Faculty
Helping Your Students
Planning your career/A 4-year plan
The site includes lists of suggested activities to help students develop their career plans.
What are recent UMD graduates doing?
UMD Career Services conducts an annual follow-up survey of new UMD graduates. Every year we contact graduates who received undergraduate degrees in the previous year to find out what they've been doing during their first year after graduation. Reports of our findings are posted in the Graduate Follow-up Report.
What is GoldPASS?
GoldPASS is the U of M's online database to help connect students and alumni with employers, volunteer organizations, and internships across the country. Faculty can gain access to GoldPass by contacting carserv@d.umn.edu
Career Handbook
The Career Handbook is written and published by UMD Career Services and is free in hard copy to faculty, students and alumni. It provides a wealth of information to help students write resumes and cover letters, interview effectively and negotiate salaries, in addition to many other job search and career planning topics.
Career Counseling
Feel free to refer students to our office for individual help. They can make an appointment by calling 726-7985 or stopping in our office at 22 SCC.
Classroom Visits
Career Services is committed to helping you incorporate career development into your work with students. One way we do this is via classroom or student organization visits that can take a variety of forms:
- Brief 5 minute overview of the services offered by Career Services
- Classroom or club presentations 1-2 hours in length on a variety of career development topics including self assessment; deciding on a major; job search topics such as resumes, interviewing, portfolios, job searching, and internships; and information on going to graduate school.
- Conducting special workshops related to a particular field of study such as “Career Options for Political Science Majors”
To schedule a classroom visit, complete the online form (coming soon). We will work to find a staff member whose schedule and area of expertise will best meet your request. Please allow two weeks notice for all classroom presentations. If you have to unexpectedly cancel class, call our office at 726-7985 to see if someone might be available to present to your class.
Faculty Meetings
In addition to conducting classroom presentations, we are eager to visit faculty or department meetings to give an overview of Career Services. To schedule a visit or for assistance in answering students' career related questions, contact our office at 726-7985 where you will be referred to a career professional for assistance.
e-Portfolio Presentations
Fill out the online form to request an ePortfolio presentation in your classroom. If you are interested in having a specific lesson for your class, please indicate that in the special requests box. This can be information on the assignment you are requiring or just letting us know that you want something specific discussed. Don't hesitate to ask. You will receive a request receipt confirmation immediately and a presentation confirmation within 3 working days. Contact Sonja at solsen@d.umn.edu or 726-8810 with any questions.
Providing References
Students may ask you to serve a job reference. It is important for you to be knowledgeable about the legal implications of serving as a reference for a student. For those unfamiliar with these legal issues, the tips and web sites below offer some guidance.
Tips for Providing References
- You are not obligated to serve as a reference for a student – if you do not feel comfortable doing so, be direct with the student and tell him or her "no."
- If contacted by an employer to give a reference, only do so if you have written permission from the student (i.e. a signed consent form from the student, a signed application form, or a signed letter from the student).
- Information that you share should be based on fact and your experience with the student.
- Do not share personal information that is basis for discrimination even if you believe it might benefit the student (such as marital status, race, religion.)
The National Association of Colleges and Employers has extensive articles and guidelines to help faculty and staff understand the comprehensive legal issues involved when serving as a reference. These articles are linked below for your convenience.
Suggested Guidelines for Reference Givers
Writing a Reference Letter (Discussion of Legal Issues)
Sample Faculty Reference Letter
A Faculty Guide to Ethical and Legal Standards in Student Hiring
Referrals to Employers
Sharing Job Postings with Students
Have you heard about a job that would be a great opportunity for students? Simply email the position to UMD Career Services at carserv@d.umn.edu and we will contact the employer to ensure the job is posted on GoldPASS, the job posting site for students and alumni, where it will reach the widest audience of students.
Ethical Issues
As a staff member, you may have employers contact you to request the names of quality students who can fill their open positions. In order to be compliant with the University of Minnesota’s Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Policies, job opportunities should be shared with all students. Directing employers to GoldPASS is the most efficient way to ensure that all students will be aware of job opportunities. Once it is posted it is appropriate to encourage your top students to apply!
For more information on legal ramifications of direct referrals to employers, read The National Association of Colleges and Employers article A Faculty Guide to Ethical and Legal Standards in Student Hiring.
Sharing Contacts
Informational interviews are a great tool for students who are learning about career options and beginning their job search. Professionals and recent graduates in the field can offer outstanding career advice and insight into a profession.
Networking is promoted by Career Services. We encourage students to make connections with faculty, staff, family and friends to meet people in their areas of interest. If a student approaches you looking for contacts in your field, we hope you will consider sharing the names of alumni or individuals in the industry who would be open to talking with a student.
Events
View a schedule of Career Events such as career fairs, workshops, and recruiters on campus.
