University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) Career Toolkit

UIC’s career services are decentralized: the central Career Services office serves all students university-wide, while individual colleges have their own dedicated career staff with deeper industry connections. Always use both. The Business Career Center, LAS Career Development office, and School of Public Health Career Services each have specialized expertise.

• Book a Career Advising Appointment — Central Career Services

  Schedule 1:1 appointments with Career Services advisors via Handshake. Covers resume and CV review, cover letter writing, job and internship search strategy, interview preparation, networking, and career exploration. Both in-person (SSB 3050) and virtual appointments available. Phone: 312-996-2300.

• Walk-In Advising — Wednesday 12–2pm

  Walk-in career advising every Wednesday, 12pm–2pm, in-person at SSB 3050 and virtually via Zoom (Meeting ID: 825 0398 8211, Password: UIC2025!). No appointment needed for quick questions, resume reviews, and career navigation help. [⚠️ Check current semester hours at careerservices.uic.edu — hours may vary by semester]

• UIC Business Career Center

  Full-service career programming for 5,000+ UIC Business undergraduates and graduate students. Provides day-one career readiness support, networking opportunities, and employer connections. Features the ‘Help Me Out Here’ podcast where UIC Business students, faculty, and alumni share how they earned internships and positions. The Business Career Center has direct employer relationships that complement central Career Services.

• LAS Career Development and Internships Office

  Dedicated career advising for College of Liberal Arts and Sciences students. Covers major and career exploration, internship advising, academic credit for internships, and career-focused workshops and events. LAS career staff note the office as a free resource — one LAS student secured a policy research internship at Advance Illinois through LAS Career Development. Access via the LAS website.

• School of Public Health Career Services

  Individualized career coaching for public health students Monday–Friday 9:00am–5:00pm, in-person and virtually. Covers career exploration, resume and cover letter writing, interview preparation, salary negotiation, and strategies for competitive graduate assistantships. Appointments in high demand — contact at least 1 day in advance to reschedule or cancel.

• UIC Connected — Alumni Networking Platform

  UIC’s alumni networking platform accessible through the Virtual Career Hub. Connect with UIC alumni for informational interviews, career advice, and professional networking. Access via careerhub.uic.edu and create your profile to start connecting with Flames across all industries.

UIC Career Services actively promotes internships as the primary career-building experience for undergraduates. Both paid and unpaid internships are supported. Corporate, nonprofit, government, clinical, and research settings all count. The Business Career Center has a specific pipeline for first-year students to begin internship search in their first semester.

• Internships — UIC Career Services Guide

  Central career services internship guide covering what internships are, how to find them, how to apply for credit, and how to succeed in an internship. Includes advice on paid vs. unpaid internships, corporate vs. nonprofit vs. government settings, and how to leverage the Chicago market.

• Job & Internship Search — UICcareers.com

  Handshake (formerly UICcareers.com) is UIC’s primary job and internship database. Set up job alerts to be notified of new postings in your target fields. New jobs posted daily. Government, nonprofit, and corporate roles all represented. Central Career Services has strong relationships with Chicago government recruiters who actively seek UIC students.

• Federal Government Roles — USAJobs.gov

  Career Services notes that many students overlook government opportunities at city, state, and federal levels. Government entities hire from a wide range of majors. UIC has strong relationships with government recruiters who are specifically excited to hire UIC students and alumni. Search USAJobs and set up alerts for federal roles that don’t appear on Handshake.

• Labor Market Insights — Virtual Career Hub

  Real-time labor market data accessible through the UIC Virtual Career Hub. Shows hiring trends, in-demand skills, salary ranges, and employer activity by industry. Use before your internship or job search to understand current market conditions and calibrate your targets.

• Remote & Virtual Internships

  Career Services maintains remote job search resources for students who prefer or need virtual internship experiences. The Virtual Career Hub includes tips and resources for navigating virtual positions and excelling in a remote professional environment.

UIC Career Services provides resume and cover letter templates, sample documents, and 1:1 reviews through advising appointments and walk-in hours. The Business Career Center has a podcast specifically covering how to present yourself for business roles. Virtual interview prep is available through advisors.

