Career Working Group

Plan, Develop, & Connect

Launch Your Career with Our Working Groups!

Feeling overwhelmed by career planning or not sure how to start? Don't go it alone! The Graduate School Office of Professional Development offers Career Working Groups for Master’s students (fall and winter) and Doctoral students (fall and summer). Limited Spots Available!

“It was important to learn from others’ experiences. It was also relieving to see that you are not the only one who is struggling with the job search. It encouraged us to help each other.”

Structure & Support:

Community building: Learn alongside a supportive group of peers through weekly, in-person meetings.

Accountability: Put concepts into action through interactive exercises and post-session assignments.

Expert guidance: Gain valuable insights from OPD professionals like Shana Passonno and Bryan Monesson-Olson.

Topics

Sessions combine professional skills training, career path planning, and networking strategies to help you:

  • Introduce yourself…to make a positive impression!
  • Assess your skills…do I have the skills employers are looking for?
  • Explore career options…is this the right job for me?
  • Leverage LinkedIn for professional success
  • Connect with professionals to build your network
  • Celebrate your progress!

“I feel so much more confident in introducing myself after practicing what I learned in this workshop.”

Timing and How to Apply

All Career Working Group sessions take place in Goodell Hall (there is no virtual option). Students seeking online workshops are encouraged to check the OPD workshop schedule.

Career Working Groups meet weekly and participants are expected to attend ALL sessions. Participation is free, but space is limited and attendees are selected through a competitive application process. Career Working Groups are offered for master's and doctoral students on a rotating basis.

The next Career Working Group for Master's Students will meet on Wednesdays from October 7 - October 28, 2026. In late August, the application will be posted in the Master's Session section below - apply by September 21 for priority consideration.

The next Career Working Group for Doctoral Students will meet on Thursdays from October 8 - November 12, 2026. In late August, the application will be posted in the Doctoral Session section below - apply by September 21 for priority consideration.

“The Career Working Group provided the motivation and tools I needed to prepare for the first steps of the job search process. I appreciated the accountability and sense of community that the group fostered.”

The Art of Introducing Yourself 
Wednesday, October 7th - 4:00-5:30pm 
Whether hoping to meet people in your department, impress faculty, or survive a conference networking event, many of us dread introducing ourselves. But the first step in building successful relationships is making yourself visible. This session will demystify the process and provide a supportive space to practice with peers.

Using LinkedIn to Support Your Job Search
Wednesday, October 14th - 4:00-5:30pm 
Are you missing out on jobs and internships? Searching in the right place is important, and so is letting companies find you! Learn how to use LinkedIn and Handshake to find opportunities and set up a profile that will establish your reputation online. After learning some tips, you will have time to work on your profile and seek advice from instructors.

Connecting with Professionals in Your Field
Wednesday, October 21st - 4:00-5:30pm 
Have you heard that you should be doing informational interviews to explore your career options or to become a better job applicant? Not sure how to go about this? In this session, you will learn how to reach out to a potential contact, what questions to ask, and how to use the information for your job search. 

Is This the Right Job for Me?
Wednesday, October 28th - 4:00-5:30pm 
Job searching can be stressful! To find the right fit, applicants must analyze job descriptions to identify which skills the employer values, assess their current capabilities, create action plans to develop skills as needed and decide if the work seems enjoyable. In this session, we’ll provide a framework to simplify the process and participants will practice on their sample job descriptions. 

Apply
The application will open in late August.
 

The Art of Introducing Yourself 
Thursday, October 8th – 2:30-4:00pm
Whether hoping to meet people in your department, impress faculty, or survive a conference networking event, many of us dread introducing ourselves. But the first step in building successful relationships is making yourself visible. This session will demystify the process and provide a supportive space to practice with peers.

Using LinkedIn to Support Your Job Search
Thursday, October 15th – 2:30-4:00pm
Are you missing out on jobs and internships? Searching in the right place is important, and so is letting companies find you! Learn how to use LinkedIn and Handshake to find opportunities and set up a profile that will establish your reputation online. After learning some tips, you will have time to work on your profile and seek advice from instructors.

Connecting with Professionals in Your Field
Thursday, October 22nd – 2:30-4:00pm
Have you heard that you should be doing informational interviews to explore your career options or to become a better job applicant? Not sure how to go about this? In this session, you will learn how to reach out to a potential contact, what questions to ask, and how to use the information for your job search. 

Using an IDP to Plan Your Career
Thursday, October 29th – 2:30-4:00pm
The Individual Development Plan (IDP) provides students with a framework for building skills with intentionality and aligning graduate training with career aspirations. This workshop will introduce participants to the UMass IDP, recommend resources for assessing skills, interests, and values, and offer strategies for effective goal setting. 

Deconstructing Your Job Description
Thursday, November 5th – 2:30-4:00pm
In this interactive session, participants will select a job description and discuss how it aligns with their skills, values, and interests. As a group, we will identify skills to target for improvement and crowdsource ideas for how these skills can be developed. Participants will design action-oriented plans to develop the skills (now, in grad school!) that will position them for success in their desired careers.

What does it mean to "Be Professional?"
Thursday, November 12th – 2:30-4:00pm
After weeks of building LinkedIn content, contacts, potential career fits, and the confidence to put it all in motion, we will connect the work to strategies for cultivating a professional reputation.

Apply
The application will open in late August.