Who doesn’t love scrolling aimlessly through social media accounts like @dogsofinstagram or @cats_of_instagram when you have some down time?

But did you also know that as a college student, you have valuable access to networking and job seeking opportunities through social media?

How much can you find out about a company in 280 characters or less (if they’ve got a Twitter account, that is)? Likely more than you think!

Many companies, organizations and universities are now connected to social media. Whether you are on the hunt for an internship, job, or exploring graduate school opportunities, following the social media accounts of places you’re interested in can tell you a lot about their mission, values, and community. This can first give you some insight into whether or not the workplace would be a good fit for you. Some companies and organizations might even use their social media accounts to advertise employment opportunities.

If you are preparing for an internship or job interview, the information you gather from social media can then be used to show that you’ve done your research and have a working knowledge of the company or organization’s practices and current ventures.

Having a LinkedIn account is a great way to connect with professionals working in the field you are interested in. Using LinkedIn, you can message professionals to set up informational interviews (i.e. - to learn about how they entered into the field or to learn more about their job). You could also use a site like LinkedIn to join interest groups and participate in online discussions related to your field of interest.

Twitter can also be a great networking tool, especially if you are headed to a conference or large event. Nowadays, conferences and events often have their own unique hashtag that participants can incorporate into their Twitter statuses. Not only does this enable you to see what other attendees are saying about the event, but it can also serve as a tool for scheduling meet-ups while the event is taking place.

If you’re going to leverage social media in this way, you want to make sure that your own online presence reflects who you are in a positive light. How can you do this?

1.       Participate!

Social Media done right is all about active participation. Don’t join only to sit back and passively scroll through other peoples’ posts. Add your voice and ideas to the mix!

2.       Brand Yourself

Tell people who you are and what you are about. Streamline your usernames to make it easier to search for you. Keep your bios concise, but make a point about your intentions. Make connections and post things that relate to who you say you are.

3.       Keep it Clean

Now a timeless rule in social media, make sure to conduct yourself professionally online. Think before you post- is this something you want your mom, professor, or future employer to see?

4.       Don’t Make it All About You

Go easy on the “selfies” and posts that only focus on you. Share a thought-provoking article. Advertise for an upcoming event in your local community. Re-post items from those you follow.

Upcoming Events:

LinkedIn Profile Checklist

LinkedIn UMBC Alumni Page

The Career Center will also review student LinkedIn accounts by appointment.

Check out and follow these UMBC Social Media Accounts!

Office for Academic & Pre-Professional Advising Instagram: @umbc_advising

Facebook

Instagram: @umbclife; @umbccampuslife

Twitter

Bonus Links:

45 Things to do on Social Media to Find Jobs by Erin Greenawald

https://www.themuse.com/advice/45-things-to-do-on-social-media-to-find-jobs

Study: Over 68% of Students Use Social Media in Internship Search by Michael Schramm

http://college.usatoday.com/2015/07/14/most-students-use-social-media-in-job-internship-search/

How to Brand Yourself on Social Media by Jasmine Sandler

http://www.fastcompany.com/3036488/hit-the-ground-running/how-to-brand-yourself-on-social-media

As a student majoring in an arts, humanities, or social science discipline, you may be asking yourself:

"What are my career options?"
"How can I apply my studies in the real world?"
"What skills can I offer to employers?"
"How can I find meaning in my future career?"

This year, the UMBC Career Center has partnered with the College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences (CAHSS) to co-sponsor the first-ever CAHSS Careers Conference on Thursday, April 12 from 5:30-8:00 p.m. in the UC Ballroom.Join us for an evening of getting to know the value of your unique degree and the resources your college and Career Center have to offer you.

The agenda will include:

• Stories from successful CAHSS alumni
• Employer panel discussing the benefits of your degree in the workplace
• Opportunities to connect with fellow CAHSS students
• Heavy hors d'oeuvres and dessert

Registration is required for this event. Please click here to reserve your spot and view the full agenda. Students of all arts, humanities, and social science disciplines are encouraged to attend. Please be aware that because this is a catered event, we must charge a no-show fee to those who cancel less than a week in advance.

If you have questions or need accommodations, please contact internships@umbc.edu. 

The UMBC Office of Administration and Finance is offering a year long (Fall 2018 through Spring 2019) internship program for undergraduates.  These paid internships ($15 per hour) will integrate the student intern in a cross-departmental experience in business functions that support the mission of a higher education institution.  Over the course of the academic year, interns will work in 3-4 different functions, in their chosen higher education business area, gaining a broad perspective on the critical administrative functions that support the academic mission in higher education and the positive aspects of a career in the business of higher education.

