Your questions answered

If you don't find what you need here: drop by or reach out. 

See also Faculty & Staff Resources &/or Recruiting at UVM info.

Where do I start?

The Path to Career Success / CQs

Right where you are - it's never too soon OR too late to work on career prep.  Figure out your next step with our Path to Career Success - a useful compilation of tools to support your career development from day one through graduation, and beyond...

  • a Roadmap to guide your journey,
  • annual Career Quizzes (CQs) to keep you on track - with personalized suggestions for your next step,
  • and our bi-annual Career Boost - a week-long series of group sessions designed to walk you through the key steps.

Career Interest Group/s

No matter what you're trying to accomplish, joining an Interest Group(s) is a great place to start!  These virtual communities open doors to new connections (peers, alums, faculty & staff), opportunities (jobs, internships & more), useful resources (e.g., programs, how to guides), and priceless insights (from those in the field).  

  • There are no obligations - come and go as you please - join as many groups as you'd like (one simple form allows you to leave or change groups).
  • Each Interest Group sends out regular newsletters - to ensure you're the first to know about things of interest!
  • See others in the group and join virtual chats through UVMConnect.

JOIN Interest Group/s

Handshake

With a mission to democratize opportunity, Handshake more than just a job and internship database.  The leading career platform for college students, Handshake is used by 1,400+ colleges/universities, 650K employers and 9+ million students. 

  • Log in with your netID & password to complete your Career Interest Survey - info used to customize your homepage allowing you to discover unexpected opportunities,
  • Complete your profile - a virtual resume - so that employers can find you,
  • Create & save custom searches (with your desired filters) to get notified of opportunities (jobs/internships/events) you care about.

Login to Handshake

Get Experience

It doesn't really matter what you do - as long as you do it!
It takes experience to gain experience - so start building your experience today:

  • Part-time, seasonal & on-campus jobs are a great starting point (even if they're not glamorous, they're great ways to develop "transferable" skills)
  • Volunteer/Service opportunities build your resume and strengthen your community!
  • Plan to take a Community-Engaged Learning class and earn credit while making a difference through hands on learning
  • Engage with a student club and consider pursuing a leadership role (i.e., captain, secretary, president)
  • Projects are another great starting point - ask around, you never know who might have a project they need help with
  • Plan to do an Internship or Micro-internship
  • Explore Study Abroad programs to expand your worldview & increase your multicultural compentecies
  • Undergraduate Research and Fellowships are more great avenues to build skills and make great connections

Not sure what to do? 

  • Start by reflecting on your Interests & Values.
  • Consider the Career Competencies you've already developed and which you'd like to work on developing.
  • Drop-by the Career Center to chat with a Peer Leader who can help brainstorm ideas.

I need to prepare...

My resume

Your resume is how you present yourself (your skills, experiences and competencies) to prospective employers. Whether you're applying to a part-time job, a prestigious fellowship, or anything in between, you'll need an effective resume. Crafting your document is an art, and also a great reflection on all the skills/experience you already have! Here are some resources to get you started:

  • Check out our Guide to Resumes
  • Bring your draft to Drop-In hours
  • Submit your document for a virtual review via Brightspace (students) or via Handshake (alums)
  • Review your Career Competencies to identify skills to add to your resume - be sure to show (don't just tell) when/where you've developed those skills (i.e., don't just list the skills, rather, include them in your descriptive bullet points for specific experiences).

Additional Ideas:

  • Join an Interest Group and look for speakers on this topic. Employers often share what they're looking for – these "direct from the source" insights are invaluable!
  • Find a mentor on UVMConnect and ask for feedback.

A Cover Letter

An essential companion to your resume, a compeling cover letter helps set you apart from the other applicants.  While one resume can be used for many applications, each cover letter is unique and specific to the opportunity at hand - conveying why you want to do this thing, with these people. Having someone proof-read your letter is beyond smart - awkward sentances and typos do not make a good first impression....  More useful tips can be found in:

  • Your Guide to Cover Letters
  • Submit your document for virtual feedback: Students submit to Brightspace / alums submit via Handshake
  • Bring your draft to drop-in hours to get feedback on the spot!
  • Have your friends, parents/guardians, mentors/coaches take a look - the more feedback the better.  Then take what resonnates and leave what doesn't - at the end of the day the cover letter should reflect a professional and capable you!

an Online Profile (e.g., LinkedIn)

Bring your story to life with visual content and dynamic links - a well built LinkedIn profile is a great way to be more than just a list of skills.  It allows you to add value that doesn't fit on a one page resume, and to leverage the platform to connect with others!  Curating an online profile also enables you to direct prospective employers to a professional you and not leave them to find whatever a Google search might bring up!

Pro Tip: An effective headline becomes your "objective" - while a sentence on your resume about your aspirations is no longer in vogue - prospective employers are looking at your headline to understand who you see yourself as/becoming.  In tandem with your headline, a concise and impactful summary is key.  This section holds prime real estate on your page - use it well to quickly highlight what sets you apart & hook a potential employer to want to read on.

my CV (Curriculum Vitae)

YourCurriculum Vitae (CV) is an extensive record of your academic and professional achievements. You will likely only need a CV if you are applying to academic or research positions. A CV is much more detailed than a resume and has some key differences. The resources below will help you get started:

for an Interview

Landing an interview is a huge accomplishment in itself - congratulations! Set yourself apart by showing up well prepared. Not sure where to start? We've got you!

How do I find...

Part-time jobs

Whether you're trying to pay the bills, fund your fun, or build your resume, a part-time job is a great idea!  Meet new people and develop invaluable transferable skills! You'll be surprised how well your customer service skills will serve you in whatever career you pursue - no joke! Work experience, all work experience, makes you more "employable" (i.e., a step closer to that dream job).

