First Year Career Steps for Public Health

Know yourself.

  • Interest, skills, and values.

Determine your interests.

  • Activities about which you are passionate.
  • What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

Recognize your aptitudes.

  • The skills you have and those you want to develop.
  • What do you do well?

Evaluate your work experience and education.

  • Acquired knowledge that will help you advance toward your desired career paths.
  • What are your accomplishments?

Recognize your personal qualities.

  • Traits that make you a strong candidate.
  • Are you motivated, a strategic thinker, active listener?

Select potential career areas.

  • Areas of career interest for further research and exploration  
  • What career fields do you gravitate toward?
  1. Visit a career advisor.
  2.  Do at least one self-assessment tool offered free online (https://www.umass.edu/public-health-sciences/career-planning/student-resources/career-assessments).
  3. Check out “Career Opportunities in Public Health.”
  4. Activate your Handshake account and start receiving emails about internships/jobs.
  5. Attend the meetings of any two clubs to get to know resources both in and outside of your department. One suggestion is the Public Health Club

The UMass Amherst Public Health Club is a student-run organization that provides students with an opportunity to further their interests in the field of public health. All students within and outside the major are welcome to join in the club's pursuit of raising awareness about health promotion and prevention throughout the UMass Amherst community. This is done by participating in community service, hosting networking events, welcoming guest speakers, and engaging in various social and service activities. The club strives to collaborate with a variety of health-related registered student organizations to help members connect with other UMass Amherst students within the public health and health science fields.

If you want to learn more, "like" the club's Facebook page or join the club on Campus Pulse. You can also email phclub@schoolph.umass.edu!

  1. Visit 3+ internship sites online specific to your field and home location for summer internships. 
  2. Discuss with your academic advisor if study abroad/exchange is a good idea for you.
  3. Write your resume/cover letter and bring it to the Career Ambassador Walk-in hours for review (Arnold House Room 136, hours listed here: https://www.umass.edu/sphhs/careers/peer-advisingwalk-and-email). Appointments can be also made with professional advisors here: https://umass.joinhandshake.com.
  4. Network and get to know your professors, staff and fellow students.
  5. Start a list of family, friends and other contacts in areas in which you might have a professional interest and update it as your experiences grow.
  6. Get a summer internship/job with professional development in mind (and notify the Office of Career Planning about this opportunity when you secure it).
  1. Research three potential occupations and the entry level requirements of each.
  2. Conduct numerous informational interviews to expand your network and solidify career choice.
  3. Review your online professional presence (google yourself, check Facebook content, clean it up).
  4. Create a LinkedIn page (www.linkedin.com); review LinkedIn guidelines. 
  5. Attend a Career Fair, employer info session or networking event on or off campus.
  6. Watch for deadlines, GRE, GMAT, MCAT, LSAT, RD applications and internship opportunities.
  7. Get a summer internship/job with professional development in mind.
  1. Perfect your resume, cover letter writing skills and refine your job search strategy (Attend walk-in hours, individual appointment, workshops, or watch CareerSpots videos).
  2. Continue to use LinkedIn and other networking methods to search for alumni with whom you can do informational interviews, ask about employment and companies/fields where they work.
  3. Use Handshake to find jobs you may be interested in and then use LinkedIn to check for connections.
  4. Check out Big Interview for interview prep assistance and attend a mock interview session to prepare you for professional interviews.
  5. Solidify references and letters of recommendation (Optional Interfolio service).
  6. Notify SPHHS Office of Career Planning when you land a job or get accepted into a grad program.