TO APPLY, Submit a RESUME and COVER LETTER via UMBCworks answering the following questions for each position that interests you:
-What attracted you to this program?
-Is there any additional information you would like to provide in support of your consideration for this internship opportunity?

The Human Resources Internship will provide direct experience in support and professional services available to current and prospective employees, and management in the areas of employment, benefits, compensation and classification, training and development, payroll, labor relations, policy, administration, and human resources data management and reporting. This could include participation in projects designed to enhance HR services, promote employee engagement, and develop strategies that attract and retain a valuable workforce.
 
The Facilities Management Internship will introduce the intern to the various aspects employed to plan, design, construct, operate, and maintain campus buildings, grounds, and utility systems.  The intern will be exposed to the business practices and tools used to resolve trouble calls, contract for professional services, manage construction projects, and deploy the talented and skilled workforce required for stewardship of the campus’s physical resources. Special projects may include development of GIS applications, assisting with sustainability measures, and analyzing space utilization.

The Finance Internship will involve the intern in the various aspects of the financial management that support UMBC.  This will include financial accounting and reporting, student billing, the university budget, and the analysis and communications skills necessary for success in these endeavors. The intern will gain an understanding of the interdependent relationship of these areas essential to support effective and efficient financial operations.
 
 The Safety and Security Internship will provide opportunities for the intern to assist in crime scene investigations and search warrant operations, analysis of evidence, property collection and documentation, ComStat analysis of criminal activity and plan response, participate in emergency response exercises and critical incident risk assessments, and other day-to-day police and risk management operations.
 
The Business Operations Internship will give the intern a variety of experiences in the areas of contract negotiations and management, buying goods and services, tracking revenue generation, audit and customer service.  This could involve campus dining services, the bookstore, campus card, audit review, leases and other general business operations.

If you enjoy collaborating and identifying ways to improve processes, then our Corporate Analyst Development Program is right for you. Our program is designed to develop a pipeline of well-rounded future leaders with core business skills for a variety of roles within JPMorgan Chase. You’ll work with professionals to drive growth, make sure operations are effective and manage risk while maintaining the highest standards.

You’ll gain insight into how our businesses come together to serve our clients around the world. You'll have the opportunity to make meaningful contributions while developing your professional expertise in a dynamic team environment.

Working here means joining a collaborative, supportive team. We want your diverse perspective to help us innovate the next wave of products and solutions for our clients. We’ll give you what you need to succeed including training, mentoring, access to senior leaders and projects that engage all your skills.

What to expect

This 10-week program offers the unique opportunity to sharpen your technical, analytical and leadership skills. You'll start with hands-on training, and then participate in one of the program's core disciplines – analytics, project management, process improvement, and risk & control – across our lines of business and cross-firm functions. Top performers may receive a full-time offer at the end of the summer program.

Application Deadline: June 30, 2018

This summer, Living Classrooms Foundation will host its third cohort of “Inspired to Serve” Summer Fellows. We have 10 fellowship positions available, with placement options at several of our programs in Baltimore.

Once chosen, each intern will have a specific and meaningful project to complete over the course of the summer as well as the opportunity to visit all Living Classrooms programs and shadow specific staff members. Fellows will also have the experience of meeting with their cohort over the course of the summer to reflect on and learn from one another’s experiences. Fellows will be required to attend an HR onboarding meeting (early June), initial orientation (Thursday, June 14th), two mid-summer meetings (one in late June and one in mid-July), as well as an end of summer meeting/presentation (August). Fellows will be supported by a direct supervisor at his/her specific site as well as by staff from our Community Outreach and Volunteerism Department.

Fellows will receive service hours/credits if needed as well as a small monetary stipend.

Application Deadline: April 6, 2018

RKF Engineering is a dynamic, rapidly growing communications engineering firm designing satellite & wireless communications. Based in the Washington DC metro area, RKF is seeking exceptional engineers & developers/programmers to work in dynamic team environment on array of challenging problems. Successful candidates for RF Communications and System Engineer position(s) will have familiarity in one or more of the following areas: communications theory, link budgets, electromagnetic theory, network architecture/protocols, RF design, antennas, wireless communications, signal processing, optimization & operations research, modeling & simulations. Positions will interact directly with customers and represent RKF in a professional manner. Need strong oral & written communications and presentation skills; proven ability to work both independently and in small teams, be organized and meet deadlines is required.