Internships

Students who intern earn higher starting salaries and report higher levels of job satisfaction.  In short, interning is a great idea!  Experiences gained through volunteer or service work, student clubs/orgs or identity centers, or even part-time work (workstudy totally counts!) can prove useful in landing a desirable internship.

  • Check out our Guide to Internships to learn where to look, how to get credit & even how to get paid!
  • Search Handshake for Internships
  • Micro-Internships, though not eligible for credit, are great ways to build your skills and earn good money.

Full-time (post grad) Jobs

Whether you're about to graduate (congratulations!) or are just planning for the future, we encourage you to check out all of the different ways you can search for job openings. 

I know what I'm looking for:

I'm not sure what I'm looking for:

Graduate & Professional Programs

Depending on your career goals, pursuing graduate or professional school might be a good next step for you. These resources can help you determine if grad school is right for you - most programs require no small committee of time and money!  As well, they cover offer useful tips on how to prepare yourself as a competetive candidate, where to search, and how to navigate the application process.

 

I'm trying to decide...

on a major

Choosing a major can feel scary, but remember (contrary to popular misconception) - your major does NOT define you or your future!

  • Check out our Choosing or Changing A Major page
  • Stop by for a playful 15-minute "Card Sort" activity to narrow down the options & then meet with a Career Specialist to discuss your findings
  • Visit our Brightspace site and select the Majors & Minors module for 5 useful tips
  • Ask around - what are your peers studying & why?
  • Join the Exploring Interest Group for a regular newsletter full of useful insights.

what I want to do / be when I grow up...

Great question - and one we spend our entire lives answering and revising! You don't need all the answers today - you only need a next step.  Which would you find most helpful?

Interactive Reflections
Reflecting on such topics is well worth the time invested, as understanding these things about yourself is really key to finding meaningful and rewarding work!

  • Visit ourBrightspace site and select our Interests & Values Module to reflect on what's most important to you.

Talking with someone
Don't be shy about asking people what they do, how they got there and if they like - most folks love talking about themselves!

  • Drop by the Career Center to find out more about the resources we can offer
  • Make an appointment with your Academic Advisor for their perspectives and tips
  • Do some Informational Interviews to find out about the paths others have taken (you can interview ANYONE from mom to an alum you found on LinkedIn - and you never know what you'll discover as interests or possibilities through those conversations)
  • Job Shadowing is a great ways to see what kinds of jobs you might like, or not – hang out with a professional for a day and see what "a day in the life" is really like
  • Join Career Interest Groups to explore what others are doing / have done through this virtual network, events and newsletter curated around fields of general interest

Browse

  • Watch Candid Career videos – of various professionals sharing what their jobs are like (+ advice on how to get there)
  • Occupational Outlook Handbook – Explore different occupations and their associated pay and education requirements.
  • Search O*NET for detailed industry information such as projected growth in that field and required skills

Get Experience

  • Do an Internship to test your interests & discover an industry from the inside
  • Puruse a micro-internship to see what project work you like

What I should be working on

Looking to feel more "employable"?  Check out these 8 Career Competencies that employers across the nation are seeking.  Research done by The National Association of Colleges and Employers identified 8 competencies that employers across all industries and across the nation are looking for.

  • Our Career Readiness Survey will walk you through a self assessment these competencies and help you set goals to further develop them.

Identity-Based Resources for...

Job Seekers with marginalized identities

Job searching is hard for everyone, and harder still for those who might face discrimination or microagressions based on their identities. We're here to empathize any time you need validation. 

We're also here to help you navigate these waters and own how your identities bring distinct strengths to the workplace!

Check out our Identity-Based Resource page for tips on finding a mentor, developing a network, & assessing an organizations commitmtnet to DEI work.  Or jump to specfic resources related to your identities:

And you can always drop-by to talk with a Peer Leader, or request an appointment with a Career Coach.

Seniors

Congratulations on getting ready to graduate! Check out our Winter Career Boost to kickstart your job searching skills. Have more specific questions? Look at the other FAQs and check out the resources below:

  • Our Job Search Guide gives you the basics of how to run a successful job search. 
  • Interested in grad school? Check out our Graduate & Professional School guide to get started and plan out your next move.
  • This is the perfect time to be networking. Employers look to graduating classes to fill tons of positions, and most of your classmates will be looking to enter the workforce. Check out our Guide to Networking to get started!

Graduate Students

Whether you are pursuing a positon in higher education or an industry, our Graduate Student Career Resources will help you in your career preparation. 

Alums

Already graduated? No problem!

Check out our Alum Resources to see what we have to offer - and don't forget to check the rest of this page for answers to specific questions.

Who can I connect with?

Build a professional network

Networking is just a fancy word for making connections. Something you do everyday! Your network includes your roommates, classmates, teammates, faculty, coaches, mentors, and even your family & family friends. Start curating your network with tools like UVM Connect and LinkedIn to establish virtual connections with these folks so you can easily communicate with them. Whether you're letting them know that you're looking for opportunities or just sharing updates, you never know when these folks may just have the idea, advice, or connection you need!

You got this - networking is essential but it's nowhere near as hard as you think...

Meet others through hands-on learning

Gaining experience through internships, community-engaged learning, research, study abroad and other great experiential opportunities is great for your resume and also a great way to connect with people doing the kind of work you might be interest in. 

Chat with alums

UVMConnect is our exclusive online community for UVM students, alums, and friends.  Log in today to find folks "willing to help" you.  Alums love sharing their stories, their wisdom and their general career advice.  Once you log in, join a Career Interest Group on the platform to find your people and see what folks are talking about...

Join an Interest Group

Connect to folks with shared interests in a vibrant social network.

Find your group

 

Fall Fairs

Drop-In Hours