University of Richmond Career Toolkit

Career Services at UR works one-on-one with all Spiders — Princeton Review has ranked it #8 nationally for a reason. Two office locations, drop-in hours, and advisors who specialize by industry. The student-to-advisor ratio is low enough that you’ll get genuine individual attention.

• Book a Career Advising Appointment

  Schedule a 1:1 appointment with a career advisor via the Make an Appointment button on the Career Services homepage. Covers career exploration, résumé review, interview prep, job search strategy, graduate school planning, and offer evaluation.

• Drop-In Advising Hours

  Monday–Thursday, 2–4 pm at Tyler Haynes Commons Suite 306. No appointment needed for quick questions, résumé reviews, and career exploration conversations. Fastest way to get same-day help.

• Robins School of Business Career Advising (Queally Center)

  Dedicated career advising for Robins School business students at the Queally Center, Suite 201. Mon–Fri 8:30am–5pm. Advisors specialize in finance, consulting, accounting, and business-track recruiting — use both this office and the main Career Services office for maximum support.

• Getting Started Guide & Worksheet

  Career Services’ structured onboarding guide for students beginning career exploration. Covers major exploration, understanding the connection between major and career, values/interests/skills reflection, and first steps. Download from the Career Services website.

• Gap Year Advising

  Career advisors work with students interested in gap years to identify goals and find aligned opportunities. Includes guidance on structured gap year programs, service fellowships, and independent exploration. Connect with the Office of Scholars & Fellowships for fellowship-funded gap year options.

The UR Summer Fellowship (URSF) program is one of the most generous undergraduate internship funding programs in the country — every undergraduate is eligible regardless of financial need. In summer 2024, UR awarded more than $2 million to nearly 600 students.

• Spider Internship Fund — Up to $5,300

  For students completing a summer internship connecting with academic and career goals. Work minimum 6 weeks (240–400 hours). Students must attend a spring orientation, complete a learning agreement, periodic evaluations, and an outcomes summary. Application deadlines: Early Notification — Feb 27; Initial Deadline — March 23; Final Deadline — May 1, 2026 at 5pm.

• Civic Fellowship — Nonprofit & Government Internships

  For students completing academically grounded internships in the nonprofit or government sectors. 8–10 weeks, 320–400 hours. Requires a faculty mentor, written reflections, three Civic Fellows meetings, and a presentation at the Civic Fellows Symposium. Strong for public policy, law, and social impact career paths.

• Chaplaincy Summer Internship Fellowship

  For students integrating spiritual commitments with professional aspirations. Internships at faith-based, spiritual, or nonprofit organizations. 40 hours/week for 6–10 weeks. Requires meeting with a Chaplaincy mentor, readings, reflection papers, and a final paper.

• RSB Research Fellowship — Robins School Students

  For Robins School of Business students who want to immerse in scholarly research with a faculty mentor. Covers economics, finance, management, and marketing research projects. Application deadline: February 27. Contact the Robins School for faculty mentor connections.

• Weinstein Grant — Additional Funding

  Additional grant for eligible students through the Weinstein Grant program. Apply via the URSF application by answering the appropriate Weinstein questions. Deadline: February 27 for research applicants; March 23 for internship applicants.

• Apply to UR Summer Fellowships — URSF Website

  Central application portal for all URSF programs. Review scoring criteria, eligibility, and program details before applying. Contact ursf@richmond.edu with questions. Students applying for housing support or international experiences have an earlier Initial Deadline — plan accordingly.

Career Services at UR offers both in-person advising and online tools for résumé and cover letter development. vMock is the AI-powered résumé review tool available 24/7 through the Career Services website.

• vMock — AI Résumé Review (Available 24/7)

  AI-powered résumé feedback platform available to all Spiders through Career Services. Upload your résumé for instant feedback on format, content, and impact statements. Use vMock before scheduling an advisor review to get the most out of your advising time.

• Résumé Resources — Career Services Website

  Guides, samples, and templates for résumés across all industries and experience levels. Accessible directly from the Career Services homepage under résumé resources. Includes industry-specific guidance for finance, consulting, nonprofit, and government roles.

