Name:Tanner Yatsko
Internship, Co-op or Research Site:CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield in Baltimore, MD
Position Title: Technical Operations and Support Services Intern
Major(s)/Minor(s): Information Systems
Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities.
I work as a Technical Operations and Support Services Intern in the Healthcare Analytics and Informatics department of CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield. I handle the manipulation of SQL programs to pull pieces of data relating to healthcare information that are then formatted into reports that are used by representatives of the different departments of the company.
Describe the process of obtaining your internship, research, or co-op opportunity.
I acquired the position by having the desire to gain experience in the field I was studying. In today's world, it is known that higher education is a great way to obtain the bigger positions, but it is also key to have the right experience. Using this as inspiration to obtain that experience, I just took the time to visit the Career Center where I had my résumé critiqued multiple times, which I then took to a Career Fair that was hosted on UMBC's campus and handed that résumé out to potential employers. It was a fairly simple process. It just took knowing that there would be some work involved.
Which resources did you use to find your current experience?
UMBC Career Center, Career Fairs, UMBCworks
What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization/company?
I love my internship because it has allowed me to not only put prior knowledge to use, but it has also allowed me to learn a lot more than I would ever learn in a classroom. To see how skills and education are applied in the working world has been an eye opening experience and has certainly helped me prepare for my career after I graduate.
How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?
The experience has made me feel more confident in the fact that my college education is going towards something that will only improve my life moving forward. When it comes to my coworkers, I feel that I have helped take work off of their shoulders. It has been wonderful to see myself as a part of a team that truly appreciates what you do for them. It certainly takes time to get the hang of things, but in time you see the progress you are making, and it only makes you a larger asset to those you work with.
What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?
My best piece of advice for students seeking an internship would be to just go for it. A student needs to be willing to put in the work, use the resources that are available to them, and then put those to use when looking for an internship that is right for them. There is nothing more satisfying than being offered an opportunity after a student has done the work to obtain it. It is also good to keep in mind that there are employers that want and need interns that are educated and have the desire to put that education to use.
Please provide a short reflection or quote about what you liked most about your position.
An internship is the bridge between college experiences and real-world experiences. They help you get to where you want to go.
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Money is a touchy subject, even in an industry that you’re part of to make money. I know plenty of students that are nervous to discuss money with an employer because they simply don’t anything about what that process is like. That makes sense to me though; I’m a student first, and studying has always been my priority. I’ve never had a full-time job with a big salary that required a lot of background knowledge. But as graduation approaches and job offers are filing in, it’s important to know how to ask for the salary that you deserve.
First, never bring up money until the employer does so first. If they bring it up before a job offer is finalized, try to be vague about what amount you’re looking for. Only give a specific dollar figure if they insist on having one, and even then let them know that you are willing to negotiate that number. The time to negotiate your salary is after the job offer is given; only then do you have a real, tangible offer to negotiate.
Deciding how much you think you should be paid is the hard, but also most important part of the process. You want to make sure that you go into the discussion knowing how much your skills are worth in the marketplace; that way, you can make sure you’re being paid what you’re deserved. Some sources to help you figure this information out are NACE Salary Survey, Job Seekers Salary Calculator, salary.com, GlassDoor.com, and Career OneStops. If you want help using these sources, make an appointment with a Career Specialist!
That being said, you don’t want to provide a definite salary amount, but instead a range of figures you’d be comfortable with. When you tell an employer this information, explain why you think that range is important. Talk about what are the standard salary amounts in the field you’re applying for and why you think your qualifications lead you to the higher or lower end of the range.
Salary is not the only thing you should consider during these negotiations. Think about your benefits. Insurance and retirement plans are other factors you want to consider. These plans can add as much as 30% to your compensation, You can have a high salary but no paid vacation days available to you during the year. Maybe you value having those days off in return for a slightly lower salary.
Think about what your work environment will be like; who you’re working with, how many hours you have to put in daily. You want to find a job you’re good at and workplace that you want to be at. Sometimes, these characteristics aren’t worth compromising.
