An ongoing resource

As a graduate of the U of M, your relationship with the University is lifelong. Tools to help you find—or find a new—cool job are always here, including through the Alumni Association (UMAA).

Whether it’s your first job or a mid- or late-career switch, several resources can let you explore new opportunities.

A wide variety of on-demand videos for career development are available through Gold Mind, the Alumni Association's repository of video classes and webinars from subject-matter experts. In Gold Mind, alumni, career coaches, and industry pros share meaningful advice on topics such as "Use Your Life as Data for Career Exploration," "Challenges and Successes of a Career Change," "Banishing Burnout," and more. Get started at UMNAlumni.org/GoldMind.

Maroon and Gold Network

The Maroon and Gold Network is another free, online networking tool from the UMAA that is available to all students and alumni. You can search job possibilities by location, company, and industry and it also offers sample scripts job seekers can click on to initiate conversations with potential contacts. To get started, visit MaroonandGoldNetwork.UMNAlumni.org.

Check out career month

Held every February, the Alumni Association’s Career Month lets you connect with other Gophers and provides virtual and in-person workshops, seminars, and events, including Maroon and Gold Connections, an online event to help participants boost their career networks with fellow alumni worldwide. Learn more at UMNAlumni.org/CareerMonth

Do informational interviews

Rebecca Luebbert, director of career and business engagement at the Alumni Association, says one of the best ways to learn about potential new careers is through an informational interview. Asking someone what they like about their job or what keeps them at a particular company is great information. After an interview, ask yourself what you liked about the job described. And remember: If the job isn’t what you had hoped, that’s as important as identifying your perfect dream job.

Other assessment options

In the U of M's College of Liberal Arts, the Psychology Department’s Career Counseling and Assessment Clinic provides a package of five 50-minute career counseling sessions to help people assess their work interests, personality, values, and abilities. Participants can take online assessments, including the Strong Interest Inventory, California Psychological Inventory, Employee Aptitude Survey, and others to learn more about their aptitudes.

More information is available at careercounseling.umn.edu