Create a resume that can be easily read by someone in 6-8 seconds.
Be proactive: students must find their own assistantship positions.
Contact SPH (and other) professors who are conducting research on topics that intrigue you and ask if they need help. Send an email with your resume attached or go to classrooms/offices and introduce yourself.
Visit the SPH Directory to learn about current faculty research projects.
Each faculty member has a web page with information about their academic background, courses taught, research projects, and recent publications. Read through these web pages to find those of interest.
Departmental newsletters and email messages may also have job announcements.
Speak to your academic advisor and major coordinator about possible opportunities.
Talk to students who have assistantships. Many graduate assistant positions are part of a team, and students often know when other Research Assistant or Teaching Assistant positions are available.
Contact the departments that house your other degree(s). For example, if you have a B.S. in biology, contact the biology department at UMN for possible assistantships.
Look at the postings for positions outside the UMN. For instance, the Minnesota Department of Health jobs website. This website requests that you submit a skills-based, online resume, and allows you to enter your job search criteria to receive emails of job postings that match your keywords.
Persevere! Many assistantships require that you have taken one or more of the core classes. If you don’t get an assistantship during your first semester, try again when you have proven yourself.
