1. Encourage your student to visit our office. If your student is feeling anxious about his/her future, suggest that they check out our website and make an appointment to meet with a career counselor to discuss their interests and options.

2. Ask your student, "Have you visited the career center?" If you hear, "You only go there when you are a senior," then it's time to reassure them that career services is not just for seniors, and meeting with a career counselor can take place at any point in their college career. The sooner a student becomes familiar with the staff, resources, and programs, the better prepared he or she will be to make wise career decisions.

3. Advise your student to write a resume. Writing a resume can be a "reality test" and can help a student identify weak areas that require improvement. Suggest to your student that they read this handout on resume writing[ 791k]. You can review resume drafts for grammar, spelling, and content, but recommend that the final product be critiqued by a career center professional.

4. Allow your student to make the decision. It's okay to make suggestions about majors and career fields, but let your student be the ultimate judge of what's best for them. Career development can be stressful. Maybe this is the first really big decision that they have had to make. Be patient, sympathetic and understanding, even if you don't agree with their decisions.

Myth: A student must major in something "practical" or marketable.
Truth: Students should follow their own interests and passions.

Myth: Picking your major means picking the career you will have forever.
Truth: That's not true anymore. "Major" does not necessarily mean "career", and it is not unusual for a student to change majors. Many students change majors after gaining more information about specific fields of study and career fields of interest. Many students end up doing something very different than originally planned, so don't freak out when they come up with an outrageous or impractical career idea. Chances are plans will develop and change. It's okay to change majors—and careers.

5. Emphasize the importance of internships. Career Services does not "place" your student in a job at graduation. Colleges grant degrees, but not job guarantees, so having relevant experience in this competitive job market is critical. Students can sample career options by completing internships and experimenting with summer employment opportunities or volunteer work.
Why an internship?

• Employers are interested in communication, problem-solving, and administrative skills, which can be developed through internships.
• Employers look for experience on a student's resume and often hire from within their own internship programs.
• Having a high GPA is not enough.
• A strong letter of recommendation from an internship supervisor can often tip the scale of an important interview in their favor.

6. Encourage extracurricular involvement. Part of experiencing college life is to be involved and active outside the classroom. Interpersonal and leadership skills—qualities valued by future employers—are often developed in extracurricular activities.

7. Persuade your student to stay up-to-date with current events. Employers will expect students to know what is happening around them. Buy your student a subscription to the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal. When they are home on break, discuss major world and business issues with them.

8. Expose your student to the world of work. Most students have a stereotypical view of the workplace. Take them to your workplace. Explain what you do for a living. Show him or her how to network by interacting with your own colleagues. Help your student identify potential employers.

9. Teach the value of networking. Introduce your student to people who have the careers/jobs that are of interest. Suggest your son or daughter contact people in your personal and professional networks for information on summer jobs. Encourage your child to conduct informational interviews or "shadow" someone in the workplace to increase awareness of interesting career fields.

10. Help us help your student! If you have a summer, internship, part-time or full-time job opening, please let us know. Call 715.425.3572 to speak with our Recruitment Coordinator or check out our Employer Information website. If you're willing to share your career experience with our students or alumni, we'd love to have you on our mentor network.

Inspired by A Parents' Guide to Career Development by Thomas J. Denham.

Here are some additional resources for parents and family members:
Career Articles for Parents with College Students

Your Child's Career: A guide and resources through the career development process.

Career Development Resources for Parents & Families - University of St. Thomas

I Want My Child to... survey