• Cover Letter Resources — Career Services Website

  UR Career Services’ written guidance on cover letters — how to connect your story to what an organization needs, how to structure for impact, and what to include by industry. Access via the career development resources section of the website.

• Spider Quick-Start Internship Guide — One-Pager

  Condensed, practical guide to the internship search including how to use your Spider Network for outreach, how to write a compelling résumé and cover letter, and how to follow up effectively. Download and read before starting any application.

• Book a Résumé Review Appointment

  Schedule a 1:1 résumé review with a career advisor. Request an advisor from the Robins School (Queally Center) if you’re a business student seeking finance or consulting-specific feedback. Available Mon–Fri 8:30am–5pm.

Career Services offers mock interviews, an AI interview practice platform, and Vault access for industry-specific firm research. The Spider Network through Handshake also connects you with alumni willing to do mock interviews in your target field.

• Mock Interview — Career Advisor

  Schedule a mock interview with a career advisor via Handshake. Covers behavioral, case, and industry-specific formats. Best for students preparing for their first formal interview or entering a competitive field they haven’t interviewed in before.

• AI Interview Practice via Career Services

  AI-powered interview practice tool available through the Career Services website. Practice behavioral, technical, and situational questions on your own schedule. Access through the Career Services AI for Career Readiness page. [⚠️ Specific tool URL not independently verified — access via the Career Services homepage]

• Spider Prompt Library — AI for Career Readiness

  UR Career Services’ curated library of AI prompts specifically designed for career tasks — writing résumé bullets, drafting cover letters, preparing for interviews, and more. Access the Search and Apply section for interview prep prompts. Find it via the Career Services AI for Career Readiness page.

• Vault Career Intelligence (via Library)

  Access Vault’s firm-specific interview guides, industry insider information, and employer profiles via UR Libraries. Especially useful for finance and consulting firm research before interviews. Log in with UR credentials. [⚠️ Verify access via UR Library website — access may require specific library login]

• Spider Network Alumni — Mock Interview Outreach via Handshake

  Search the Handshake People directory and the broader Spider Network for alumni in your target field and company. Cold outreach to alumni for a 30-minute mock interview is standard at UR — alumni respond well to sincere requests from current students. Use the Spider Quick-Start Guide template for outreach messaging.

UR’s 60,000+ alumni network and its Richmond, Virginia location create strong financial services, government, and consulting pipelines. The Spider Network via Handshake and employer recruiting events are the two most direct paths to employers.

• SpiderFest — Student Organization Fair

  Held at the beginning of each semester. The fastest way to meet student organization leaders, find the right club, and get plugged into peer recruiting networks. Attend both fall and spring versions — some organizations do their primary recruiting in spring.

• Career Fairs & Employer Events — Handshake

  All UR career fairs, employer info sessions, and networking events are in Handshake. Register in advance. UR hosts industry-specific fairs including business, government, and nonprofit-focused events. Check Handshake at the start of each semester for the full schedule.

• Employer Relations & HireSpiders

  UR Employer Relations team coordinates on-campus interviews, information sessions, and office hours with employers recruiting Spiders. Students seeking job/internship leads should email hirespiders@richmond.edu to flag opportunities and connect with the employer relations team.

• Spider Network — Alumni via Handshake

  60,000+ UR alumni accessible through Handshake’s People directory. Search by industry, company, and location. Alumni are particularly receptive to outreach from current students — UR has a strong culture of alumni supporting fellow Spiders. Use the Spider Quick-Start Guide for outreach templates.

• Center for Global Engagement — International Opportunities

  For internships and career experiences with an international component. URSF funds international internship experiences pending travel approval. Students interning in countries with US State Department Level 3 advisories require a travel petition at least 4 weeks in advance.

Handshake is the primary platform, but UR Career Services has curated a broader set of job boards for students in specific fields. The AI for Career Readiness page also has search strategy tools unique to UR.

• Handshake — Primary Job & Internship Board

  Primary platform for Spider job and internship search. Postings are often sourced by UR alumni specifically for current students — different from generic Handshake postings. Set up job alerts for your target roles and industries. Also used for employer event registration and advising appointments.

