The 2024 Women of Color (WOC) STEM DTX conference, hosted by Career Communications Group, Inc., is taking place October 3-5, 2024 with options to participate either in-person or online. The conference features leadership and professional development programs in addition to a career fair where many top national and local companies in the STEM fields are actively recruiting STEM interns and professionals.

You will need to register to participate. Open to ALL students! You can register to participate until the day of the event. However, it will take about 15-30 minutes for registrations to be activated and to gain access to the platform.

·       The job fair is free! To participate in the online job fair only, go to: https://s4.goeshow.com/ccgroup/womenofcolor/2024/job_seekers_registration.cfm

·       To participate in the full conference (in addition to the career fair) go to: https://s4.goeshow.com/ccgroup/womenofcolor/2024/student_registration.cfm and select whether you will participate “in-person” (Detroit, MI) or “online”

·       The fee for the first 50 students will be waived by using the promotional code PCKDR84. The fee for attending the full online conference is $50. 

·     If you are interested in attending in-person and have not already notified the Career Center, please register on the WOC website (link above). You will be responsible for the hotel, airfare, and the $100 conference registration fee. 

If you have any questions, please contact Diane Crump-Fogle (crump@umbc.edu) or Chrisi Giannakaris (chrisig@umbc.edu) from the UMBC Career Center.

It’s time for our Fall 2024 Career & Internship Fair! Before you join us on Wednesday, September 18, from 11:30 AM to 3:30 PM, we wanted to share some recommendations on how to make the MOST of your time at the Retriever Activities Center.

MAP your route. Review the employer directory (you can also see a list of employers on Handshake) and determine who you might want to speak with at the Career Fair. Take special note of companies that are hiring within your major and/or your career trajectory of interest. Download the map in the directory and either print it out or notate electronically the booths where these employers will be located. That way, once you arrive at the Career Fair you’ll know exactly where you want to go and who you want to talk to.

OPTIMIZE your resume. Your route is planned, so now you want to make sure that your resume is in top shape prior to the Career Fair. That includes having it clearly and concisely list relevant information, accomplishments, skills, and experience, as well as the top keywords in your industry of interest. If you need some help knowing where to incorporate worthwhile edits, you can review some tips and samples on our website, or stop by our live drop-in hours Monday-Thursday 2-4 PM at the Center. We also have virtual/evening express hours on Fridays from 2-4 PM and one evening per week from 5-7 PM, which can be scheduled in Handshake. Once your resume is ready, print out 15-20 copies and keep them in a folder or padfolio the day of the Career Fair.

SELL your skills. Now that you know who you want to talk to and have an optimized resume, it’s time to practice what you’ll say to these employers. This is where your 30-second commercial comes in. A 30-second commercial (also known as an elevator pitch) is an opportunity to let employers know who you are, highlight a few of your accomplishments, and share how you might bring value to their organization. Before the Career Fair, think about your 30-second commercial. Write it down, and practice it a few times — either in front of a mirror or maybe even in front of family members or friends. You can also use the resource Big Interview and record yourself responding to the “Tell me about yourself” prompt.

TALK to your connections. Once you’ve passed out your resumes and sold employers on your abilities, the work doesn’t end there. After the Career Fair is officially over you want to take the time to follow-up with employers that you were most interested in. This could range from sending a LinkedIn connection request, sending over your resume, or sending an email with specific details about your conversation. With this in mind, it might be worth bringing a piece of paper or a notebook to the fair so you can jot down pieces of conversations you want to remember and draw from in your follow-up correspondence. This allows your messages/emails to be fully personalized, and will make you even more memorable.

By MAPPING your route, OPTIMIZING your resume, SELLING your skills, and TALKING to your connections, you’ll be making the MOST out of your Career Fair experience. Best of luck out there and see you soon!

Welcome to the Fall semester! After what was hopefully a relaxing and perhaps even productive summer, we are coming back to campus to take classes and get reconnected with friends and student organizations.

