Landing a job offer is exciting — but before you accept, it's essential to understand what that offer really means. Salary negotiation isn't just about the number on your paycheck; it's about knowing your value, understanding industry standards, and ensuring you're being compensated fairly for your skills and experience.

1. Do Your Homework Before You Negotiate

Before discussing salary, research what professionals in your field typically earn. Use reliable sites like Glassdoor, Salary.com, PayScale, Vault, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook to find salary ranges based on job title, location, and experience level. Knowing these figures helps you confidently advocate for yourself during negotiations.

2. Consider the Whole Offer

While salary is important, it's only one part of your total compensation package. Benefits like health insurance, retirement contributions, paid time off, and flexible work options can significantly impact your overall satisfaction and financial well-being. If you're interested in an advanced degree, tuition benefits are an option as well. Don't overlook these when comparing offers.

3. Be Strategic About Timing

The best time to discuss salary is after you've received an offer but before you've accepted it. Once an employer has decided you're their top choice, you're in the strongest position to negotiate. Approach the conversation with gratitude and professionalism, emphasizing your enthusiasm for the role while making your case for fair compensation.

4. Practice Makes Professional

Negotiating can feel intimidating, especially if it's your first job offer. Practice your talking points with a friend, mentor, or practice with the Big Interview training platform or through a Salary Negotiation appointment with a career advisor to build confidence. The goal is to sound informed, not demanding.

For example: "Based on my research and the market value for this position, I was expecting a salary closer to [X range]. Is there flexibility to adjust the offer?"

5. Get Support and Keep Learning

The more informed you are, the more confident you'll feel navigating offers and negotiations. The UMBC Career Center provides tools, resources, and one-on-one advising to help you make smart decisions about your future. In the meantime, check out our newest Career Guide for detailed tips on evaluating offers, researching salaries, and mastering the art of negotiation. You got this!

Speed networking events, like the CNMS Career Connection Social on March 13, offer a unique opportunity to meet professionals, build connections, and gain career insights — all in a fast-paced format. Whether you’re a networking pro or new to these events, preparation and strategy are key.

Here are some tips to make the most of this valuable event:

1. Share an Impactful Introduction
Prepare a 30-second commercial that highlights your name, major, career interests, and a fun fact or personal touch to make you memorable. Practice your delivery to sound confident and authentic. Talking about personal projects is also fair game.

2. Be Curious and Professional

Treat every interaction as an opportunity to connect with others on a deeper level. Make eye contact, smile, and show genuine interest and enthusiasm for the work professionals are doing. The energy you bring leaves a lasting impression, even if your chat is only a few minutes long.

3. Have Questions Ready

Prepare a few thoughtful questions ahead of time. If you have access to the list of attendees ahead of time, look through the list and come up with more tailored questions. In general, you can inquire about career path, company culture, or advice for students entering the field.

3. Use a Digital Business Card

Leave something with the professionals you connect with by creating a digital business card. This can simply be a QR code that leads to your LinkedIn page or online portfolio, or you can create a free one using sites like Popl.

4. Take Notes and Follow Up

Bring a notebook to jot down names, industries, and key takeaways after each conversation. After the event, send follow-up emails or LinkedIn requests to continue building these relationships. It’s never too soon to build a network when you’re on the job market! Check out the tailored AI prompts in our Career Guide for some additional ideas.

Don’t Miss Out!

The CNMS Career Connection Social is your chance to network with professionals in Natural or Mathematical Sciences and build relationships that could shape your future career. RSVP today to secure your spot!

Graduation is an incredible accomplishment, but it’s also the beginning of a new chapter filled with many opportunities and decisions. Here’s how to set yourself up for success in the post-grad world:

1. Polish Your Resume and LinkedIn Profile

Make sure your resume highlights your skills, education, internships, and work experiences. Tailor it for the jobs you’re targeting, focusing on measurable, quantifiable achievements. Update your LinkedIn profile with a professional photo, an engaging About section, and relevant keywords to increase visibility to recruiters. Don’t forget to showcase your coursework, course projects, certifications, and volunteer experience to further demonstrate your experience.

2. Tap Into Your Network

Your network is one of your strongest assets that can get you a job faster than it takes on average. Reconnect with professors, peers, and mentors who can provide guidance and potentially open doors for you. Leverage LinkedIn to find UMBC alumni in your field and initiate conversations. Reach out to alumni who graduated with your major on Retrievers Connect. Start with a polite, personalized message asking for insights into their career paths or industry trends. If you need help crafting what to say, check out our examples in our Career Guide. Just remember — networking isn’t about simply asking for a job — it’s about building meaningful professional relationships.

3. Explore Career Resources

Take full advantage of resources offered by UMBC’s Career Center. From workshops to one-on-one counseling sessions, these tools can help refine your career trajectory. Follow the Career Center’s myUMBC group to stay informed about upcoming events, blog posts, and helpful resources. Log into Handshake to check out events of interest and set up a job alerts to be informed of the latest openings in your field. And check out our podcast, UMBC Careers Unleashed, to learn more about career topics ranging from the resume to imposter syndrome.