***Must be a US Citizen, due to ITAR and client requirements***

AVAILABLE POSITIONS:

Optimization Engineer - UMBCworks Job ID #9297757

RF Communications/Systems Engineer - UMBCworks Job ID #9297759

Simulation Engineer - UMBCworks Job ID #9297758

Software Engineer & Debeloper - UMBCworks Job ID #9297757

Application Deadline: April 14, 2018

College life is full of financial scenarios you might see in the real world. Taking out student loans, paying bills and managing expenses and saving money all require strategic planning and decision making.

Your financially savvy Extra Credit team has provided some tips and resources for saving money and building a solid financial foundation:

UMBC Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships – http://financialaid.umbc.edu/

Financial aid can come in the form of grants, work, student loans, parent loans, scholarships and other awards. A counselor is available to help walk you through your options.

 UMBC's Payment Plan – http://sbs.umbc.edu/payment-plan/

UMBC's Monthly Payment Plan (MPP) can help you budget your out of pocket costs not covered by financial aid. The plan enables you to pay tuition and fees as well as university room and board on an installment basis.

 Financial Smarts @ UMBC - http://financialsmarts.umbc.edu/

This site provides students with information about credit, budgeting, investing, job seeking and other finance-related topics. Includes videos and links to relevant sources. For ongoing announcements and updates on financial education and literacy opportunities at UMBC, join the Financial Smarts myUMBC Group at http://my.umbc.edu/groups/financialsmarts

 Rent your textbooks:http://bookstore.umbc.edu/SiteText.aspx?id=20462

Not all textbooks are available to rent, but for those that are, this can significantly cut down on your book budget for the semester! Renting can often be a good option for your non-major courses.

 Carpool with Zimride: https://www.zimride.com/umbc

It’s simple, carpooling saves on gas. UMBC has partnered with Zimride by Enterprise to help connect you to other UMBC students in your area who are looking to carpool.

 360 Degree of Financial Literacy - https://www.360financialliteracy.org/Life-Stages/College-Students

Financial education is a lifelong endeavor. This web site offers general information for managing personal finances and developing money management skills.

Some other tips include:

• Using an app to manage your money – There’s an app for that! Online Banking, websites like Mint.com, and budgeting spreadsheets can provide you with plenty of ways to keep your finances organized.

• Keeping an eye out for student discounts – From museums, to movie theater tickets, to cell phone plans --- don’t hesitate to ask retailers and businesses if they offer student discounts!

• Planning for big expenses in advance - Putting a little money aside each pay check will help you avoid the strain of having to decide between splurging on an afternoon at the mall or paying for school expenses such as text books or meal plans.

• Being conservative with credit cards – Having a credit card or two can be good if you use them strategically. Start by maintaining one card and make at least one charge to it every month, such as gas or groceries.

And for fun:

Weekly Run-Down of Free or Cheap Entertainment in Baltimore - http://baltimorecollegetown.org/explore-baltimore/weekly-cheap-and-free

Do you have some financially savvy ideas you would like to share? Feel free to post them below!

Want to try your hand in more advanced dialogues? 

Ready for some challenging new topics based on controversial current events?

Eager to learn how to have difficult conversations with people who are different from you?

Well, look no further...

INTERACT presents its very first Difficult Dialogues series! (Think of it like an INTERACT Sequel)

What: 1 hour of structured and rigorous dialogue per week for 3 consecutive weeks

Who: Your INTERACT peers and trained staff facilitators from all around campus

Where: On campus

Incentives: 

1. Building your conversation and facilitation skills for difficult conversations; 
2. Learning how to connect meaningfully with people who are different from you; 
3. A challenging opportunity for advancing your communication skills in preparation for future coursework, interpersonal conflicts, and the job market;
   
4. Food;
5. UMBC Swag;
6. A Letter of Recommendation from one of our trained facilitators toward any on-campus or related job*. 

When: During the spring 2018 semester, starting after spring break! See application for details. 

Space is limited to the first 25 applicants. 

Please apply using the link below by Tuesday, March 20th, 2018. Please contact Emily Melluso at melluso1@umbc.edu with any questions.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd-TRD-pzkD8G0KsqWVpMEoV8fC04BRZzqtllCidppMeaPBpQ/viewform?usp=sf_link