• Job Boards by Industry — Career Services

  Curated list of industry-specific job boards maintained by UR Career Services. Includes boards for sports and entertainment (Teamwork Online), Asian career networks, nonprofit (Idealist), and sector-specific platforms. Use these to supplement Handshake for niche fields.

• Campus Gigs — Flexible Student Employment

  UR’s platform for flexible, student-centered on-campus and local employment. ‘By students, for students’ — connects students with busy schedules to short-term and part-time work. Find via the Job Boards section of the Career Services website.

• YoUR Step-by-Step Job Search Guide

  UR Career Services’ structured guide to the entire job/internship search process. Covers defining your goals, researching employers, using networking alongside applications, and organizing your search. Download before starting an active search.

• What Can I Do With This Major? — Major-to-Career Tool

  100+ major profiles with common career paths, types of employers that hire from that field, and strategies to maximize opportunities. Helps students understand how their major connects to career possibilities and identify adjacent fields they may not have considered.

Richmond’s Robins School of Business hosts a focused set of high-quality clubs. The Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF) is the capstone to a real investment studies course sequence. The Lakeside Consulting Group is one of the most active pro-bono consulting organizations in Virginia.

• Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF)

  Capstone to Robins School’s investment studies course sequence. Students manage a real portfolio using securities analysis and portfolio management. Provides real-world experience with the theories discussed in the classroom. Invaluable for finance recruiting — being in SMIF signals technical readiness to employers.

• Finance Recruiting Group (Robins School)

  Guided by co-presidents who have successfully completed the finance recruiting process. Covers the finance curriculum and recruiting timeline in detail. Directly prepares members for investment banking, asset management, and financial services recruiting. Strong alumni involvement from students who went through the same process.

• Lakeside Consulting Group

  Student-run pro-bono consulting organization at the Robins School of Business. Members work on real client engagements, developing structured problem-solving and presentation skills. Strong preparation for MBB and Big Four recruiting — live project experience is more compelling in interviews than coursework alone.

• Scholars of Finance

  Value-driven organization fostering character and integrity in future finance leaders. Offers a leadership development program, a speaker series, and a 1:1 mentorship program with finance professionals. Unique combination of ethics, mentorship, and professional development — strong for students interested in long-term career character building.

• Women in Business (WIB)

  Co-ed network supporting women in business at the Robins School. Open to all current and prospective Robins students. Addresses gender disparities in the workplace through programming, mentorship, and employer connections. One of the newer clubs in the Robins School.

• Accounting Society

  Open to all business students interested in accounting and the accounting profession regardless of class year or major. Connects students with accounting professionals, Big Four recruiting timelines, and CPA exam resources.

• Beta Gamma Sigma (BGS) — Business Honor Society

  The highest academic recognition a business student can receive at an AACSB-accredited school. Members reside in 160+ countries across 525 chapters. Membership signals academic excellence and ethical leadership to employers globally. Invitation based on academic achievement — top 10% of junior class, top 20% of senior class.

• Full Club Directory — Robins School & Spider Central

  Complete directory of Robins School business clubs and university-wide RSOs. Browse by interest area. UR has 175+ registered student organizations including 14 fraternities/sororities and 30 sports clubs. Find the full university-wide list at SpiderCentral (spidercentral.richmond.edu).

UR’s career outcomes data is tracked through the First Destination Survey (FDS) at six months, and by Institutional Effectiveness at one and five years out. Use this data in salary negotiations and to calibrate your expectations.

• Class of 2025 Outcomes — Career Services Blog

  UR’s Class of 2025 landed more jobs, internships, and graduate school spots than Class of 2024. 84% participated in internships or experiential learning. Students who started their search early submitted more applications and accepted offers faster. Full outcomes published annually each February.

• First Destination Survey — Career Services

  Annual survey of UR graduates tracking post-graduation outcomes at 6 months. Reports employment rates, industries, employers, graduate school enrollment, and locations. Career Services also uses LinkedIn to track alumni outcomes not captured in the formal survey.

• Princeton Review Rankings — Career Services #8

  #8 ‘Best Career Services’ nationally (Princeton Review 2026) and #9 ‘Best Schools for Internships — Private Schools’ (Princeton Review 2025). UR consistently ranks among the top 10 nationally for career outcomes infrastructure — use this when evaluating your return on investment from UR resources.

