experience in my internship to create a new position in which I currently work, the Events and Operations Coordinator, where I continue much of my work from my internship, though my responsibilities have expanded to focus more on staff development and accessing both staff performance and the guest experience.
What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?
Ask questions, keep an open mind, work hard, and don’t be afraid of trying something new.
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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!
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