The GVSU Career Center is your go-to resource for creating your resume and cover letters. Whether you're starting from scratch or refining your materials, these tools and services can help: 

• Resume and Cover Letter Guide gives you step-by-step advice to help build a first draft of your resume and how to draft a cover letter.
• Resume Samples gives you example resumes according to different majors and job types to help you understand what strong resumes look like.
• ResumeAI scans your resume to give you immediate feedback on how to improve your resume and give you a score on key criteria. 
• If you'd like personalized support from Career Center staff, you can drop in to the CareerLab to have someone review your resume or get advice on how to begin. 
• Cover Letter Sample gives you a model cover letter to help you structure and format your own. It is always a good idea to include a cover letter — even when it is not required — when you are applying for a position and when you will not be having a face-to-face conversation with the person in charge of hiring.

GVSU Career and Internship Fairs

The GVSU Career and Internship Fairs are one of the most effective ways to find a job or internship. Held each fall and winter semester, these events give you the chance to connect directly with employers, share your résumé, and build your professional network.

Many of our math majors have left the fair with invitations to first-round interviews—and later, job or internship offers. Some employers don’t post open positions online at all; instead, they meet students at events like these, collect your information, and create a position if they see a strong match.

If you’re exploring internship or career options, the fair is an excellent place to start.

Online career and internship platforms

If you’re not sure where to begin when exploring job or internship platforms, start by searching for positions that require a degree in mathematics or a related field. You can also look for roles with keywords such as analyst, data science, math, software developer, or similar terms in the job title or description. Regularly checking these platforms and using targeted keywords will help you find opportunities that match your skills and interests.

• Handshake is GVSU’s recommended platform for finding job and internship opportunities. All students registered for classes automatically have a Handshake profile tied to their GVSU email. You’ll also find a curated STEM Community of Jobs/Internships featuring opportunities specifically selected for GVSU students.
• Indeed is a widely used, general job-search website. While not GVSU-specific, it offers a broad range of listings across many industries.
• LinkedIn is another valuable tool for job searching and professional networking. We strongly encourage students to create a LinkedIn profile and join the GVSU Math LinkedIn group, where faculty share opportunities and students can connect with GVSU math alumni.

Companies that recently hired GVSU math majors for jobs/internships

You should check the job and internship postings on the websites of the companies listed below. Many of them have hired GVSU math majors for positions or internships in recent years. These organizations are familiar with the strong preparation our students bring and are great places to explore potential opportunities.

• Amway
• Auto-Owners Insurance
• Better Business Bureau Serving West Michigan
• Downtown Grand Rapids Inc.
• Family Futures
• Gentex
• Gordon Food Services
• Mission Design and Automation
• Meijer
• Michigan Department of Transportation
• National Labs, such as Los Alamos National Laboratory and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
• Spectrum
• SpartanNash
• Stellantis Automobile Corporation
• Treva Automation

The GVSU Career Center offers many interviewing resources to help you feel confident and prepared for interviews: 

• Schedule a practice interview with a career advisor to sharpen your skills. Many of our math majors have found this practice invaluable—don’t go into your first interview unprepared. 
• Since most interviews now take place online, the Career Center provides guidance on how to set up your space, present yourself professionally, and navigate virtual interviews. 
• Big Interview is GVSU’s interactive tool that allows you to record yourself answering common interview questions and get feedback to improve your delivery. 
• You can also access step-by-step advice on what to do before and after an interview, examples of how students prepare, and other helpful materials to support your success.

Applied Math Majors can earn credit for the math capstone by completing a math-related internship. Taking the course MTH 490 - Internship Seminar (2 credits) alongside your internship fulfills your capstone. You can do this over the summer or during the fall or winter semester. 

Requirements for the internship:

• Must be at least 8 weeks long
• You must work at least 120 hours in a one-semester period
• Must be a multi-employee company and not involve close family members
• The internship has to be “mathy”. This can mean a lot of things! 
  • One thing we look for is the general mathematical modeling process: model a problem, collect data, analyze data, and conclude a result.
  • The work could involve data analysis, data science, optimization, programming, engineering, research, statistics, probability, etc. 
  • We’ve had students work as data scientists, software developers, engineering positions, analysts (operations analysts, information analysts, survey analysts), etc. 
  • It does not have to be applications of 300 or 400 level mathematics but it should have a significant mathematics component.

You must be registered for MTH 490 before your internship begins. Please contact Dr. Taylor Short as soon as you obtain your internship to get the registration process started. This process can take up to several weeks to complete - so please don't delay!

For more information about the course, the registration process, and some tips for finding internships, see the MTH 490 - Internship Seminar Course document. 

Questions about MTH 490? Please email Dr. Taylor Short.

Explore the websites below for career guidance, industry insights, and job pathways specifically tailored to mathematics students:

• American Mathematical Society, Career Information. Resources on career options, professional development, and opportunities across mathematical fields.
• Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics, Career Information. Insights into applied mathematics careers in industry, research, and technology.
• Mathematical Association of America, Careers. Guidance on career paths for math majors, including profiles, job outlooks, and preparation tips.
• BIG Math Network [BIG=Business, Industry, and Government]. A hub focused on helping math students explore careers beyond academia, with resources and connections in business, industry, and government sectors.

The following general job feed may contain some relevant jobs and internships (not all of these positions are for math majors).