As you navigate through your academic program, we encourage you to pro-actively reach out right from the beginning in order to familiarize yourself with the significant career and professional development resources available to you at the university. Explore the resources below to start your journey.
Engineering Career Resource Center
The Engineering Career Resource Center is a primary resource with a wealth of information including: career advising appointments, professional workshops, career fairs, career development course modules, self-help FAQs and videos, job board/postings, events calendar, salary data, etc. They also send an email out to every student every Monday with ECRC updates and upcoming events, and have a Major Info Sheet for Design Science that shows companies that have hired Design Science students over the past 5 years (updated every May), top industries, sample job titles, and salary information.
Design Science also partners with ECRC to offer special opportunities such as Career Chat sessions, but students are strongly encouraged to schedule an appointment anytime with an ECRC advisor and bring their questions.
University of Michigan’s Career Center
The University of Michigan’s Career Center offers a comprehensive range of services to support students in their career development and job search endeavors. Key resources include:
- University Career Alumni Network (UCAN): A platform connecting University of Michigan students with alumni and professionals.
- Self-Service Photo Booth: Obtain free professional headshots for use in portfolios and on professional networking platforms.
- Resume and Cover Letter Resources: Utilize tips, samples, templates, and software to craft effective resumes and cover letters.
- Career Center Fairs: Find career fairs throughout the year, connecting students with recruiters for job, internship, and graduate school opportunities.
- University Career Center Workshops.: These workshops cover topics such as interview preparation, LinkedIn profile building, networking strategies, and understanding career competencies.
- Upcoming Events.: Resume writing, networking, interviewing skills, and job search strategies.
Master’s Students: Career Development Resources
- Coaching Appointments: Offer coaching and career exploration for MS students.
- Public Service Intern Program (PSIP): Opportunities for internships in public service sectors.
- Find Job & Internship Listings.: Apply online to current openings.
- Job Shadowing: Job shadowing is a short-term experience that can last an hour or a day that allows you to learn more about careers or occupations that you are interested in.
PhD Students: Career Development Resources
- Coaching Appointments: Offer coaching and career exploration for PhD students.
- Individual Appointments: Offer a variety of appointments to support PhD and professional career development, including job and internship searching, networking, converting your academic CV to a resume, cover letter writing, and interview prep.
- Professional Development.: Rackham offers opportunities, funding, and resources that prepare graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to access the wide range of careers available to them.
- Academic Job Search.: Provide support for PhD students navigating the academic job market, including guidance on timelines, application materials, and interview preparation.
- Center for Research, Learning, & Teaching: CRLT is dedicated to the support and advancement of evidence-based learning and teaching practices and the professional development of all members of the campus teaching community.
- Web Resources. Web resources are divided into two major sections for PhD and professional students based on whether you are exploring an academic or non-academic job search.
Rackham Graduate School Professional Development
The Rackham Graduate School offers a comprehensive suite of professional development programs designed to prepare graduate students and postdoctoral fellows for diverse career paths. Key initiatives include:
- Rackham Doctoral Intern Fellowship Program: Provides fully funded internships, allowing doctoral students to gain practical experience in various professional settings.
- DEI Professional Development Certificate.: Equips participants with the knowledge and skills to foster inclusivity in diverse work environments.
- Program in Public Scholarship: Encourages students to engage with communities beyond academia, applying their research to address public needs.
- Core Skill Development Workshops: Offers training in essential areas such as career development, communication, leadership, and personal well-being.
Center for the Education of Women+ (CEW+)
Originally created in 1964 to support women returning to work or college, today CEW+ supports the broader U-M community by advocating for all individuals from less traditional, less represented, and therefore under-resourced backgrounds, offering resources to help them achieve their academic, financial, and professional goals.
- Career & Education Counseling: Typical counseling services for students may include discussions around:
- Navigating the University experience
- Advocacy
- Work/Life balance issues
- Emergency funding for current U-M Ann Arbor students
- Tailored support for underserved students
- Financial aid options
- Resume/cover letter/application review
U-M partnership with Google:
The University of Michigan Center for Academic Innovation and Google are partnering to provide access to Google Career Certificates and AI Essentials courses at no cost to students enrolled at all three Michigan campuses: UM-Ann Arbor, UM-Dearborn, and UM-Flint.
More than 66,500 University of Michigan students now have free access to Google Career Certificates, which have provided over one million people globally with job-ready and in-demand skills in areas such as cybersecurity, data analytics, digital marketing, UX design, and project management.
Additional Resources
Other important resources that students can check out are:
- Your faculty advisors and the Design Science Program Director can be key resources for helping you to select your career path choice.
- Linked In – search for where Design Science alumni are working: https://www.linkedin.com/school/university-of-michigan/people/?keywords=Design%20Science.