• Resume, CV & Cover Letter Resources

  Central Career Services provides written resume, CV, and cover letter guidance including sample documents and templates on the students’ page. Browse by career field for industry-specific examples. Download and use before your first advising appointment.

• Book a Resume Review Appointment

  Book a 1:1 resume review with a Career Services advisor via Handshake. Specify your target industry and role in the appointment notes for the most targeted feedback. Also available during Wednesday walk-in hours for a quick review.

• Interview Preparation — Career Services Tips

  UIC Career Services’ written interview preparation guide on the students’ page. Covers general interview tips, common question types, the STAR method for behavioral questions, and how to research employers before interviews.

• ‘Help Me Out Here’ Podcast — UIC Business

  Business Career Center podcast featuring UIC Business students, faculty, and alumni sharing how they earned their internships and positions and how to do well in business coursework. Practical, real-world guidance from people who went through the same recruiting process. Find it via the Business Career Center website.

UIC hosts career fairs, employer information sessions, and networking events throughout the academic year. Career Services has established strong relationships with Chicago-area employers across all sectors. The Business Career Center additionally hosts its own separate recruiting events for business students.

• Career Fairs & Events — Handshake

  All UIC career fairs, employer information sessions, and career events are listed in Handshake. UIC hosts multiple fairs throughout the year including general career fairs, school-specific fairs, and industry-specific events. Register in advance. Government employers specifically seek out UIC students at fairs.

• Job & Internship Service Fair — September

  Annual fall fair in September. The primary employer recruiting event for UIC students. Employers host information tables and information sessions throughout the year before and after the main fair. Check Handshake regularly for employer table events scheduled throughout the semester.

• Business Career Center Networking Events

  The Business Career Center hosts its own networking events and employer sessions specifically for Liautaud business students. The first-year student quoted by the Business Career Center notes connecting with the Business Career Center in their first semester — by end of freshman year, they had a marketing internship at a prominent Chicago cultural organization.

UIC has 300+ registered student organizations managed by the Center for Student Involvement (CSI). The UIC Connection platform is the official directory. Organizations span all interest areas and the list is updated each semester through CSI’s registration process.

• Center for Student Involvement (CSI) — RSO Directory

  Official directory of all 300+ registered student organizations at UIC. Browse and search by interest area, organization type, and more. From video games and cooking to gospel choir and water polo — UIC’s RSO community covers virtually every interest. Visit the CSI office for help finding the right fit.

• UIC Connection — Events & Engagement Platform

  UIC’s campus engagement platform for student organizations, events, and involvement tracking. Browse upcoming events, connect with organizations, and manage your co-curricular involvement record. The platform used for the annual RSO registration process (April 1–May 31 each year).

• Academic & Pre-Professional Organizations

  UIC has pre-professional organizations across medicine, law, business, engineering, and science. Notable examples include engineering discipline societies, pre-med organizations, business professional associations, and academic honor societies. Search ‘pre-health’, ‘pre-law’, ‘engineering’, or your specific major in the UIC Connection directory.

• Engineering & Technology Student Organizations

  UIC College of Engineering hosts department-specific student organizations for mechanical, industrial, electrical, civil, and biomedical engineering, as well as engineering management. The college’s student org page links to all current engineering RSOs and encourages students to propose new organizations if a gap exists.

• Cultural & Identity Organizations

  UIC’s student body is one of the most diverse in Illinois. The RSO community reflects this with a rich set of cultural, ethnic, religious, and identity-based organizations. Search the UIC Connection directory by interest category to find communities that match your background and identity.

• UIC Medical Student Organizations (CMSC)

  UIC College of Medicine students have an extensive set of specialty interest groups, service organizations, and academic clubs managed through the Chicago Medical Student Council (CMSC). Covers everything from infectious disease and dermatology to research methodology and integrative medicine. Find via the CMSC website.

• Service & Advocacy Organizations

  UIC’s urban mission and Chicago location create a strong service and advocacy RSO community. Organizations focused on community health, education, social justice, food access, and civic engagement are well-represented. Strong for students interested in nonprofit, government, and social impact careers.