Career and Internship Advising

The Department of Urban Studies and Planning encourages students to start thinking about their career early in their academic program. The USP Department's Director of Industry Relations and Student Professional Development, Jennifer Eller, is available to help USP/RED students and recent alumni with:

• Internship and full-time job search process
• Career exploration (open to non-USP/RED students interested in a career in planning or real estate development)
• Providing secondary resume and cover letter reviews after students have first utilized the UCSD Career Center
• Tips on interview preparation and post-interview follow-up
• Utilizing and optimizing LinkedIn
• Professional association involvement and networking
• Finding a mentor
• Continuing education
• Graduate school personal statement reviews

Career/Internship advising appointment hours: Wednesdays 9:30-11:30am and 1:30-3pm and Thursdays 11:15-11:45am and 1:30-3pm. All appointments are conducted via Zoom and are scheduled for 30 minutes.

Appointment request forms: 

• USP/RED Career and Internship Advising Appointment Request form
• Resume and Cover Letter Review Appointment Request form (note: Students are required to first have these documents reviewed by the UCSD Career Center)

Additional resources for students:

• UCSD Career Center (advising, resume review, interview prep, career exploration, workshops, career fairs)
• UCSD Writing Hub (review of graduate school personal statement by requesting a meeting with an undergraduate tutor)
• UCSD Big Interview (interview prep)

Steps students can take to prepare for their career include:

• Create and update a resume that highlights projects, jobs, internships, cocurricular activities, academic highlights, and transferrable skills.
• Create and update a LinkedIn profile and Tritons Connect profile.  Connect with peers, instructors, guest speakers, and professionals on these platforms.
• Sign up for a Handshake account and subscribe to weekly email updates about job fairs, grad school panels, company/organization outreach events.
• Intern with career related organizations and companies.
• Review career related full-time job opportunities to learn more about potential career paths, employers, and the skills/knowledge employers are looking for. 
• Utilize resources provided by the UCSD Career Center such as:
  • Assessments to explore strengths, personality types, and interest areas.  Being able to articulate your strengths and personality traits will help you in interviews and find jobs that are a better fit for you.
  • Tips for creating and polishing resumes and cover letters as well as preparing for an interview.
  • Resources for finding jobs, internships, and research opportunities. 
  • Drop in and career advising appointments with Career Center staff.