On Wednesday, April 26, from 12 PM to 1 PM in Commons 331, the Career Center is hosting an information session about evaluating job offers. This is an excellent opportunity for you to learn about what’s important when it comes to accepting a job offer; characteristics you may not have even considered before! These components are often what will be the deciding factor behind your choice to accept or decline an offer. ]]>By: Lauren R. Barrett
There are two types of storytellers: those who recall a story with elaborate details and in-depth analysis of people, places and things (sometimes so long you forget where the story began)...and then there are storytellers who are brief and succinct in their delivery, hitting only the essential points and eliminating extraneous detail so that the "point" is the focus. In order to successfully respond to behavioral interview questions, you must strike a balance between the two!
Behavioral questions are the core of the interviewing process as they illustrate who you are beyond the page. Sharing too much information weighs down your response, and not sharing enough leaves the interviewer with only a sketch instead of a clear image. The Career Center advocates using the STAR approach in responding to behavioral questions, which ensures that you share enough about your anecdote to paint a picture, and leaves out superfluous information.
"S" frames the situation or scenario, "T" details the task at hand, "A" prompts for your specific actions, and "R" concludes with the outcome of the situation. Using these four items as a checkpoint in sharing your behavioral examples will help you gain a sense of the appropriate amount to share in answering a behavioral question. You can practice your responses with this in-depth list of behavioral questions compiled by The Vault! Want more information or coaching on how to use STAR? Come to the Career Center for an Interview Preparation appointment!
Students and Alumni -- Have you used STAR to respond to behavioral questions? How has this strategy been effective for you in your interviewing preparation? Any other strategies that you support or use? Let us know in the comments below!
22 Behavioral Interview Questions Big 4 Firms Ask:
http://www.vault.com/blog/interviewing/22-behavioral-interview-questions-big-4-firms-are-asking-now
]]>Career Peer Advisors assist the Career Center(CC) in extending career services and information to the UMBC student body. Students must be able to commit to both the Fall and Spring semesters.
Duties and Responsibilities: Use your communications skills and your proof-reading skills to assist fellow students during drop-in sessions (must be available between 2-4 p.m. on at least one day of the week); review resumes and cover letters; facilitate workshops/seminars; design and present group information sessions to student organizations, residence halls, and other groups; provide occasional office reception duties (as needed); assist with special events such as career fairs; conduct outreach to student organizations and one of three colleges (Engineering and Information Technology, Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, Natural and Mathematical Sciences); work closely with CC staff on special projects as needed. Training will be provided. Hours: 10-12 per week.
Note: All majors encouraged to apply.
Qualifications
Continuing undergraduate or graduate student with at least a 2.75 GPA; strong interest in helping others and working with students, staff, employers, and faculty; in good academic standing; excellent communication (written and oral) and interpersonal skills; experience with public speaking helpful; ability to use tact and diplomacy in working with others (both face to face and on the phone); previous or current involvement in campus organizations or activities helpful; basic computer skills (MS Word, Power Point, knowledge of UMBCworks required); detail-oriented, dependable and reliable; initiative and enthusiasm.
Excellent opportunity for Social Work, Sociology, and Psychology, Instructional Systems Development majors. However this opportunity to open to ALL MAJORS. Graduate students are also encouraged to apply.
Note: Must be
available to attend a mandatory two-day training program in August 2017.
Log
into your UMBCworks account.
Enter: job# 9291344 in the keyword box.
Name: Ashley Espiritu
Internship, Co-op or Research Site: Mindgrub
Position Title: Associate Designer
Major: Graphic Design
Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities.
As an Associate Design Intern, I assist in creation of visual and interactive designs for clients through creative problem solving and best practice production methods. My responsibilities include executing and delivering high quality design based on client goals and contemporary design concepts. I receive input, critique, and advice from the client and team to move a project forward. I collaborate with project team members and design leads to ensure the creative vision is fully realized. My internship involved contributing to a positive, creative, and supportive atmosphere.
