Job Search Tips:
- Develop Experience: Gain experience in your field through internships and co-ops, doing research with faculty, volunteering, campus clubs, and professional organizations. Start as early as you can.
- Research: Research 5 to 10 organizations or companies for whom you would like to work. Bookmark their websites and check their job postings frequently. Attend various employer events on campus to learn about their cultures and opportunities.
- Online Resources: In addition to UMass Amherst Handshake, bookmark 5 to 10 industry-specific job sites and check them for new postings. Learn from career advisors the best sites to target.
- Network: This goes hand-in-hand with developing experience. Spend time contacting people you know, (and people they know), for professional contacts, support, and advice. Use the Alumni Association network and LinkedIn.
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Find Newly Added Opportunities
New job and internship opportunities are uploaded to our Handshake database each day. Handshake should be your first stop when looking for new opportunities.
Students and Alumni of the University of Massachusetts are eligible for an account.
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IMPORTANT! If you participate in on-campus interviewing with employers, please review our on-campus recruiting policies.
Late Interview Cancellations
A student attempting to cancel an on-campus interview within 2 business days of the interview date must notify Sharon Jefferson, Recruiting Administrator, at 413-545-2224, or careerservices@umass.edu.
Repeated late interview cancellations may result in suspension of the student’s access to UMass Amherst Handshake.
Interview No-Shows
Failure to honor an interview appointment is considered a serious breach of professional courtesy and ethics, and can negatively impact UMass Amherst Career Services’ reputation among our employer partners.
Students who fail to attend a scheduled interview must send an email of apology (including an explanation of why they missed the interview) to Sharon Jefferson, Recruiting Administrator, at careerservices@umass.edu, who will forward it to your specific Career Center Director and the recruiter involved.
A determination will be made as to whether the student will continue to participate in the on-campus recruiting program. Invalid explanations and/or repeat behavior will result in immediate suspension from Handshake and the on-campus recruiting program (OCR).
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A Message from the UMass Amherst Career Centers about Multi-level Marketing Companies
Many students look for opportunities to earn extra money to help defray college expenses and to explore career fields. On occasion, students ask us about job offers they receive from a multi-level marketing (MLM) company. Multi-level marketing is a method of selling products or services directly to consumers without intermediary retail stores. Products or services are sold through a network set up to resemble a pyramid: each distributor recruits and trains additional distributors and will earn commissions on their sales, as well as on the sales they make. (Some examples of these kinds of companies include: cosmetics (Avon, Mary Kay), housewares (Tupperware, Pampered Chef), vitamins, beauty and home care products (Amway, Herbalife) and home painting services (Young Entrepreneurs Across America YEAA).
While most multi-level marketing companies provide legitimate services/products, some are illegal pyramid schemes. In a typical pyramid scheme, new investors pay a fee for the right to begin the work or sell the products or services as well as for the right to recruit others into the pyramid for rewards.
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has published an excellent guide for understanding MLM companies and Pyramid Schemes: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0065-multi-level-marketing-businesses-and-pyramid-schemes
Even with legitimate MLM companies, the Federal Trade Commission encourages you to consider these four questions:
- Do you want to be a salesperson?
- Do you have a solid sales plan?
- What are your income goals?
- Can you afford to risk the money and time?
Many UMass students have enjoyed working within a MLM business model. We want students to understand how they work, so you can make informed choices as you accept jobs. Here are additional articles about MLM’s and possible pyramid schemes. We encourage students to ask about working terms and payment structures before you commit to begin any work. We encourage students to review comments about specific companies on www.Glassdoor.com
If you have any questions, please contact us at: careerservices@umass.edu
https://ag.ny.gov/consumer-frauds/pyramid-schemes
How to Avoid Entry-Level Marketing Job Scams
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A message from the UMass Career Centers on Using Staffing Agencies to Help Find a Job
Some student job seekers consider using a staffing agency (also known as an employment agency, recruitment firm or staffing firm) to find a variety of jobs, including temporary or permanent jobs in a number of industries. A staffing agency is an organization that works with a wide range of employers to match the employer with job candidates. Staffing agencies can hire anyone from entry-level to upper level workers.
There can be benefits to working with staffing agencies. Temporary work is available in many fields and allows you to choose when and where you work. If you want to work during the academic year and want to take the summer off, you have the option to do so. Some employers only staff certain roles through a recruitment agency.
Working with a staffing agency recruiter can broaden the visibility of your resume to a variety of companies. While this can be a benefit, we encourage students to be aware of where the staffing agency recruiter is sending your resume and who is seeing it. Some agencies specialize in certain industries, so we encourage students to research an agency’s specializations. Working with an agency is usually free to the job seeker, and agencies partner with employers on varying payment structures.
Before working with agencies, we encourage students to understand their services, benefits and payment structure. UMass Amherst does not recommend one agency over another. Here are some articles to assist you in learning more about staffing agencies.
Getting a Job Through a Staffing Agency
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Be wary of fraudulent job postings
The job and internship postings on the UMass Amherst Handshake site is a service for businesses and University of Massachusetts Amherst students and alumni. Business owners are responsible for reporting information fairly and accurately, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst, its Trustees, Officers, employees, and agents cannot and do not guarantee the completeness or accuracy of such information. Inclusion of any job or internship on this website does not constitute, and shall not be construed or reported as: (1) an endorsement or approval by the University of Massachusetts Amherst, its Trustees, Officers, employees, and agents of the company, or its business practices; or (2) a warranty or representation by the University of Massachusetts Amherst as to the quality, integrity, legitimacy or other features of such company and/or its owners or agent(s).
All students are encouraged to exercise their own good judgment when evaluating a prospective job or internship. If an offer or posting seems “too good to be true,” be cautious. “False contacts” can masquerade under a legitimate company name. Watch for misspellings, extra letters, phrases, etc. that are added to emails or website addresses or overzealous “recruiters”.
Remember:
i. Never give out any personal or banking information.
ii. Never agree to deposit a check or money order into your bank account from a company to start the work.
iii. Never agree to send money to another individual.
Legitimate company contacts will never ask you do any of these things. If an employer asks you to do any of the above, stop all contact and please contact Career Services immediately at 413-545-2224, and forward any suspicious emails to careerservices@umass.edu
