Explore/Engage/Design

Venn Diagram graphic explaining Explore Engage Design career process

Expand all

EXPLORE how your interests, skills, values, strengths, & identities influence your educational and career roadmap.

  • Discuss options & possibilities. Get your questions answered and discuss options and possibilities with a Career Counselor.
  • Take a career assessment. These help you better understand your interests, personality, and strengths in relation to major and career choices. 
  • Embrace the value you bring. Think about how your, and others', unique background and identities add to our global community.
  • Explore & evaluate majors. Use resources including the UMD Catalog, What Can I Do With This Major?, Candid Careers, and Roadtrip Nation to learn about possibilities.  
  • Discover careers. Find job titles, salaries, educational requirements, and more in the Occupational Outlook Handbook, O*Net, CareerOneStop, MN State CAREERwise, and in our UMD Graduate Follow-up Report.

Detailed Explore Section

ENGAGE in meaningful experiences to shape your roadmap.

  • Gather insight.  Explore information on sites such as Candid Career, LinkedIn, and Peer Into Your Career blog. Conduct career conversations and/or job shadows with professionals to learn more about those careers.
  • Search for internships, jobs, and volunteer positions. Create your profile on Handshake which is the University of Minnesota’s Job and Internship Listing site.  
  • Get involved! Participate in internships, co-ops, research projects, UMD student organizations, community organizations, UMD study abroad, clinical or field-work, tribal/cultural experiences, part-time or summer jobs, military service, and/or volunteering to gain experience and skills. 
  • Attend events related to internships, jobs, and graduate & professional schools. Use these events to explore opportunities, practice talking to employers & representatives, and get career advice.

Detailed Engage Section

DESIGN your roadmap and ways to demonstrate your knowledge, skills, & abilities.

  • Create or update your resume & cover letter. Use the Career Guide for tips and examples, and have them reviewed by a member of our staff.
  • Practice your interviewing skills. Check out the interviewing section of our website for tips, to schedule a practice interview appointment, and to use Interviewing.com.
  • Apply to graduate or professional school. Explore our Preparing and Applying for Graduate or Professional School resource for personal statement and diversity statement tips, application and interviewing tips, and more! Have your application materials reviewed before submitting your applications. 
  • Update your LinkedIn and Handshake profiles. Use these to develop your network and to connect with faculty, staff, alum, employers, & organizations, and to apply for jobs & internships.
  • Attend career fairs. Communicate with employers and take steps to obtain an internship or job. 

Detailed Design Section