Describe the process of obtaining your internship, research, or co-op opportunity.
I had a referral and submitted my resume and link to my online portfolio.
Which resources did you use to find your current experience?
I went through a friend who is a UMBC alumni.
What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization/company?
It is the best place to learn as an intern. Mindgrub has a very healthy work culture. The superiors are more like mentors that are approachable and guide the employees. The leaders teach the interns the right approach on how to solve a problem. Mindgrub promotes team building activities to bind the employees together. It conducts training programs, workshops, seminars and presentations to upgrade the existing skills of the employees. They also provide not only food and drinks but also fitness tools and games to keep their employees energize and happy.
How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?
My supervisor told me that I have an "outstanding attitude and work ethic." Also, my co-workers praise my works. I strongly believe that I have helped the company deliver great visual designs to the clients.
What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?
First, know the environment of the work place by either having a chat with a current employee or take a time to have a research about the company. Second, attend events that offers you a chance to meet the possible employers or at least the possible co-worker. Third, speak with any professionals within your rich like your professors, academic advisor, and the Career Center. They can help you find your skills, personality, and interests, which will help you get the best internship.
Please provide a short reflection or quote about what you liked most about your position.
An internship teaches you the right and most current tools for each project. Great supervisors ask you what you want to learn so that they can direct you to the right path of learning and save you time learning other things that you wouldn't need in the real world. My internship taught me how to be efficient and organized in a multitasking world. Earning internship credits saves you a lot of time and money which I highly recommend for students to do. The Career Center is the best way to look for an internship because they will make sure that you are learning and not just doing some tasks that your co-workers wouldn't want to do.
Ashley is pictured with her supervisor Rob Rhinehart, who is Mindgrub's Director of Creative Strategy.
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Last spring, I was going through the internship application process for the first time. I had put together various forms of my resume and had written different cover letters for around six different internships. At the end of the process, I had found out I had only been offered a spot with two organizations. Thankfully, one of those spots was with my top choice, but it was still disheartening to get rejection after rejection.
My acceptances weren’t sent to me until mid-April, after I had been rejected from the four other places. So essentially, the first two weeks of April I was a big ball of anxiety. Instead, what I wish I had done was try to find other options for the summer. Even if it wasn’t an internship, I wish I had looked into volunteering.
I have a lot of students come in for drop-in appointments (2-4 PM Monday to Friday on the 2nd floor of Math and Psych) and tell me that they didn’t think that their volunteering experience was important enough to put on their resumes. Employers love to see that you’re giving back to your community. Plus, you gain transferable skills in almost everything that you do, even if you’re not paid.
I also wish I had realized there are tons of options for volunteering within my field. I had the ability to work within my field over the summer even if I didn’t get an internship. For example, I’m a Political Science major. Last spring the election was the talk of the town- I could have easily volunteered for a campaign.
Something else that I wish I had done was talk to people I knew. I should have asked my professors whether or not they had anyone that they could put me in touch with. I could have even asked the firm I interned with over the winter whether or not they had a spot for me over the summer.
If I hadn’t gotten my internship, the one thing I think I would have focused on was studying for my LSAT. Just because we don’t have school during the summer, doesn’t mean there’s nothing productive that can be done. The LSAT is probably the most important part of my law school application process. It’s truly a test of practice- the more you take it, the easier it gets. Starting early would have been extremely beneficial to me. Looking back now, I wish I had focused more on it last summer, even having an internship.
Just because something happens that prevents you from moving forwards with your original plan, doesn’t mean you won’t be successful. Come hear about the paths UMBC alum took after they graduated! This is a perfect chance for you to ask questions about how to deal with unforeseen circumstances. The panel will be on 4/27 from 12PM-1PM in Commons 331. The alum graduated with majors in many different disciplines - from history to computer science.
My point is simple; even if things don’t go as planned, don’t let it get you down. Use it as motivation to start a new path and open a new door. Go volunteer, get ahead on your studying, the possibilities are endless. You never know what you can gain by things going differently than planned. ]]>