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Parents and Career Development staff share a common goal - to
help your student prepare for and to make sound career decisions.
Various studies indicate that parents are ranked as the number
one influence over their child's job choices. Students today are
offered so many choices and opportunities that it is often difficult
for them to decide on "the best" career path to follow.
- Security vs. adventure.
- Accountant, Peace Corps volunteer, journalist, college professor.
- Ultimately, your child should make the choice. Of course,
you may want to mention factors to consider, such as job market
demand, salary ranges, long-range opportunities, skills required,
etc.
- Just because an occupation is "hot" now does not
mean it will be equally in demand in 10 years or that your child
has the aptitude or motivation for it.
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Most employers do not place a premium on a double major. It usually
requires an extra one or two quarters/semesters to obtain a second
major and does not particularly enhance a student's marketability.
Exceptions would be a second major or a major and a minor chosen
for a specific career, such as English and chemistry for technical
writing, or a health policy major and business minor for hospital
administration.
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Some students who get off to a rocky start eventually pull up
their grades; however, this can be very difficult to do. Parents
should encourage your child to make academics a high priority
beginning with their freshman year. Nevertheless, it is important
to remember that it may take them a while to adjust to the rigorous
academic demands of college. Some employers use GPA cutoffs in
considering applicants. Other employers stress the student's overall
background: experience, number of hours worked during the school
year to finance college, leadership activities, etc.
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Most employers today put as much or more emphasis on graduates'
skills than on their academic majors. Encourage your child to develop
strengths in at least two or three of the following areas:
- Computer skills (e.g., programming, word processing, spreadsheets,
data base management, e-mail, Internet);
- Quantitative skills (e.g., accounting, statistics, economics);
- Communication skills (e.g., written and oral);
- Marketing/selling skills (e.g., sales, publicity, fundraising);
- Scientific skills (e.g., lab skills, scientific research);
- Foreign language skills (e.g. especially Spanish, Japanese
or Chinese);
- Leadership skills (e.g., supervisory, extracurricular leadership
roles, teamwork/team leader).
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Many employers rate leadership activities even more than GPA.
Some students who were very active in high school activities may
be less involved in college extracurricular activities. However,
employers regard high school as "ancient history" for
a college senior. It is more valuable for a student to be involved
in a few meaningful leadership roles on campus than to be in a
"laundry list" of many campus clubs.
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You may want your child to work in their hometown every summer.
However, the experience gained as a lifeguard or ice cream shop
counter clerk does not compare to that which comes from an internship
(paid or unpaid) in the career field that they aspire to enter.
Future employers will seek graduates with relevant, real world
work experience. Some students have little to write about on a
resume if their summers were spent in school, traveling, or working
at low-level jobs. We strongly suggest that students seek career-related
experience for their sophomore and junior summers even if they
must live away from home or accept an unpaid internship. Students
needing financial support can combine an unpaid internship with
a job such as a waiter/waitress, etc.
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Some students graduate early through advanced placement credits,
heavy course loads, and summer school courses. The advantages
are lower educational expenses and the ability to start employment
or graduate school earlier. The disadvantages may include the
sacrifice of academic honors, work experience, and extracurricular
and volunteer activities that may contribute to a student's maturity
level and qualifications. Other students graduate late due to
light course loads, academic difficulties, changing majors, poor
academic advising, lack of direction, or reluctance to leave the
cocoon of the college environment. Advantages to the late graduation
include the ability to improve grades with light class loads,
extra time to change majors, the ability to take additional electives
to improve marketability, and extra time to gain more career related
or leadership experience. Disadvantages to late graduation are
increased college costs and possible disapproval of employers
and graduate schools.
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About 88 percent of the nation's college freshmen indicated
in a recent survey that they plan to go to graduate or professional
school, yet only about 24 percent do so within a year of completing
their bachelor's degree. Students aspiring to graduate or professional
school should:
- Be clear about the reasons they want to go on for further
education;
- research the qualifications required for admission and be
realistic about their chances of acceptance;
- always have a "Plan B" or back-up plan in case
they are not accepted.
Some students should discuss their interest in graduate or professional
school well before their senior year with their academic advisor,
the college's graduate or professional school advisor (e.g., the
pre-law or pre-med advisor); and a career counselor to obtain
advice and guidance from three different perspectives.
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Many students want to take time off after graduation from college
before attending graduate school or taking a career-related job.
Future employers will want to know how the student has spent the
intervening time. Participating in activities during this time
period demonstrate relevance to future career goals and/or a good
work ethic. While short-term travel may be personally broadening,
it does not increase a student's marketability to employers unless
it is seen as career related. Therefore, the time off may result
in a longer job search. For example, management trainee programs,
which often begin shortly after graduation and hire large numbers
of new graduates, may be filled by the time your child is ready
to begin a job search.
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Students should begin using their campus career office no later
than their sophomore year. Virtually all career offices provide
individual career counseling/ advising, career planning workshops,
internship assistance, and career fairs and programs, these services
are specifically for underclassmen. Your child should seek help
early with choosing a career and preparing for it. Competition
for good jobs, particularly in certain fields, is stiff. The Center
for Career Development can advise students about how to become
a strong candidate for their field of interest.
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Parents and family members are an important part of a student's
career exploration process. Below are helpful questions to consider
as you assist your student with his/her career choices.
_____ Am I allowing my student the freedom to have new experiences?
_____ Do I encourage the exploration of new ideas, experiences,
and occupations without being pushy?
_____ Do I really listen to what my student tells me?
_____ Am I willing to tolerate ideas and values which are different
than my own?
_____ Am I willing to discuss my own career development history?
_____ Am I positive and supportive when my student makes poor
decisions or fails?
_____ Do I encourage my student to explore occupations of interest
and refer him/her to appropriate resources?
_____ Do I help my student objectively look at his/her strengths
and weaknesses and suggest how they might relate to various careers?
_____ Am I willing to refer my student to friends/ acquaintances
who might discuss their occupations with him/her?
_____ Do I ask questions that will encourage my student to further
his/her career information gathering process?
_____ Do I compliment my student on his/her positive strengths
and accomplishments?
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