Additionally, you may be hoping to get hired this semester. Due to a variety of reasons, perhaps the only jobs you can apply to are the ones that are on-campus. You may be experiencing challenges trying to locate on-campus employment, asking yourself where can you find these jobs, and how can you land one sooner rather than later?

At the Career Center, we totally understand and are here to help! Here are a few tips to get you started.

1. Go to Handshake. Handshake is the one-stop shop for students to find employment. By adjusting the filters in your search parameters to on-campus positions, you’ll be able to find new openings as they are posted and be able to apply as soon as possible. Just remember — not all campus jobs are posted on Handshake, so you may need to go beyond the platform.
2. Build Your Network. Whether you like it or not, your network can help tremendously when it comes to the job market. By knowing students who are working in your desired positions, you may be able to get a solid referral. By connecting with faculty members and expressing interest in their work, you might be invited to join their lab. Find opportunities such as these to get insider information on open positions.
3. Attend Career Events. Events hosted by the Career Center may lead you to a job position that’s a good fit! By becoming active on-campus and showing up to events regularly, you will increase your visibility and may become top of mind for employers when a job opening comes up.
4. Utilize Online Resources. The Career Center’s website is full of helpful resources to give you the tools that you need to find a position. In particular, we have an entire section on our website dedicated to help you find an internship or job. Take advantage of what our website has to offer, and search our pages for the latest information.
5. Get Personalized Support. If you need 1:1 support or guidance through this process, you can schedule an appointment with the Career Center. Our staff are more than happy to help you discover the best path in terms of finding an on-campus job.

We hope that you will use some or all of these tips to find the perfect on-campus job for you. Best of luck with your search!

Now that spring break is behind us, it’s time to think of the next big thing: graduation.

Graduation comes with a lot of feelings, maybe even anxiety or dread. This could be the result of many things, but you don’t have to tackle it alone. The Career Center is here to support you with your next steps.

Did you know that your network is your net worth? What this means is that having an extensive network could be the key to shiny job prospects. But where do you even start?

Answer: alumni networks.

Here are a couple of suggestions for how you can tap into the alumni resource:

1. Retrievers Connect. This professional networking platform is just for UMBC students and alumni. Once you join, you’ll be able to speak to alumni directly through email and video chat, ask them about their experiences, and gain access to a broad network of professionals.  Alumni volunteers are ready and available to help students just like you.
2. LinkedIn. On the UMBC LinkedIn page, you’ll have access to 79,000+ alumni, right at your fingertips. You can conduct a search on your career field of interest to find professionals in that field that you can reach out to. You can also see where alumni are employed, as well as the skills they have in order to do their work. You could be just one DM away from finding an alumni contact to help you with your career.

The alumni network is a resource worth exploring. Not only do they have shared experiences with you as a UMBC student, but they’ve also “been there” when it comes to the job market and can provide useful insight. Don’t wait, reach out to an alum today.

Looking to network with alumni in real-time? Join the Career Month Industry Fair for Technology & Engineering and learn all about potential career paths in an informal setting on Wednesday, April 3^rd from 11 AM to 2 PM.  

We're almost halfway through the semester. Do you know what you're doing career-wise? 

If you're still trying to figure that out, informational interviews are a helpful way to learn more about your options and gain valuable insights for the job hunt. You'll be the one driving the conversation and asking questions, so it's important to know what you’re seeking and having a solid list of questions ready.

Here are some examples of questions you can ask:

• What led you to your current job role? 
• What's a typical workday for you?
• What skills are important for this role? 
• What advice do you have for finding a job in this field?
• Are there other professionals you would recommend I speak to?

Do your homework on the company and professional you're speaking to as well. You want to make sure that the questions you have planned are relevant to the position AND give you what you need. You also need to make sure you have a good idea of what your strengths and weaknesses are so you could make an informed decision about the career field. 

For the interview itself, keep the conversation open and ask follow-up questions as needed. Make sure that both you and the professional are comfortable, and that you have enough questions to fill the time allotted, typically about 20 minutes max. 