Career Services at UR works one-on-one with all Spiders — Princeton Review has ranked it #8 nationally for a reason. Two office locations, drop-in hours, and advisors who specialize by industry. The student-to-advisor ratio is low enough that you’ll get genuine individual attention.

• Book a Career Advising Appointment

  Schedule a 1:1 appointment with a career advisor via the Make an Appointment button on the Career Services homepage. Covers career exploration, résumé review, interview prep, job search strategy, graduate school planning, and offer evaluation.

• Drop-In Advising Hours

  Monday–Thursday, 2–4 pm at Tyler Haynes Commons Suite 306. No appointment needed for quick questions, résumé reviews, and career exploration conversations. Fastest way to get same-day help.

• Robins School of Business Career Advising (Queally Center)

  Dedicated career advising for Robins School business students at the Queally Center, Suite 201. Mon–Fri 8:30am–5pm. Advisors specialize in finance, consulting, accounting, and business-track recruiting — use both this office and the main Career Services office for maximum support.

• Getting Started Guide & Worksheet

  Career Services’ structured onboarding guide for students beginning career exploration. Covers major exploration, understanding the connection between major and career, values/interests/skills reflection, and first steps. Download from the Career Services website.

• Gap Year Advising

  Career advisors work with students interested in gap years to identify goals and find aligned opportunities. Includes guidance on structured gap year programs, service fellowships, and independent exploration. Connect with the Office of Scholars & Fellowships for fellowship-funded gap year options.

The UR Summer Fellowship (URSF) program is one of the most generous undergraduate internship funding programs in the country — every undergraduate is eligible regardless of financial need. In summer 2024, UR awarded more than $2 million to nearly 600 students.

• Spider Internship Fund — Up to $5,300

  For students completing a summer internship connecting with academic and career goals. Work minimum 6 weeks (240–400 hours). Students must attend a spring orientation, complete a learning agreement, periodic evaluations, and an outcomes summary. Application deadlines: Early Notification — Feb 27; Initial Deadline — March 23; Final Deadline — May 1, 2026 at 5pm.

• Civic Fellowship — Nonprofit & Government Internships

  For students completing academically grounded internships in the nonprofit or government sectors. 8–10 weeks, 320–400 hours. Requires a faculty mentor, written reflections, three Civic Fellows meetings, and a presentation at the Civic Fellows Symposium. Strong for public policy, law, and social impact career paths.

• Chaplaincy Summer Internship Fellowship

  For students integrating spiritual commitments with professional aspirations. Internships at faith-based, spiritual, or nonprofit organizations. 40 hours/week for 6–10 weeks. Requires meeting with a Chaplaincy mentor, readings, reflection papers, and a final paper.

• RSB Research Fellowship — Robins School Students

  For Robins School of Business students who want to immerse in scholarly research with a faculty mentor. Covers economics, finance, management, and marketing research projects. Application deadline: February 27. Contact the Robins School for faculty mentor connections.

• Weinstein Grant — Additional Funding

  Additional grant for eligible students through the Weinstein Grant program. Apply via the URSF application by answering the appropriate Weinstein questions. Deadline: February 27 for research applicants; March 23 for internship applicants.

• Apply to UR Summer Fellowships — URSF Website

  Central application portal for all URSF programs. Review scoring criteria, eligibility, and program details before applying. Contact ursf@richmond.edu with questions. Students applying for housing support or international experiences have an earlier Initial Deadline — plan accordingly.

Career Services at UR offers both in-person advising and online tools for résumé and cover letter development. vMock is the AI-powered résumé review tool available 24/7 through the Career Services website.

• vMock — AI Résumé Review (Available 24/7)

  AI-powered résumé feedback platform available to all Spiders through Career Services. Upload your résumé for instant feedback on format, content, and impact statements. Use vMock before scheduling an advisor review to get the most out of your advising time.

• Résumé Resources — Career Services Website

  Guides, samples, and templates for résumés across all industries and experience levels. Accessible directly from the Career Services homepage under résumé resources. Includes industry-specific guidance for finance, consulting, nonprofit, and government roles.

