In case the 20- degree weather hasn’t clued you in, it’s almost winter. Which means it’s almost winter break. Which means we have one full week of classes left, and I don’t know about you guys, but I am mildly freaking out. So, with the 1.5 weeks of classes before finals week, how should you be spending your time?

If you’re the kind of student that has very few exams and  final projects left to do, congratulations. I’m very jealous. But, you’re in a spot where you can spend some serious time thinking about what you want to do over the summer. Maybe you’re waiting to hear back from industry internships; maybe you’re getting ready to apply for research positions. Whatever it may be, follow up on those emails, send out those resumes, make a spreadsheet to keep track of it all, and revel in the glory of being able to relax while your fellow students are running around like chickens with their heads cut off.

If you’re the kind of student that has a bunch of exams, but feels like the workload is under control, good job. That being said, don’t substitute comfort for complacency. Make sure you know what assignments you have to complete and exams you have to study for. Career-wise, this isn’t the time to throw all your effort behind getting a summer job, but that doesn’t mean to slack off entirely. Maybe go to a few events during free hour, and definitely respond to any recruiters reaching out to you. If you have a few extra minutes here and there, check Linkedin. But your top priority should be securing the best possible grades over the next few days.

If you’re the kind of student wondering how they are going to make it to winter break without imploding from stress, we’ve all been there. For the next 2.5 weeks, put worries about summer work completely out of your head. The only thing you should do is respond to emails and phone calls. You’ll have plenty of time over winter break to schedule interviews and apply for positions. But right now, make a list of everything you have to get done, get off myUMBC (I appreciate the readership, but not the procrastination), and get started. The more you do, the more manageable things will seem.

Name:Shannon Cole

Internship, Co-op or Research Site: U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Position Title: ORISE Intern

Major(s)/Minor(s):Biology

Work Term:Summer 2018

Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities.

My internship at the FDA included a combination of data mining and laboratory methods research to monitor post-market drug quality. On a day-to-day basis, I conducted assays such as Reverse Phase Ultra High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (RP-UHPLC) and Microcapillary Electrophoresis sodium dodecyl sulfate (µCE-SDS) while working in the lab. These assays allowed me to obtain the protein characterization profile of the drug antibodies. In the same day, I usually transitioned over to attending planning meetings for current projects, and shifted again to data mining and searching for post-market drugs in the database. I worked on a collaboration between the FDA’s Office of Surveillance (OS) and Office of Biotechnology Products (OBP) to develop rapid techniques for characterizing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that are used in therapeutic drug products. By obtaining characterization profiles of mAbs, OS is better able to regulate manufacturing firms to maintain product quality to ensure the safety of consumers.

Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?

I heard of the position in the early Spring semester. I found a listing on UMBCworks and sent in my resume only. I was contacted by my mentor in March and she set up an interview. She asked me to fill out an official application through zintellect. I filled out the application the same day and had an interview with her a few weeks later. She notified me the next week that I had gotten the internship. In a previous semester, I utilized the Career Center’s resume reviewing help to improve the content and appearance of my resume. I think this clearly had an impact on my marketability to recruiters!

What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization?

I have greatly enjoyed working at the FDA this summer because I am constantly learning new things and developing new skills. There is always something that needs to be done and the ORISE internship program is very rigorous. I have appreciated the high standards I am held to because I know my mentor is teaching me the skills that will make me successful in a career later down the road. The FDA is a very interdisciplinary and multifaceted organization and I am constantly impressed by the multitude of people, jobs, and projects at the agency. Coming from a Biology background, I have been able to develop new skills that are directly and indirectly related to my major, such as laboratory techniques and data mining. By training me in a variety of settings, fields, and skill sets, the FDA internship program has made me into a more well-rounded professional for both an academic setting, and for when I enter the workforce.

How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?

I believe I have made an impact through my work because the laboratory techniques I have studied and the database work I have done contribute to improving the FDA’s regulatory influence when monitoring post-market drug quality. In this way, my work benefits the public by assessing drug quality to ensure patient safety and promote public health.

What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?

Always go to the interview. Even if you are unsure if the job is right for you, always interview. At first, I was skeptical the position fit my interests for a summer internship, but the interview allowed me to find out more about the organization, job duties, and staff. After seeing the campus and meeting the people in person, it was much easier for me to see myself working there. By the end of my time at the FDA, I found I had learned so much and gained so many valuable experiences. My internship experience has greatly influenced my future career goals and taught me skills that I would not have learned in a classroom.

Shannon has since accepted a full-time offer to continue working with the FDA after she graduates in December.

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Are you a freshman? Do you want to get your Masters or Ph.D.? Are you looking for a summer job in your field? Do you want to go into academia? If the answer to any of these questions is yes (or even if it isn’t), you should consider applying for research programs over this summer! I did one between my freshman and sophomore year. It was an amazing opportunity. I got to make professional connections in my field, work under a mentor on one specialized project, and explore possible career paths. It’s a lot of fun and a great alternative to the more traditional industry internship.

So, what are summer research programs?

They are typically 12 weeks, starting in late May and ending in early August. You live on site and work every day on your own project. At the end of the summer, you present your research to your peers and other professionals! By the end of the summer, you’ve learned an incredibly specialized skill (mine was virtual reality in a web browser), and have a great experience and project to add to your resume.

But Emily, you might ask, this sounds very STEM-y. And you’re right; there are a lot of STEM opportunities (like this one, where you research space robotics). But there are also a wide range of non-stem positions to explore. Maybe you can study behavior at College Park. Maybe you want to study population health at Brown. There are so many choices; don’t discount research just because you don’t think there are options available for you.

