You may have plenty of Instagram, Tik Tok and/or Snapchat friends, but are you connected with professionals within your career field of interest? Networking and developing relationships with professionals are some of the most effective ways to learn how to navigate your career path. Who knows - someone in your professional network may provide an opportunity for you to take your first or next career step!  

Below are a few tips on how to leverage your social network to make professionalconnections!

Tip 1: Ask everyone for advice, ideas, leads and referrals 

You may gain a lot of insight just by listening to the fascinating and inspiring career stories from professionals in your field. Many professionals (new and seasoned) are happy to talk about their career pathways with aspiring professionals just like you! Politely asking them if they could share a little time with you via phone, Zoom or email could open up the opportunity for you to discover key facts and details about someone who is “actually doing” the things you are considering doing in the future. Furthermore, they also might help you find “insider” opportunities for internships, part-time jobs or high-profile volunteering assignments. 

BONUS: Listen to this panel discussion with UMBC alumni from the 2020 Major Event.

Tip 2: Create a professional email and/or professional networking profile 

LinkedIn is a social network created primarily for building professional connections. Your profile serves as an interactive resume, where you can list your professional experience and educational credentials. You can join professional groups and search/apply for jobs. There are over 68,000 UMBC alumni currently on LinkedIn! 

Tip 3: Start Connecting at UMBC!  

Build Your Network   

The Career Center hosts networking events and job fairs on a regular basis (even now in our virtual format). Participate in informational interviews, Networking 101, LinkedIn 101 or join the UMBC-Alumni Student Networking Group on LinkedIn!   

April is Career Month  

 Now is the time to focus on your “Future Selfie”! In addition to building your personal brand, you can attend events/presentations, grab badges along the way, get connected to the rest of the world and explore professional options!  

Shriver Center   

There are many career networking and professional mentorship opportunities available through the range of services, programs and initiatives sponsored by the Shriver Center – especially with respect to civic engagement and community based service delivery.  

And Remember… 

Written by Jenika Brown, OAPA Peer Advisor

Who says there can only be one leader? At UMBC you're never short on opportunities that allow your light to shine as bright as gold! Make a difference in the UMBC community, forge everlasting relationships, or simply add advantageous skills to your resume by taking on various leadership roles on campus.

Note: Expect that some organizations, leadership positions, and jobs will be structured differently due to the virtual nature of our campus community.

Join a Student Organization

Whether it be a club sport or a sorority/fraternity, you are bound to implement and gain leadership skills, while also becoming part of a supportive family! Serving on an organization's executive board will allow you to enact skills that you will need in the workforce, as well as help you in the workforce, as well as help you to initiate positive changes on campus or in the community. Check out this link for a full list of our incredible diverse organizations.

Get a Campus Job

Put some extra money in your pocket, and extra skills on your resume. Most student positions promote leadership, teamwork, and responsibility. Log in to your UMBCworks to find open positions.

Still don't know where to start? Let me give you a hand:

Join forces with the SGA! As an undergrad student you're already a part of the SGA, you might as well assume a role and work hand-in-hand with faculty to implement the change you want to see! The 2020-2021 candidate application is open now. Applications are due February 26th!

Campus residents stand up and get involved with the Resident Student Associate (RSA)! UMBC is not just your school, it is your home. Engage with residential life staff to make the most out of your on-campus living experience. Email umbcrsaexec@umbc.edu to find out ways to get involved.

Orientation Peer Advisor (OPA) - Be a part of a close-knit team of students who welcome new students and their families to campus during the summer and winter terms during New Student Orientation.

Welcome Week Leaders (Woolies) - As part of the Woolie team you will serve as a resource to all incoming students during Welcome Week, supporting students in their transition to campus and helping them connect to events and upcoming opportunities.

IHU Peer Facilitator - IHU Peer Facilitators are an integral part of all Introduction to an Honor's University (IHU) courses, assisting instructors in course preparation, lesson implementation and serving as a resource to students throughout their time in the course.

Become a part of the Grit Guides team through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Whether as a student assistant or a tour guide, this position allows you to work with prospective students and share your passion for UMBC! Email Kristin Luther (kluther@umbc.edu) for more information.

Are you an international student? The Global Ambassador Program is a NEW peer-mentoring program at UMBC that seeks to create a welcoming and considerate community for UMBC's international students.

Join the Office of Academic and Pre-Professional Advising (OAPA) as a Peer Advisor! This may sound like a shameless plug...but I can assure you it's not. This is in fact a very prideful plug! Despite being very shy, working as a Peer Advisor has made me self-assured due to the tasks entrusted to me. Not to mention, my interpersonal skills have increased immensely due to the diverse students I interact with and help daily. We will be hiring new peers at the end of the semester. If you're interested, you can apply here.

It’s finally here – Winter Break!