• Cover Letter Resources — Career Services Website

  UR Career Services’ written guidance on cover letters — how to connect your story to what an organization needs, how to structure for impact, and what to include by industry. Access via the career development resources section of the website.

• Spider Quick-Start Internship Guide — One-Pager

  Condensed, practical guide to the internship search including how to use your Spider Network for outreach, how to write a compelling résumé and cover letter, and how to follow up effectively. Download and read before starting any application.

• Book a Résumé Review Appointment

  Schedule a 1:1 résumé review with a career advisor. Request an advisor from the Robins School (Queally Center) if you’re a business student seeking finance or consulting-specific feedback. Available Mon–Fri 8:30am–5pm.

Career Services offers mock interviews, an AI interview practice platform, and Vault access for industry-specific firm research. The Spider Network through Handshake also connects you with alumni willing to do mock interviews in your target field.

• Mock Interview — Career Advisor

  Schedule a mock interview with a career advisor via Handshake. Covers behavioral, case, and industry-specific formats. Best for students preparing for their first formal interview or entering a competitive field they haven’t interviewed in before.

• AI Interview Practice via Career Services

  AI-powered interview practice tool available through the Career Services website. Practice behavioral, technical, and situational questions on your own schedule. Access through the Career Services AI for Career Readiness page. [⚠️ Specific tool URL not independently verified — access via the Career Services homepage]

• Spider Prompt Library — AI for Career Readiness

  UR Career Services’ curated library of AI prompts specifically designed for career tasks — writing résumé bullets, drafting cover letters, preparing for interviews, and more. Access the Search and Apply section for interview prep prompts. Find it via the Career Services AI for Career Readiness page.

• Vault Career Intelligence (via Library)

  Access Vault’s firm-specific interview guides, industry insider information, and employer profiles via UR Libraries. Especially useful for finance and consulting firm research before interviews. Log in with UR credentials. [⚠️ Verify access via UR Library website — access may require specific library login]

• Spider Network Alumni — Mock Interview Outreach via Handshake

  Search the Handshake People directory and the broader Spider Network for alumni in your target field and company. Cold outreach to alumni for a 30-minute mock interview is standard at UR — alumni respond well to sincere requests from current students. Use the Spider Quick-Start Guide template for outreach messaging.

UR’s 60,000+ alumni network and its Richmond, Virginia location create strong financial services, government, and consulting pipelines. The Spider Network via Handshake and employer recruiting events are the two most direct paths to employers.

• SpiderFest — Student Organization Fair

  Held at the beginning of each semester. The fastest way to meet student organization leaders, find the right club, and get plugged into peer recruiting networks. Attend both fall and spring versions — some organizations do their primary recruiting in spring.

• Career Fairs & Employer Events — Handshake

  All UR career fairs, employer info sessions, and networking events are in Handshake. Register in advance. UR hosts industry-specific fairs including business, government, and nonprofit-focused events. Check Handshake at the start of each semester for the full schedule.

• Employer Relations & HireSpiders

  UR Employer Relations team coordinates on-campus interviews, information sessions, and office hours with employers recruiting Spiders. Students seeking job/internship leads should email hirespiders@richmond.edu to flag opportunities and connect with the employer relations team.

• Spider Network — Alumni via Handshake

  60,000+ UR alumni accessible through Handshake’s People directory. Search by industry, company, and location. Alumni are particularly receptive to outreach from current students — UR has a strong culture of alumni supporting fellow Spiders. Use the Spider Quick-Start Guide for outreach templates.

• Center for Global Engagement — International Opportunities

  For internships and career experiences with an international component. URSF funds international internship experiences pending travel approval. Students interning in countries with US State Department Level 3 advisories require a travel petition at least 4 weeks in advance.

Handshake is the primary platform, but UR Career Services has curated a broader set of job boards for students in specific fields. The AI for Career Readiness page also has search strategy tools unique to UR.

• Handshake — Primary Job & Internship Board

  Primary platform for Spider job and internship search. Postings are often sourced by UR alumni specifically for current students — different from generic Handshake postings. Set up job alerts for your target roles and industries. Also used for employer event registration and advising appointments.

