As the Special Topics Peer Mentor specializing in academic and professional development for the Graduate Student Mentorship Program (GSMP), I want to share a resource to help graduate students prepare for their future careers. The UCR Career has a self-serve photo booth available to all students! Here, I want to go over the process and briefly touch on its benefits.

First, write your information on a sign-in sheet at the front desk. Typically, there is no high traffic, so you can utilize the photo booth with little waiting time! Plus, there is a suggested ten-minute time limit to avoid a high wait time.

The next step is to head to the photo booth room, where you will find a sliding door to create privacy. In the room, you will find an iPad already set up, a chair, a greenscreen, extra blazers, a mirror, and the instructions for the iPad.

Once you are ready, you can begin by choosing a background, whether a simple white background or the Bell Tower. You can then take the photo and have the option to choose from different filters. Lastly, you will input your information, and the image will be sent directly to your email. There is no limit on the number of photos you can take, so take your time and play around with the settings!

Having a resource like this is very important since our professional photos are the first thing people see when interacting online. This includes social media platforms such as LinkedIn and even email. This opportunity is helpful for those with a tight schedule since you can drop in anytime during the drop-in hours Monday through Friday from 11:00am-3:00pm. Additionally, this is an excellent resource for those who don’t have a professional camera or stand. Please take advantage of this free resource and have fun!

[Image Description: Chad Kroeger, Lead Singer of Nickelback, holding up a photograph]

Caption: Look at this headshot.