To complement your academic pursuits throughout your time at Maryland, you’ll want to work through these suggested career activities.

 First Year: Awareness

  • Visit the Center in person and follow us online.
  • Complete a personality/career assessment, such as FOCUS 2, to see how your interests relate to your career path. (new accounts enter "goterps")
  • Register for Careers4Terps and take advantage of internships, part-time, summer and/or volunteer opportunities in your career area(s) of interest.
  • Begin planning for The President’s Promise opportunities such as research, study abroad, student leadership or volunteerism.
  • Explore your interests through work-related experiences, job shadowing and speaking with professionals in a variety of occupations.
  • Develop targeted resume(s) and cover letter(s) and have them critiqued at the Center.
  • Register for PSYC123: The Psychology of Getting Hired to learn what influences the hiring process and how to develop your competitive edge.
  • Attend Center fairs, career panels, workshops and networking events.

Second Year: Exploration

  • Discuss career goals with Center staff.
  • Build your resume by pursuing career and major-related opportunities.
  • Research various career fields and professions of interest, use the UMD Alumni Advisor Network for career and job search advice and conduct informational interviews.
  • Establish and maintain your professional media presence through such networks as LinkedIn, Twitter and Blogger.
  • Update your Careers4Terps account.
  • Attend Career & Internship Fairs, networking events and employer site visits to learn about professional opportunities.
  • Maintain a good academic record. Employers see grades as an objective measure of your abilities and time management skills.
  • Bring in updated targeted resume(s) and cover letter(s) for critiques at the Center.
  • Register for PSYC123: The Psychology of Getting Hired to learn what influences the hiring process and how to develop your competitive edge.

Third Year: Experience

  • Assess your progress and check in with Center staff as needed.
  • Gain practical experience through internships, study abroad, research, student activities and volunteer work.
  • Conduct a virtual mock interview to see how well you do and practice your 30-second “commercial/elevator pitch.” (Terp Guide page 34, 30-Second Commercial) PDF icon Terp Guide 2016-2017.pdf  Note: documents in Portable Document Format (PDF) require Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.0 or higher to view, download Adobe Acrobat Reader.
  • Interview with employers seeking interns through the On-Campus Interviewing (OCI) Program.
  • Network with employers at information sessions, events and fairs.
  • Update and create Search Agents in Careers4Terps.
  • Continue building your professional brand via social media.
  • Update your targeted resume(s) and cover letter(s), and have them critiqued at the Center.
  • Develop relationships with professionals who could serve as references.
  • (For Potential Graduate Students) Familiarize yourself with graduate or professional school admissions procedures.

Fourth Year: Transition

  • Strategize your upcoming job search with Center staff.
  • Attend Center events to strengthen job search skills such as resume writing, interviewing and networking.
  • Develop targeted resumes and cover letters to support job search activities and have them critiqued at the Center.
  • Utilize Search Agents in Careers4Terps to receive alerts and apply for employment.
  • Research prospective employers thoroughly before interviews.
  • Present your qualifications to employers attending Career & Internship Fairs.
  • Take advantage of the On-Campus Interviewing (OCI) Program for full-time jobs.
  • Continue to network and conduct informational interviews with employers of interest.
  • (For Potential Grad Students) Have your personal statement critiqued for graduate or professional school applications.

Students