Career Resources for Alumni and Recent Graduates

As a recent alum of HFA, you are allowed up to six months of free career advising through the HFA Career Services Office, which you can schedule via your Handshake account. After 6 months, we direct all alumni to access career services provided through the UMass Amherst Alumni Career Services Office.

Please note also that your UMass Amherst email will be discontinued after 6 months, so in order to log in to Handshake you will need to create an account with a non- UMass email address (directions below).

Handshake

Lifetime access to UMass Amherst Handshake: Search for jobs and internships as well as career fairs and employer events at UMass Amherst, or with outside organizations you may be interested in. To access Handshake after your UMass email credentials expire, you can log in with a non-UMass email and set up an account as an alum.

To do this, sign in with your email address. You'll then be asked if you want to log in using your Handshake credentials and if you want to set a password: Click Get Started. After you've created your password, you will get a verification email that will confirm your password and you'll then be able to access the site.

Free Career Assessments and What Can I Do With This Major?

Access these on the central Career Development and Professional Connections Hub website.

We recommend Focus2, but 16 Personalities and VIA Strengths can be insightful as well.

What Can I Do With This Major? is a website featuring 100 major profiles with information on common career paths, types of employers that hire in the field, and strategies to maximize opportunities. Links to professional associations, occupational outlook information, and job search resources are included.

Connect UMass

Connect UMass is a networking site exclusive to UMass alumni and students. On this platform you can:

  • Get career advice from experienced professionals, or give advice to newer ones
  • Connect with alumni based on your interests, geographic location, or other affiliations
  • Get back in touch with old friends and make new ones
  • Discover events and educational opportunities
  • Find or share job postings

It’s easy to set up a free Connect UMass account. Tips: To find people, click Explore the Community, then use filters to focus your search. You can join a Group, including different career communities, which are very popular. For assistance, check out info. sheet: Make the Most of Your Connect UMass Experience (PDF).

Alumni Career Counselors

Provided through the Alumni Career Services Office, Alumni career counselors provide personalized assistance to help you make decisions and pursue what’s next. They can help you with resumes, cover letters, your job search, interviewing, and connecting your interests, skills, and career goals to opportunities. Each counselor offers a free first session, with discounted follow-ups. (IMPORTANT: you’re under no obligation to purchase a career counseling package after your first session).

To set up an appointment: view each counselors’ profile and reach out to your choice with the provided contact information. Be sure to explain that you are a UMass alum, your graduation date, and the assistance you seek.

LinkedIn

If you don’t have an active LinkedIn page, we encourage you to create a profile.

Use LinkedIn for job searching, networking, hiring, finding articles, and getting/giving a wide range of opinions on relevant posts. Why Use LinkedIn?

Additionally, UMass Amherst has its own LinkedIn page, with an alumni feature, allowing you to find other alums by keyword, class year, company name, where they live, what they do, and what they studied.

Job Boards

These are just a few of the many job boards available to you, but remember, your search will be most effective if you use a combination of these sites, discipline-specific job boards, job listings on websites of employers of interest, and networking.

Massachusetts Job Sites

Pioneer Valley Job Sites

Teaching Job Sites

Other Job Sites

And Finally, Consider Giving Back

What can you do once you have found that first job? You can help students seeking career advice!

  • Tell us about internship and job opportunities at your organization and post them onto Handshake.
  • Help organize job shadowing or site visits with students at your company or organization.
  • Ask your employer if you can participate in recruiting at UMass Amherst at career fairs
  • Join Connect UMass and serve as an alumni mentor!