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Student Resources

No matter what stage of the collegiate experience you are in, the Office of Career and Professional Development will help you successfully seek out and secure the job that is right for you. Below you will find several tools and resources that will help you carve your own path in the professional world.

career peers
E-mail career@hartford.edu to connect today!

Find your career path

Understanding yourself is the first step to identifying an appropriate career. It is important to explore a professional path that aligns with your interests, skills, values and personality. UHart’s Office of Career and Professional Development can help you explore your interests and relate them to potential professions and career paths. Our Career Peer Mentors are ready to help you with:

  • Resumes
  • Cover Letters
  • General Questions
  • Career Affinity Resources
Learn More About Career Studio Events

Be Prepared

TypeFocus, an online personality and career assessment used by organizations across the world, is UHart’s chosen self-awareness tool providing online personality assessments and personalized reports. Through the TypeFocus program, UHart students gain insights into themselves and use that knowledge to develop rewarding relationships, choose satisfying careers, and become more effective leaders. To learn more about the results of your assessment, attend a UHart Career Studio TypeFocus Review Workshop, held regularly throughout the academic year. 

Use your access code ( UoH2020 ) to register into our newest version of the program.

How to get your report after taking the assessment:
  1. Login into type focus account
  2. Click Reports
  3. Click Box of what report your looking for
  4. Click Submit
  5. Report then appears
  6. You can then Create PDF and Print Report
HELPFUL TOOLS

Introduction to TypeFocus | The First Three Steps | NACE Career Readiness Competencies

The following resources can also help to get you started:

O*Net Online | CareerOneStop | What Can I Do With My Major | Occupational Outlook Handbook

We are continuing to use our Handshake platform to promote on-campus jobs as well as off-campus employment. Faculty and staff can post positions, and students can search for open positions. 

Please keep in mind as we still operate under Covid-19 guidelines, jobs on campus are limited. We recommend that you consider looking around campus for a part time job as well. 

If employers have posted jobs that have since been filled, or if you are having issues posting, please contact us at career@hartford.edu.

Join Handshake
We have recently partnered with CampusCT, a new career exploration app for students looking for careers in CT. Through this app, you will be able to explore opportunities, seek out in-depth industry information, and connect with top employers throughout the state. To get started, you can activate your account using your school email address.
Register for CampusCT

Casey Fishman

Marketing, 2023

Casey Fishman ‘23 says he was thinking about a major in history but decided on a marketing degree after taking an Introduction to Business course with Hillyer College Professor David Goldenberg. “It was so interesting to learn about the corporate world, finance, and how small businesses can work,” he says. “I was so fascinated when we would check the stock market every day and make note of the changes. That class gave me inspiration to attend the Barney School of Business and major in marketing.”

Understand that your professors are on your side to help you out and be successful, so don't be scared to speak to them.

Career Affinity Resources

The Office of Career and Professional Development is committed to assisting queer students in gaining knowledge of professional development and employment opportunities and in developing the necessary skills to secure gainful employment in the chosen career field upon graduation. 

Our goal is to welcome lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning students and help prepare them for a job or internship search. We also want to support them in thinking through the additional career planning challenges related to sexual orientation or gender identity.

The following collection of resources is designed to offer a starting point in considering issues faced by queer people in an employment or internship search and the culture of the workplace. There are no right or wrong answers or rules, only what is right for you. We encourage students to feel free to address questions or concerns as an queer applicant during an internship and/or employment search process and remain committed to advise, support and advocate for students in any way.

The following are LGBTQ resources that may be of help:

Our Office also offers regular career events and workshops, such as queer panels, where you can learn more about our resources and opportunities. 

Here are a few resources that may be helpful:

On-Campus Employment

International students in F-1 and J-1 immigration status are authorized to work on campus (excluding work-study positions) for a maximum of 20 hours per week during Fall and Spring semesters (and up to 40 hours per week during Summer, Spring, and Winter break).  Students in other immigration categories, may be eligible to work if they have US employment authorization.

