HiringCoach.AI founder Rishan Mohamed leads the “Using AI in Your Job Search” workshop at the UMB Community Engagement Center.
Photo: Rishan Mohamed, founder and CEO of HiringCoach.AI, talks during the “Using AI in Your Job Search” Job Search workshop.
As the employment landscape continues to evolve, many members of the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) community are reassessing their career paths. This is especially true for professionals in the life sciences, where recent upheaval in federal research funding has created uncertainty around grants, positions, and long‑term stability. Delayed awards, shifting priorities, and paused projects have left many researchers, staff, and trainees exploring new possibilities — sometimes for the first time.
At the same time, students and community members across Baltimore are navigating a competitive job market shaped by automation, applicant tracking systems, and rapid advances in artificial intelligence. Knowing how to present one’s skills clearly, translate experience across sectors, and align work with personal values has never been more important.
To help address these challenges, UMB Workforce Initiatives recently partnered with Rishan Mohamed, founder and CEO of HiringCoach.AI, to host the workshop “Using AI in Your Job Search” at the UMB Community Engagement Center. As part of this collaboration, HiringCoach.AI created a custom, UMB‑specific resource site that is available to UMB students, alumni, faculty, staff, and community members.
What the HiringCoach.AI UMB Resource Site Includes
The HiringCoach.AI UMB resource site is designed to support job seekers — those in our graduate and professional schools and those in our community. Rather than offering one‑size‑fits‑all advice, the platform guides users through a structured, reflective process that combines AI‑powered tools with human choice and judgment.
Key features include:
- Résumé and cover letter support that generates multiple language options, allowing users to select and refine versions that sound like them
- Skill translation tools that help users map academic, research, nonprofit, or public‑sector experience to roles in new industries
- Interview preparation, including practice questions, structured feedback, and confidence‑building guidance
- Career exploration prompts that help users clarify what types of work, missions, and environments align with their values
- Support for navigating automated hiring systems while still remaining clear and authentic for human readers
Importantly, the platform emphasizes that AI should be used as a support tool — not a replacement for personal insight, lived experience, or ethical decision‑making.
Why This Resource Matters for the UMB Community
This resource is especially valuable for:
- Life science professionals affected by funding instability who are considering roles in industry, policy, nonprofit, or mission‑driven organizations
- Students and recent graduates seeking guidance as they enter a complex hiring landscape
- Career switchers who need help translating their experience into language that resonates outside their original field
- Community members looking for work that aligns with their personal missions, values, and strengths
Many individuals moving between sectors face what HiringCoach.AI describes as a “translation gap” — they have meaningful, high‑impact experience, but hiring systems and job descriptions don’t always recognize it. This resource helps bridge that gap by making experience legible across industries without asking job seekers to diminish or erase what matters most to them.
Connect with UMB Workforce Initiatives
In addition to this new online resource, UMB Workforce Initiatives offers regular opportunities for community members to receive guidance, ask questions, and connect directly with staff:
- Workforce Wednesdays
In‑person walk‑in hours
Wednesdays, 2 to 5 p.m.
UMB Community Engagement Center - Talk About Jobs Tuesdays
Virtual walk‑in hour
Tuesdays, Noon to 1 p.m.
Register here for Talk About Jobs Tuesdays
These opportunities are open to students and community members seeking career guidance, job search support, or help navigating transitions in a changing employment landscape. To reach UMB Workforce Initiatives, email workforce@umaryland.edu or call Lisa Rawlings at 410-706-1931.
Explore the UMB‑specific HiringCoach.AI resource site.