You worked hard this semester and it doesn’t go unrecognized. Now is the time to get some well-deserved rest and re-charge before the spring semester begins.

It’s easy to binge-watch your favorite tv shows or go down the Tik Tok rabbit hole, but we’d like to challenge you to do some things that will truly restore you during your winter break.

1. Catch up on Sleep

Did you pull more all-nighters this past semester than you would like to admit? Now is the time to re-establish some good sleeping habits.

2. Do some light brainstorming for next semester plans.

If you found yourself too overwhelmed and busy last semester, consider what activities you may need to let go of. On the other end, if you feel you had too much time on your hands, consider some clubs or activities you may be able to get involved in this spring. Many organizations are still meaning virtually and Campus Life continues to offer regular online programming for students.

3. Take time to reconnect with family and friends.

Tell your friends you cherish them! Keep your support system strong and growing into the Spring semester. FaceTime the elders in your family and learn more about your family history and heritage. This discovery about your family roots can be the inspiration you need to keep pushing forward when the going gets tough.

4. Eat a good meal! Or two. Or three...

Take a break from your typical college diet and use this time to enjoy some healthy meals. Check out these easy meals for college students.

5. Spend an afternoon exploring the great outdoors!

Yes, it’s a bit cold in the winter, but all you need is some winter gear to enjoy some fresh air and nature. If you call Maryland home, many of the state parks are still open. And if you aren’t feeling as adventurous, even a walk around your neighborhood can do a world of good!

6. Research a graduate or professional school.

Whether you are just starting to think about grad school or are actually working on applications, many schools are offering virtual fairs or meetings to prospective students.

7. Set up an informational interview with a working professional.

Find out what a profession is really like and make connections with people in your future field by conducting an interview unrelated to a job search. Sample question: “What are the most important qualities for an aspiring pilot/engineer/dance therapist?” Keep a journal to record notes from these experiences.

8. Update and upgrade your resume.

Opportunities sometimes come up quickly and you want to be ready with that polished resume. Every college student needs a polished resume!

9. Plan an independent research or creative project and prepare an application for the UMBC Undergraduate Research Award (URA).

The URA provides up to $1500 to support research expenses such as equipment, travel, and materials. Here is a link to the full details.

Summer internships can provide both $ and valuable experience. The more competitive internships have deadlines in fall, but some are still open in January-March. If you have already missed a deadline, get all the information so you can apply early next year. Some internships are open to recent college graduates.

10. Work on your graduation game plan.

Winter break is an excellent time to create, revise or update your plan. Here are suggestions for a pathway you can take for graduation, and it includes a worksheet to start the plans on! Don’t forget to refer to your myUMBC profile for more academic information!

College is a time for self-discovery and personal growth. Part of that self-discovery comes from deciding what you see yourself doing in the future, which isn't always easy. You may think, "But that's so far away," "I'm too young to be thinking about that"- although that may be true, having an idea of what you see yourself doing in the future will help you be as academically successful as you can be here at UMBC. 

Consider these "Do's" and "Don'ts" for choosing a major:

"DO's" for Choosing a Major:

Get to know all the majors available at UMBC.

Some major fields may be completely unfamiliar because they were not taught in high school. Individualized Study (the "build your own major" major), Health Administration and Policy, Geography and Environmental Systems, and Business Technology Administration are interesting majors students may not have been aware of before arriving at UMBC. There's no harm looking through the list- you never know what you might find!

**SHAMELESS PLUG ALERT**

One timely way to explore all of UMBC's majors is to attend our upcoming Major Event this month!

Educate yourself on potential majors.

It's a good idea to talk to an advisor or current students in that major you're interested in so that you can get a better understanding of the potential courses and paths you may want to pursue in your selected major. Researching on your own is highly recommended, as well.

List 5-8 possibilities based on your interests and aptitudes.

Take courses that are steered towards potential majors you have chosen. Read the entire catalog sections, all the course descriptions, faculty bios, and any other information about these majors available on the Department websites.

"DON'Ts" for Choosing a Major:

Don't let anyone else choose your major for you.

Your parents, friends, and siblings all have ideas about what you should major in, but it is essential to make your own choice. You are the student, and you are making the decision that could affect the rest of your life.

Don't assume that a college major will necessarily lead directly to a specific type of job.

The skills acquired from college are of a general nature that can be applied to many different professional settings. The workforce is full of people whose undergraduate majors bear only an indirect relationship to the positions they hold.

Don't stick with a major when it is clear that you are performing poorly in the required courses.

If you notice your grades are low in your major, this is an indication that it is not appropriate for you. Consider other options in which you can be more successful!

Helpful Links

Advising Contact List

"What can I do with my major?" via the Career Center

List of UMBC majors, minors, and certificates

UMBC Academic Pathways (sample four-year academic pathways for each major)