Once you obtain employment on-campus, you will need a Social Security Number if you don’t already have one.  You will need to work with the International Center to prepare the necessary paperwork to submit to the Social Security Office.  Additionally, J-1 students will need to request permission from the International Center prior to starting any employment. 

Off-campus Employment

Before accepting an off-campus internship, job, or any payment for services, you will need to be certain your F-1 or J-1 immigration status allows you to begin.  Working off-campus work without prior authorization is illegal.  You must work with the International Center to ensure you maintain your legal status.   

Keep in off-campus work permission is rather limited for F-1/J-1 students and certain employment authorizations can often take months to be approved.  

The most common types of student work permission are for practical training related to your major/degree:

  • F-1 Curricular Practical Training (CPT): authorization for an internship or placement that is a necessary part of your academic program
  • F-1 Optional Practical Training (OPT): to gain practical experience in your major field of study, not required by your academic program
  • F-1 STEM Extension of OPT: an extension of Optional Practical Training, available only if your major field is on a designated list of specialized majors in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and if you are training a qualified employer
  • J-1 Academic Training (AT): to gain practical experience in your major field of study

If you are interested in off-campus employment, please contact the International Center to discuss your eligibility.  Employment related questions can be sent to opt@hartford.edu.

Headshot Opportunity

We will be offering multiple opportunities for you to claim your one complimentary headshot! All students are allotted one complimentary headshot a year. Please dress business professional from the waist up. Check the Career Studio Events Calendar for upcoming opportunities. Email gada@hartford.edu if you have any questions.

Upcoming Events
Resume/Cover Letter Review

Looking to spruce up your professional documents? You can submit your resume and/or cover letter to our team for review! Simply fill out the form below and we will provide you with feedback that will make your documents appear personalized, polished, and professional. 

Submit Your Professional Document

Kyle Conti'20 M'22

Cinema, and Digital Media and Journalism '20, MA in Communication '22

Kyle Conti has accepted a position with NFL Films to work on HBO’s Hard Knocks, a reality sports documentary series that focuses on a new NFL team each year. Kyle is a recent graduate of the UHart School of Communication’s MA in Communication program, and also earned a double major in Cinema, and Digital Media and Journalism after starting his academic journey in UHart’s Hillyer College.

My professors made me feel comfortable taking risks since I'm in a unique field of editing and production. Also, the small class sizes made me feel like I had a connection with every professor. The projects and papers were meaningful, and I feel well prepared to enter the workforce.

Additional Resources

Our top 5 rEsumE tips
  1. Limit your resume to only one page. Use a laser font such as Times New Roman or Arial in size 10-12 point. 
  2. Tailor your resume to the kind of job(s) you are seeking. Your resume should be adapted to reflect the differences between employers and their requirements. 
  3. The qualifications listed in your resume should match those listed in the job description of the position for which you are applying. Use keywords found in the job description within your résumé.
  4. Get to the point early. Lead with your most important information.
  5. Don't list salary or salary requirements, include references, use personal pronouns (I, me, my, you), include personal descriptions (ethnicity, age, gender, marital status, or photos), or exaggerate the truth about your experience or GPA.
Traditional Sections
  • Heading/Contact Information: This section should include your name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address. Use an e-mail address that is professional and simple, for example: first.lastname@gmail.com. You may wish to include both your campus and home address, especially for summer jobs and internships close to home.
  • Objective: If you choose to include an objective, it should consist of two sections. The first presents your value to the employer. Why should they be interested in you? The second indicates what type of position you are looking for. Be specific if applying for a certain position. For a job fair it is okay to be more broad with the types of positions or simply highlight a specific industry.
  • Education: List any schools from which you have received a degree. If you are still seeking a degree, then list the school and your anticipated graduation date. Your current school should be listed first.
  • Experience: List your work experience in reverse chronological order – most recent first. For each position, list your employer’s name, city and state. Tab over and indicate the dates of employment to the right, and on the next line write your job title.
    • Include clear and specific bullets or accomplishment state-ments of your responsibilities. Describe the skills you used, what you did, and the results. Start with the most responsible job duty and work down to the more routine part of your job. Begin each sentence with an action verb.
Other Categories to Consider
  • Honors: Include honor societies or special awards for academic achievement.
  • Relevant Courses: List courses by correct title (as listed in the course catalog) which pertain to the position for which you are applying. Leave out introductory courses. Utilize this section only if space permits.
  • Language Skills: Include only if skill is intermediate or fluent.
  • Related Experience: Highlight an internship, co-op or volunteer experience in your chosen field. The title of this section may change based upon your field. For example, if you are an accounting major, it would be entitled “Accounting Experience”. This section should be separate from your overall Work History, as it is specific to your field of study.
  • Volunteer Activities/Experience: This is an important section – it can highlight transferable skills directly related to the position you are seeking.

