I’m gonna be honest: thinking of the future is terrifying. A year from now I’ll be graduating from college, and I don’t have a clear picture of what my next step is yet. But guess what? That’s totally okay! I am thinking and planning, and that is a great first step. I might go straight to graduate school and become a certified counselor; I might work for a year first, who knows! I’ve talked in my past posts about my major-deciding journey, but now I’ve moved on to the career-finding journey, which is just as hard. Whenever I tell people my major, their first question is “What do you plan to do with that?” and I just don’t have a straight answer. Some people know exactly what they are destined for, and that’s great! But there’s no shame in taking your time to figure out your purpose. I'm going to give you some tips so you don't look like this:

...And you start looking like this:

If you haven’t decided on a major yet: I totally sympathize. I was never officially undecided, but I changed my major THREE times my freshman year. And for me, that process was necessary to get me where I am now. The Career Center has a Library of Assessments you can take to get a better idea of your skills, and what kinds of careers match up. I have used all of these already, so I can give them the Seal of Approval™. Plus they’re fun! These are still great for people who have their major figured out because you can also look at popular careers for people in your major. Also, the Office of Academic Advising has a bunch of tools to help out! Using these resources can really help ease the anxiety of the major-selection process.

If you have a major but aren’t sure what to do after graduation: I also deeply sympathize. I’m a psychology major, which a) can translate to an infinite number of fields, and b) almost always requires some kind of graduate degree to get a decent career. I’m still honing in on what my ideal job would be, but guess what: some people don’t have one ideal job! Just like some people don’t believe in “the one” in terms of romantic partners, some people are totally happy career-hopping their whole lives! Since kindergarten we’re fed the idea that we’re supposed to go to college, we find one job, and we do that job until we die. But that’s not the only option, and it’s freeing to realize that we can pick a job and later on change our minds, and it’s not the end of the world! Check out this video on how to land your first job after graduation.

The Career Center has a whole page about How to Move from College to the Workforce, which gives you a checklist for getting ready to be an Adult™ in the Real World™. Another great resource is the informational interview, which is simply talking to someone in your desired field about how they got there and what their job is like. Good mentorship goes a long way, and can also be a good networking tool! And as always, you can make an appointment to meet with a career specialist about anything from deciding on a major to exploring graduate programs. The future is scary, but we’re in this together! Please give this a paw and comment on how you chose your major, or how you’re preparing to enter the workforce!

Name:Richard DeShay Elliot

Internship, Co-op or Research Site:University of California-Irvine

Position Title: Research Fellow

Major(s)/Minor(s):American Studies

Work Term: Summer 2017

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

During the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program, I expanded research on Republican speeches that I originally started at UMBC. I worked with Dr. Simone Chambers of the Political Science department at UCI and I thought she would be a good research mentor because our research is very similar. I also studied for the GRE.

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

I found out about this position when Daniel Fabrega, the Manager of Graduate Preparation and Recruitment, visited UMBC last year. I submitted my application in the beginning of the spring semester and was accepted near the end of the spring semester.

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

I enjoyed the attitude of the UCI staff towards myself and the other researchers. They understand our skills and want to let us work at our own pace, and that's quite refreshing. I was also able to work with several professors who were quite insightful in the field of Political Science.

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

I continued my work in showcasing how Republican rhetoric by presidential nominees has shifted in the wake of the Tea Party's birth and the rise of Donald Trump. I hope to focus on political rhetoric as a field of study, particularly as America goes through the current political phase.

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

I would highly recommend it! UCI is similar to UMBC in things like diversity, research opportunities, and age of the campus, but UCI has great weather and niceties such as the only Social Ecology department at any American university. Research is a great opportunity to delve into deep parts of your field that you might not know you were even interested in.

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Wow, thanks to everyone who came out to the Spring Career & Internship Fair on Friday! I was working there all day, so I probably saw most of you! The fair was a huge success, and I definitely saw some people leaving with smiling faces.

You might be saying to yourself, “Wait, did I miss the career fair?” If you did, you definitely need to check your email more because we made sure EVERYONE knew this event was happening! Now, don’t panic. The career fair isn’t the only place to find a job or internship. Believe it or not, the career fair is just ONE of a plethora of networking events that we hold throughout the semester. We have employers here all the time! So definitely check out our Calendar of Events to see everything else we have to offer this spring. Another fun fact: every UMBC student can also visit the career fairs of other universities in the Maryland Career Consortium! This includes Towson, Goucher, Morgan State, and several other Maryland schools! Be sure to check out the MCC’s full calendar of career fairs at www.marylandcareerconsortium.org or check out the flier attached to this post.

