Students and alums of color may have unique considerations as they search for a supportive, inclusive, and affirming places to work.
The resources and strategies below can help you find a work environment that values the racial and ethnic identities you hold.
As staff and allies at the Career Center, we strive to:
- Create a safe and welcoming environment for students and alums of color both interpersonally and in our physical space
- Challenge stereotypes and assumptions within our day-to-day interactions with UVM students, faculty and staff
- Encourage students of color to discover and explore their individual talents and skills, and to help you make a more informed choice about employer selection
- Increase awareness of the variety of resources and services available to support people of color in making informed and reflective career decisions.
Finding support on campus and beyond
- Use the Lynx to find UVM organizations related to culture and diversity or check out diversity-related events on UVM BORED
- Get involved with the Mosaic Center for Students of Color, and consider participating in the Mosaic Center’s Peer Mentoring program
- Join the Mosaic Community for Alumni of Color on UVMConnect to meet alums of color
- Explore Enrich Scholars' resources for career coaching and networking. More information and summer 2023 internship opportunities.
Researching Opportunities & Prorgrams
There are many organizations and internship programs who actively recruit people of color. Try searching for these opportunities with the following keywords:
- Identity (e.g. Black, Hispanic, American Indian)
- Profession or industry area (e.g. accounting, medicine, social work)
- Geographic location (e.g. region, state, or city)
- Identity-specific programs often contain the terms “diversity”, “affirmative”, “opportunity”, or “fellowship”
Evaluating potential employers
While it may be difficult to determine how truly supportive any organization is, proactively exploring some key indicators can give you a sense of their espoused values.
- Does their website cite a commitment to diversity and non-discrimination?
- Using LinkedIn or the company’s employee directory, can you see if there is racial/ethnic diversity amongst their employees, senior management, and board of directors?
- How do others review the company on Glassdoor?
- How do recruiters and employees respond when asked about diversity, inclusion, and social justice? Can they give you an example of ways the organization combats discrimination?
- Does the organization actively recruit or collaborate with professional organizations for people of color?
- Are there in-house employee supports or social networks for people of color?
You may also want to do some research about an employer's compliance with federal laws:
- Use a search engine to enter the employer's name along with an identifying term such as "civil rights violation" or "lawsuit."
- Check out the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's website, it has an appellate briefs search that you can use to search for employers of interest.
- Keep in mind that often charges of discrimination can lead to an employer introducing new policies and changing the culture of their organization.