• Job Boards by Industry — Career Services

  Curated list of industry-specific job boards maintained by UR Career Services. Includes boards for sports and entertainment (Teamwork Online), Asian career networks, nonprofit (Idealist), and sector-specific platforms. Use these to supplement Handshake for niche fields.

• Campus Gigs — Flexible Student Employment

  UR’s platform for flexible, student-centered on-campus and local employment. ‘By students, for students’ — connects students with busy schedules to short-term and part-time work. Find via the Job Boards section of the Career Services website.

• YoUR Step-by-Step Job Search Guide

  UR Career Services’ structured guide to the entire job/internship search process. Covers defining your goals, researching employers, using networking alongside applications, and organizing your search. Download before starting an active search.

• What Can I Do With This Major? — Major-to-Career Tool

  100+ major profiles with common career paths, types of employers that hire from that field, and strategies to maximize opportunities. Helps students understand how their major connects to career possibilities and identify adjacent fields they may not have considered.

Richmond’s Robins School of Business hosts a focused set of high-quality clubs. The Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF) is the capstone to a real investment studies course sequence. The Lakeside Consulting Group is one of the most active pro-bono consulting organizations in Virginia.

• Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF)

  Capstone to Robins School’s investment studies course sequence. Students manage a real portfolio using securities analysis and portfolio management. Provides real-world experience with the theories discussed in the classroom. Invaluable for finance recruiting — being in SMIF signals technical readiness to employers.

• Finance Recruiting Group (Robins School)

  Guided by co-presidents who have successfully completed the finance recruiting process. Covers the finance curriculum and recruiting timeline in detail. Directly prepares members for investment banking, asset management, and financial services recruiting. Strong alumni involvement from students who went through the same process.

• Lakeside Consulting Group

  Student-run pro-bono consulting organization at the Robins School of Business. Members work on real client engagements, developing structured problem-solving and presentation skills. Strong preparation for MBB and Big Four recruiting — live project experience is more compelling in interviews than coursework alone.

• Scholars of Finance

  Value-driven organization fostering character and integrity in future finance leaders. Offers a leadership development program, a speaker series, and a 1:1 mentorship program with finance professionals. Unique combination of ethics, mentorship, and professional development — strong for students interested in long-term career character building.

• Women in Business (WIB)

  Co-ed network supporting women in business at the Robins School. Open to all current and prospective Robins students. Addresses gender disparities in the workplace through programming, mentorship, and employer connections. One of the newer clubs in the Robins School.

• Accounting Society

  Open to all business students interested in accounting and the accounting profession regardless of class year or major. Connects students with accounting professionals, Big Four recruiting timelines, and CPA exam resources.

• Beta Gamma Sigma (BGS) — Business Honor Society

  The highest academic recognition a business student can receive at an AACSB-accredited school. Members reside in 160+ countries across 525 chapters. Membership signals academic excellence and ethical leadership to employers globally. Invitation based on academic achievement — top 10% of junior class, top 20% of senior class.

• Full Club Directory — Robins School & Spider Central

  Complete directory of Robins School business clubs and university-wide RSOs. Browse by interest area. UR has 175+ registered student organizations including 14 fraternities/sororities and 30 sports clubs. Find the full university-wide list at SpiderCentral (spidercentral.richmond.edu).

UR’s career outcomes data is tracked through the First Destination Survey (FDS) at six months, and by Institutional Effectiveness at one and five years out. Use this data in salary negotiations and to calibrate your expectations.

• Class of 2025 Outcomes — Career Services Blog

  UR’s Class of 2025 landed more jobs, internships, and graduate school spots than Class of 2024. 84% participated in internships or experiential learning. Students who started their search early submitted more applications and accepted offers faster. Full outcomes published annually each February.

• First Destination Survey — Career Services

  Annual survey of UR graduates tracking post-graduation outcomes at 6 months. Reports employment rates, industries, employers, graduate school enrollment, and locations. Career Services also uses LinkedIn to track alumni outcomes not captured in the formal survey.

• Princeton Review Rankings — Career Services #8

  #8 ‘Best Career Services’ nationally (Princeton Review 2026) and #9 ‘Best Schools for Internships — Private Schools’ (Princeton Review 2025). UR consistently ranks among the top 10 nationally for career outcomes infrastructure — use this when evaluating your return on investment from UR resources.