Career Navigator with Handshake Microcredential

Ready to find an internship, on-campus job, or your next career opportunity? The Career Navigator with Handshake microcredential helps you make the most of Handshake, UMBC's career platform connecting students with employers, job and internship opportunities, and recruiting events.

Through a flexible, self-paced experience, you'll build a professional profile, explore opportunities that match your interests and skills, connect with employers, and receive guidance from the UMBC Career Center. You'll also develop career management skills you can use throughout your time at UMBC and beyond graduation.

Time commitment: Approximately 3–4 hours
Completion timeline: Typically 1–2 weeks
Format: Self-paced with a required Career Center connection

Why Earn This Badge?

The job search process can feel overwhelming, especially when you're just getting started. This microcredential helps you take practical steps toward your career goals while learning to use Handshake strategically.

By completing the Career Navigator with Handshake badge, you'll learn how to:

• Build your professional presence: Create a strong Handshake profile that highlights your education, skills, and experiences.

• Discover opportunities: Find jobs and internships that align with your interests, skills, and career goals.

• Connect with employers: Follow employers, explore organizations, and engage with recruiting opportunities.

• Navigate your career journey: Learn to use Handshake's recommendations and resources to explore career pathways, including opportunities that don't require prior experience.

• Strengthen your job search strategy: Connect with the UMBC Career Center to receive guidance and identify your next steps.

You'll also earn a digital microcredential that you can share on LinkedIn and other professional platforms to showcase your commitment to career development.

How It Works

Complete the following steps at your own pace.

Step 1: Build Your Handshake Profile

Create or complete your Handshake profile to showcase your professional interests, education, skills, and experiences. Completing your Handshake profile is one of the most important steps you can take in your job search!

Upload a current resume to the Documents section of your Handshake profile.

Step 2: Explore Opportunities and Employers

Put your profile to work!

• Search for jobs and internships that interest you.

• Save a job or apply to at least one job or internship opportunity.

• Follow at least two employers or one collection to stay informed about relevant opportunities.

Use this step to explore career possibilities and identify opportunities that align with your interests and goals.

Step 3: Connect with the UMBC Career Center

Complete one approved Handshake-related Career Center activity, such as a career advising appointment or attend a Career Center event.You can also book and participate in an on-campus interview if invited by an employer.

As part of the credential experience, you'll connect what you've learned through Handshake to your career goals and job search strategy. You must make an appointment or register for the activity through Handshake. 

Step 4: Reflect on Your Learning

Take a few minutes to consider what you've learned and how you'll use Handshake moving forward. Your final reflection should identify a specific role, skill, or other takeaway from your experience and connect it to your career development.

Final Reflection Questions:

1. Career Interests: What job, internship, employer, or career path did you explore through Handshake? What interested you about it?

2. Skills and Strengths: What skills, experiences, or qualifications did you identify as relevant to the opportunities you explored? What skills might you want to develop further?

3. Career Exploration: What did you learn about potential career paths, employers, or opportunities through your experience with Handshake?

4. Next Steps: What is one specific action you will take to continue exploring your career interests or preparing for future opportunities?

How to Earn Your Badge

To earn the Career Navigator with Handshake microcredential, you must complete all three requirements:

1. Complete and actively engage with Handshake by developing a professional profile, uploading a current resume, exploring and engaging with job or internship opportunities, and following at least two employers or one collection.

2. Complete a Handshake-related Career Center activity such as a career advising appointment or career center event/fair.

3. Submit a final reflection identifying a specific role, skill, or other takeaway from the experience.

Once you've completed all requirements, submit the badge request form below. Your submission will be reviewed to confirm that you've met the earning criteria.

Request Your Badge

After completing all required activities and your final reflection, submit the form to request your Career Navigator with Handshake digital badge.

REQUEST YOUR BADGE

Please ensure you've completed all three earning requirements before submitting your request. Badge requests will be reviewed, and eligible students will be notified when their digital credential is issued.

Make Handshake Work for You

Your career journey doesn't end when you earn this badge. Continue updating your profile, exploring new opportunities, following employers, and connecting with the UMBC Career Center as your interests and goals evolve.

Start building the skills to navigate today's job market—and the career opportunities ahead.