 

Example #1 | Example #2 | Recommended Action Verbs

Resources
Our top 5 cover letter tips
  1. Limit your cover letter to only one page. Use a laser font such as Times New Roman or Arial in size 10-12 point. This should match your résumé.
  2. Highlight your skills according to the employer's needs and describe the positive qualities that you possess.
  3. Employers look at your cover letter as an example of your writing skills. Be sure to proofread for spelling and grammatical errors. 
  4. Only include salary requirements if it is requested.
  5. Carefully read how the employer would like you to apply and follow directions. 
Section 1: Introduction
  • Formal correspondence should start with Dear Mr. or Mrs. Lastname. If you know someone is a doctor or attorney, you may replace Mr./Mrs. with Dr. or Attorney. If you do not have access to a specific name, Dear Hiring Manager is acceptable. 
  • Describe why you have chosen this employer. What position are you applying for? How did you find out about the position? Why are you interested in this specific company?
Section 2: Body
  • Highlight how your skills meet the employer's needs and provide examples.
  • Look at the internship/job positing. What skills does the employer want?
Section 3: Closing
  • Reiterate your interest in the position and company.
  • Indicate that you would like to meet the employer. 
  • Thank the employer and list your contact information. 
  • Conclude the e-mail with Sincerely or Respectfully. Sign your name (if hard copy) or type your full name. 
Additional Resources
Why Use LinkedIn?

Your LinkedIn profile is your online professional presence. It serves as an online résumé, in which you have expanded space to discuss and describe more about your work and leadership experiences. Furthermore, LinkedIn is a powerful networking tool. Once your profile is established, you can use LinkedIn to “meet” people in your field, University of Hartford alumni, and stay in touch with past professional contacts.

LinkedIn also provides easy access to articles and thought-leaders in your field of interest. You can use the LinkedIn news feed to help you stay connected to current events in your field, stay up to date on what is happening at a specific company, and learn from important leaders in your area of study.

LinkedIn Resources
Notes on Your Online Presence
  • Google yourself to find out what's out on the web about you.
  • Be aware that perspective employers may search for you through the web and social media. This might be the first impression that you make.
  • Assume that everything you post is permanent. 
Networking Resources

E-mails like this are not to be trusted:

This is to notify you about an available part time vacancy. Dr. Jane Doe needs a part time Personal Assistant Position in your area. She offers to pay $400 weekly. Please contact ellianajacobs@outlook.com for more information. Remember to email her with your private email not your school email when applying.

Can’t make it in to see us? Explore these additional career resources:

Negotiation and Salary

When an employer makes you an offer, it may be appropriate to negotiate your salary. Negotiating salaries is challenging, and can be risky. As with answering the desired salary question, it is important to be knowledgeable about the market and your field before you begin negotiating. To get started, here are some helpful resources:

Personal Statements

Handshake Resource Links

UHart Partners

  • Hartford Young Professionals and Entrepreneurs (HYPE) helps young professionals to better understand and utilize the assets in the area. Visit their webpage to learn more.

  • Throughout the summer, The Ana Educational Foundation featured web series episodes with CMOs and agency leaders. These special “Career Conversations” offered advice on how to survive and thrive through these tough times. If you weren’t able to attend a particular session, don’t worry – everything has been recorded and archived on their site for full access.

  • Glassdoor has a job search hub with the latest in-demand jobs.

  • Industry and/or geographic job boards:

Helpful Tips and Tricks