If you’ve made it this far, you’re probably at least a little interested. So what now? As a rule of thumb, most research program applications open around now (what a coincidence) and close around February or March. That means you have all of winter break to work on your applications without having to sacrifice finals studying! When you’re looking to apply, be sure to check out the Office of Undergraduate Research website. They have a huge list of all available programs and a step by step guide to getting your first offer.

Finally, before you apply, be sure to stop by the Career Center to get your resume and personal statements reviewed! And once you land a research internship, be sure to make the most  of it (and add it to your UMBC transcript) by signing up for the Career Center's Intern Success Practicum. The Practicum is zero-credit, free of cost, and can often be paired with a for-credit internship or research course.

Good luck, and have a great Thanksgiving break.

Representatives from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law will be on campus on Monday, December 3rd and Tuesday, December 4th to hold informational interviews at the Career Center.

SIGN-UP for a 30 Minute Informational Interview time slot TODAY

Come meet with a representative from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law for an informal interview.  

Name:Sheetal George

Internship, Co-op or Research Site:Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

Position Title: Student Intern

Major(s)/Minor(s):Information Systems

Work Term:Summer 2018

Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities.

Being an intern in the Department of Program Management at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services was an amazing learning experience. Not only did I have the opportunity to gain real world experience in the field of project management, but I was given several responsibilities and accomplished several tasks. As in intern in the department, I provided support in scheduling meetings and conducted meeting WebEx calls. I was also responsible for creating and organizing supplemental meeting materials such as meeting agendas for attendees. I had the opportunity to obtain certification for the agency project management system, and through the training and certificate, I was able to implement Microsoft Project and SharePoint in several tasks that I was responsible for completing. I learned how the project managers use these softwares to track their projects till its completion and was able to implement the softwares by tracking my own project schedule throughout the course of my internship. I collaborated with the department staff and a fellow intern to create a SharePoint site for the manager of the department to use for organization of staff and project documents. I was responsible for contributing to the creation and testing of the site throughout the process as well as presenting the site to the department at the end of my internship. Lastly, I was responsible for creating requirements, testing, and user manual documents for the SharePoint site throughout the development process.

Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?

During the Fall 2017 semester I attended a panel hosted by the Career Center in which the focus was health information technology. Several companies were present at the panel and one of them was the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services(CMS). The speaker provided us with information regarding the work and mission of CMS and it greatly interested me. I visited their website later that day and came across the internship opportunity. I then emailed the recruiting team and sent them my resume and transcript to consider me for the opportunity. I received an email response a few weeks later from the recruiting manager and was invited for an interview.

What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization?

I enjoyed the opportunity to gain real world experience through participating in meetings and implementing the use of different systems such as Microsoft SharePoint and Microsoft Project after receiving training. Being an intern at CMS also allowed me to develop skills and enhance my personal strengths that I will carry with me throughout my career. The department staff was amazing and provided me with guidance throughout my internship, while encouraging me to step outside of my comfort zone everyday. I enjoyed being challenged to complete tasks and participate in presentations that I never thought I would have the opportunity to do and It was a great learning experience.

How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?

One thing  that really motivates me is knowing that the end result of what I am working on is going to make a positive impact in some way and so with every task that I was assigned at my internship, I tried to make sure that I was working hard to make an impact. Whether it was through assisting my fellow intern with completing tasks or assisting the project managers with organizing their project schedule, my internship at CMS has allowed me to make an impact through my work in various ways. The SharePoint site I contributed to creating also still continues to be used today and helps the management staff in organization of their documents.

What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?

My advice to another student who is seeking an internship would be to apply to an internship that not only coincides with your future goals and prepares you for your future career, but also one that interests and motivates you. I would also say to to take advantage of every opportunity available at different on campus information sessions and career events that interest you because you never know what doors can open for you.

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I have a confession to make: up until a few weeks ago, I didn’t have a Linkedin account. To some that may sound insane, to others completely normal. I’d been receiving the occasional Linkedin email from friends syncing their contacts for years. I think some part of me wanted to resist the urge to join just to spite them. Show them that annoyance wasn’t going to wear me down. Then, I start applying for corporate internships. I saw friends accepting offers after talking to recruiters on Linkedin. I caved. I made an account and was immediately able to find friends who’d interned at the place I wanted to intern, reach out to them, and talk about their experiences. I will admit, Linkedin is incredibly useful. Even if they need to tone it down on their email campaigns. So whether you’re just joining or want to revamp your profile, here's a quick and easy guide to setting up and making the most out of your Linkedin account.

The Basics:

• Make your account using a professional email you check regularly. Notification emails can be annoying, but they let you know when important things are happening.

• Upload a professional profile picture. Get a friend to take one with your phone camera if you have to, although the Career Center often has Linkedin head shot stations at our Career Fairs.

• Write a brief but keyword-filled description of your career goals.

• Keep your list of positions and companies up to date.

• Fill out your skills and projects section with some examples of your work and skills you feel confident in showcasing.

Going Farther:

• Begin making connections. Maybe you’re a member of a professional organization or club on campus. Add the members to your network. Make friends in classes and add them. On the job, add your coworkers and supervisor (if appropriate).

• Endorse other people's skills (to get endorsements yourself). Much like the age-old follow-for-follow Instagram profiles, to get endorsements, you must give endorsements.

• Join groups that are relevant to you. My first suggestion: the UMBC student-alumni group!

• Check out the Linkedin student job portal. Not only can you filter jobs by qualifications, fields, and locations, but they also have handbooks in the form of free downloadable PDFs to walk you through the job search and interview process.

• Want to go further? Look at Linkedin’s guide for students and check out our Career Guide (page 50) for more LinkedIn information.