Career Services for the Graduate Programs in Public Health

Career Services in the Graduate Programs in Public Health at UNE Online is a resource dedicated to supporting the career success of graduate public health students through individual career counseling, development, and online training workshops. Career Services facilitates the connection of UNE Public Health students with the resources and skills they need to drive their career development.

We spoke to Jennifer Healy, Public Health Career Services Advisor, about her steps toward developing this program, and her vision for its future.

“I think it’s important to get students thinking about career possibilities right from the start,” says Healy.

To this end, she is currently working on writing and producing the curriculum for a series of career workshops, targeted specifically to students who are newly entering the program.

Written communication and networking

UNE Online’s goal is to set students up for success, right from the outset. So the initial course students will take through Career Services revolves around written communication, networking, informational interviewing, and getting students ready for their applied practice experience search. For many, the applied practice experience is the first public health job that they will be looking for, so as a career launching pad it has a high level of importance.

Read more: How to Find a Public Health Practicum Site

Professional preparation

Each workshop will have an element of professional preparation within it. The UNE Online student body has a diverse background in that there is a mix of students entering grad school fresh from their undergraduate degree, but there is also have a great number of students who are career changers. They have already had a wonderful professional career, but they’re driven to public health for lots of great reasons.

The workshops are designed to be delivered in a short, snappy format, aimed at students getting the knowledge fast. They assist and empower students to work through the basics of a career search on their own. Once a student has been through the relevant workshops, they schedule their first one-on-one consultation.

Personal attention

“By getting our students thinking about their public health career early on in their academic journey, they are getting an automatic advantage,” says Healy.

Career Services works one-on-one with students because everyone has a unique niche and a unique need. Topics covered depend on your particular career needs but could include developing your elevator speech, leveraging LinkedIn, networking tips, interviewing skills, cover letter advice, and resume help.

The public health resume

Public health is a unique industry, and the resume required is different from a “normal” business resume. Career Services helps students focus on developing their public health resume.

A common struggle with career-changers is knowing what is important to include on the public health resume, and what can be left off. As industry experts and scholar-practitioners, Career Services teaches students not only how to build their resume from a public health perspective, but to also see what some of the gaps are that they might have. Identifying gaps early on gives the student more time to focus on getting some of those career gaps filled.

Read more: Get Insider Tips from Public Health Program Director Dr. Nang Tin Maung

Prepared for success

Finding a job in the field of public health is about much more than a great resume and cover letter, or having a brilliant gem of an elevator speech. Your education gives you the skills to be a top-notch public health worker.

Career Services is on top of the key trends that are happening in the career-seeking world – and we help you put your best foot forward to communicate those skills to the world.

UNE Online Public Health Career Services is dedicated to providing the resources, skills, and recommendations needed to help students and alumni confidently navigate the next steps in their careers.

To make a graduate student or alumni Career Counseling appointment, please contact Jennifer Healy, Public Health Career Services Advisor, at jhealy3@une.edu.

To learn more about our online Graduate Programs in Public Health:

GET THE PROGRAM GUIDE