Then, once you complete the informational interview (and send a thank you email!) you'll need to think about the responses and what you’ve learned. Did the interview provide a job option you think you'd like? Do you need to up-level your skills in any way? Are the challenges doable for you? Try to do about three informational interviews for each career field you're exploring. At the end of each one, simply ask, “Is there anyone else you’d recommend I speak to about this?” 

By taking the time to prepare informational interviews, you’ll have what you need to make your next job market moves. And if you want an opportunity to meet working professionals in real-time, sign up for the DCSA Virtual Information Session on March 13th from 5-6 PM. 

The day you've been preparing for has arrived.

The doors open, and you get in line. You have your padfolio and resume in hand. Your outfit is wrinkle free and freshly pressed.

You're ready to go except there's one problem. You have NO IDEA what you want to say.

Does this sound familiar? Here are five tips so you don't find yourself unprepared for a speed networking event ever again.

1. Make a Good First Impression. Confidently approach the employer, give good eye contact (and a firm handshake if you're comfortable with it), and introduce yourself with a lot of energy and enthusiasm. 
   
   
2. Prepare Your Elevator Pitch. This is an important part of your conversation, so make it count! You'll be telling the employer who you are, what you do, and what you are hoping for in the interaction. If you want to know more specifics about what goes into the elevator pitch, you can check out this post here. 
   
   
3. Focus on Relationships. Remember why you are at this speed networking event: to meet employers and build relationships. By keeping the conversation relationship-centered and focusing on a true give-and-take process, you're guaranteed to have a more positive experience by helping each other. 
   
   
4. Ask Good Questions. Because speed networking is fast-paced by nature, you might find yourself talking about yourself too much and missing out on the opportunity to make a meaningful connection. To avoid this from happening, be ready with a few good questions in mind so that it's a two-way conversation. Here are some informational interview questions to help you get started. 
   
   
5. Go in with a Goal in Mind. In order to assess the quality of the conversation, ask yourself what you'd like to accomplish by the end of the event. Are you looking for a full-time career opportunity? A part-time internship? Or informal mentorship? Use the goal you've set to help drive your experience.
   

Keep these tips in your back pocket and you'll walk away from the next speed networking event feeling optimistic and encouraged. Need a place to practice? Check out the CAHSS Career Connection Social happening on Thursday, March 7 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM. 

You've submitted your event registration. You have your resumes on hand and ready. You've got your power outfit picked out.

It may seem like you've got everything you need for a successful networking event but there's one more crucial piece of the puzzle: your pitch.

What is a pitch exactly? Usually taking about 30 seconds, your elevator pitch (or commercial) allows you to introduce yourself and make your personal brand known to employers. It's essentially the first impression that you make, so having your pitch well practiced and ready is important when approaching employers.

Keep these tips in mind when crafting your pitch. And if you want somewhere to practice, join us at the UMBC Connects event with ERT on Wednesday, February 28^th from 11 AM to 2 PM.

• Make a Strong Start. Exude confidence when you make an introduction. Have good eye contact, stand up straight, and give a firm handshake (if you're comfortable with it). Clearly introduce yourself and speak at a steady pace so you're understandable.
• Honor Your Personal Brand. Show your authentic self and establish who you are right out of the gate. Be ready to explain what motivates you to do what you do. You should also be able to very clearly express your why.
• Sell Yourself with Ease. After introducing yourself it's time to get into the heart of your pitch: your accomplishments. Highlight academic achievements, internships, other relevant experiences, and your strengths. Be clear, concise, and persuasive, and make sure there's evidence to back up your claims.
• Deliver with Poise. Before the fair you must practice, practice, and practice some more. Your pitch should not sound scripted or over rehearsed. Your goal is to make a memorable impression when you meet employers. Make sure that your delivery sounds natural but also confident.
• Close the Deal. The end of the pitch is when you tie your experiences back to the employer. Share how your goals and accomplishments can benefit the company you're pitching. They should easily connect the dots on how you're bringing value to them.

Marketing yourself is no easy task, but it's necessary when it comes to the job market. We hope these considerations were helpful. Feel free to check out this webpage for additional tips, and go to Big Interview to practice answering the question "Tell me about yourself." Best of luck out there and happy pitching!