4. Continue Learning

Graduation doesn’t mean the end of learning. Upskilling through certifications, online courses, or professional development workshops can give you an edge in the competitive job market. Platforms like LinkedIn Learning, Coursera, or Skillshare offer flexible ways to enhance skills that align with your career goals. Whether it’s coding, project management, or public speaking, showing a commitment to growth demonstrates your adaptability to employers. It’s also a way to stay up to date with relevant industry trends while you’re job searching.

5. Set Clear Goals

Take time to reflect on what you want in your career. Is it working in a specific industry, contributing to a social cause, or continuing your education? Define both short-term and long-term goals and create an actionable plan to achieve them. Break down your objectives into smaller, manageable steps, such as applying to a set number of jobs weekly or attending networking events monthly. Goal setting not only helps you stay focused but also boosts motivation and confidence while navigating an uncertain job market.

Commencement is just the beginning of a journey filled with limitless potential. With these steps, you can transition smoothly into the professional world and take control of your future. Remember, you’re not alone—UMBC’s Career Center is here to support you every step of the way! In case you weren’t aware, you can still schedule appointments with us after you’ve graduated. Just check out our alumni policy and book a session on Handshake. Stay connected by following UMBC Careers on LinkedIn and continue to invest in your growth and network. The best is yet to come!

In today’s competitive job market, it’s crucial to do all you can to catch the eye of recruiters and hiring managers. You polish your resume, enhance your LinkedIn, and build your network. But sometimes even doing all of this doesn’t feel like enough to get your foot in the door, which can be really frustrating.

You’re not alone. Right now, we’re in a period where the job search seems more difficult than ever. In fact, recent surveys claim that 70% of job seekers are unexpectedly having a more challenging time landing a position (1). There are factors like ghost jobs and applicant tracking systems that now need to be considered. It’s no wonder that job seekers are exhausted with the process, trying to figure out what to do next.

Fortunately, there’s another way to draw the attention of employers, and that’s through personal branding. Personal branding plays a pivotal role in setting yourself apart from other candidates. Your personal brand is how you present your professional identity, skills, and values to potential employers. It encompasses everything from your online presence to how you communicate during networking events or interviews.

According to a CareerBuilder survey, 70% of employers use social media to screen candidates, and 50% decide not to hire based on what they find (2). Therefore, maintaining a consistent, professional image across platforms is crucial. LinkedIn remains a top tool for building a professional brand, but platforms like X and Instagram can also highlight your personal interests and values, giving employers a holistic view of who you are.

Here are some tips on how you can curate a strong personal brand for the job market and beyond:

1. Be Consistent: Use the same profile photo and handle (where possible) across platforms to create a cohesive identity.
2. Showcase Your Expertise: Share industry-relevant content, write thoughtful posts, and engage in discussions with other thought leaders to demonstrate your knowledge.
3. Highlight Your Personality: Employers want to see your authentic self — post about your hobbies, values, or volunteer work to add a personal touch.
4. Audit Your Digital Footprint: Regularly review your social media profiles to ensure they reflect your professional brand. Remove or hide any content that may not align with the image you want to project.

For even more information, refer to the LinkedIn and branding articles in our Career Guide.  

In summary, by incorporating some of these tips, you’ll be well on your way to showcasing your personal brand, which, in turn, can increase your visibility on the job market. Need a new connection? Follow us on Instagram at @umbccareers to stay updated on our latest news and events.

(1)  https://www.aerotek.com/en/about-us/news-and-events/news/2023/12/aerotek-fall-job-seeker-survey-job-seekers-say-job-hunt-more-difficult
(2) https://resources.careerbuilder.com/employer-blog/70-of-employers-use-social-networking-sites-to-research-candidates-during-hiring-process

Anyone on the job market knows about the importance of the résumé. This is typically an employer’s first look at who you are and what you bring to the table. That’s why it’s crucial that you can make your résumé stand out from the rest.

1. Lead with the most relevant information. This refers to both categories and individual bullet points. You want to lead with the most important information on the top and left-hand side of the page, as well as within sections. 
   
   
2. Your personalized LinkedIn URL. At the top of your résumé with the rest of your contact information, you can add your LinkedIn URL. Need a personalized URL that’s not full of random numbers and letters? Go to your profile, and on the right side you’ll see an option to edit "Public profile & URL.” If you need assistance with this, schedule a LinkedIn appointment with a career advisor. 
   
   
3. Course projects. If your résumé is lacking in terms of work experiences, you can include projects from your classes. Just list the name of the project and/or course and include a few bullet points highlighting what you did. Remember: coursework experiences do count as work experiences! 
   
   
4. Relevant coursework. By listing relevant courses, you can demonstrate that you have foundational knowledge in key areas related to the job you’re applying for. You can also show that you’ve learned specialized skills in a specific area of study. 
   
   
5. Skills as categories. These can be comprised of hard skills (e.g., programming languages, statistical analyses, data analysis), soft skills (e.g., communication, leadership, problem-solving), and transferable skills (e.g., customer service, research skills, presentation skills).   
   
   
6. Extracurricular activities. Adding these to your résumé can demonstrate leadership potential. They also can help highlight transferable skills that you otherwise may not be able to show on your résumé.

Looking for some examples of résumés as you build your own? Download our Career Guide and review the guidelines listed on p. 26 of the PDF.