While at the career fair, I was able to interview a few students and ask them about their experience. One student, Tony Dang (‘18, chemistry) gives this piece of advice to future job-seekers, “Just do your research on the company, because I’ve had companies ask me what I know about them and I didn’t have an answer”. Another student, Josie Aquino (‘19, mechanical engineering) mentioned how she prepares for the fair, “I used the Career Guide, I have a hard copy and I looked it up on the website, and all the stuff on resumes was really helpful … I felt like I could make something that looks really presentable and professional.” It seems like the moral of the story is to ALWAYS PREPARE! No matter what you’re going out for, knowing your employer and knowing your resume can get you far.

Some of you might have left the fair feeling discouraged. Maybe you were totally overwhelmed, you didn’t get to talk to anyone, or when asked a question you clammed up. That’s okay! Career fairs can be a crazy experience, but what most people don’t realize is that there are tons of other ways to snag a job or internship. Employers are constantly posting positions on UMBCworks, and our website page on Where to Find Internships and Jobs has all the job-hunting websites that are worth your time. If you need more help through your search process, check out our page on the Job and Internship Search, and make an appointment to meet with our Internship & Employment team who want nothing more than to get you hired!

All I want you to get from this is 1) the career fair was not your only shot, and 2) There are people at the Career Center every weekday ready to help you achieve your goals. No need to despair! The entire month of April is Career Month, so keep an eye out for more events and opportunities.

Name:Anna Gifty Opoku-Agyeman

Internship, Co-op or Research Site:Summer Research Initiative (SRI) at the University of Maryland, College Park

Position Title:Undergraduate Research Assistant in the Department of Economics

Major(s)/Minor(s):Mathematics and Economics

Work Term:Summer 2017

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

I worked on an independent project under the supervision of Dr. Judith Hellerstein and Sai Luo in the Department of Economics at the University of Maryland, College Park's School of Behavioral and Social Sciences. My project focused on labor force non-participation rates among prime-age men (ages 25-44) in the United States. On a daily basis, I used the statistical software, STATA, to clean up the raw data from non-Hispanic Whites, non-Hispanic Blacks, and Hispanics. I eventually conducted statistical tests on the overall declining trend in labor force participation rate (LFPR) and the racial/ethnic gaps in that exist in LFPR. Other components of the program included attending graduate school preparation workshops and meeting with leaders in the field.

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

I found out about this position through Dr. Tim Gindling of the Department of Economics and a friend, Brandon Enriquez. Dr. Gindling informed me of Dr. Jessica Goldberg, a development economics professor at the University of Maryland-College Park. She and I spoke over the phone for short time about her research. Eventually, she passed me to her colleague, Dr. Hellerstein, because she didn’t have work for me to do. Brandon also informed me to apply to research positions through the Big 10 Network. Both situations worked together for my good, and I obtained the position right before Spring Break. Before I submitted my application, I reached out to my go-to Career Center advisor, Ms. Susan Hindle. She is a reliable resource and assisted me in countless drafts of my essays and resumes.

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

Perhaps what I enjoyed most about my position was the research, mentoring, and networking. Before this summer, I had not taken a statistics course in over five years and I was unaware of how to code in STATA. I appreciated learning about the statistical software and was excited to eventually use the software to answer the questions I had about the data. Secondly, I had a fantastic mentor: Dr. Judith Hellerstein. Her and I met on a weekly to bi-weekly basis to discuss my progress on the project and career goals. She and I still talk regularly to this day, and I can say that she has fundamentally changed the course of my career. Lastly, I loved how the SRI program required us to go out of our comfort zone and reach out to leaders in the field. At first it was daunting, many of these folks are in high positions at important organizations. However, I am glad I participated in this aspect of program. I was able to visit the World Bank for the first time and speak with an economist that worked closely with President Obama during the financial crisis.

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

The steady decline in LFPR for all prime-age males is concerning since we expect these men to be working and contributing to society in a productive way. Understanding why American prime-age men are leaving the labor force helps us better understand the flaws that exist in our current labor market. For example, the United States does not have many programs that help people find jobs or improve their skills. Sometimes when we hear that the unemployment rate is low, we associate that with job growth or economic stability. However, the labor force participation rate (LFPR) is a much more telling statistic that shows us who is actively looking for work or who is employed. In regards to the racial gap in LFPR, I found that educational attainment contributes to some of the gap between Blacks and Whites. This finding could be used by policymakers to advocate for educational initiatives for black males who have obtained a high school degree or less.

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

My advice is to not be afraid to call someone and strike up a conversation. I doubt that I would have been accepted if I had not spoken with Dr. Goldberg. Our conversation was 12 minutes, but it launched into an 8-week internship (of course, I had to be qualified too!). I believe that the power of networking can change your circumstances. I also advise that when you obtain an internship, do the best that you can and do not be afraid to ask questions. How you perform in the internship can open doors for you in the future and take you to the next level professionally.

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Want to be the next Intern of the Week? Make sure to fill out this form and stay tuned. New interns are announced every Friday!