Career planning: A parent's guide
From the Winter 2007 Parent Newsletter
 "My
son has a semester to go before graduating. Are there any counselors
or services that can help him with the next phases of career
or schooling?"
"My daughter needs to make a portfolio and send out some resumes, but how
does she go about this? Are there places on campus that work with college students
on things like this?"
"My daughter has to declare a major this semester and isn't sure what she
wants to do. Can someone talk to her about how to make a decision?"
Some students arrive on campus with a clear idea of a future career. Others
are confident they will figure it out soon enough and, whatever they choose,
the University of Minnesota will have a program to meet their needs. Still
others change their major after they start college—and some change multiple
times.
We know from surveying our parents that with each passing year, their student's
career planning becomes more significant for family members. By the time students
have reached their senior year, more than 40 percent of parents say career
planning is their greatest concern for their child.
When asked, "What was your greatest concern for your student
this year?" career planning was the answer of 5.8 percent
of parents of freshmen, 15.7 percent of parents of sophomores,
23 percent of parents of juniors, and 42.3 percent of parents of
seniors.
Although students are responsible for determining their own career choice and
doing the preparation work, parents play an important supporting role. You
know your student best. You know your student's strengths and weaknesses and
what excites him or her. You can talk to your student about those interests,
encourage exploration of related courses, and volunteer experiences. It is
helpful to remember and to remind your student that career decisions are a
process. Most students will refine and reshape their career goals over a lifetime,
and the job they have in 20 years may not even exist today.
It is important, however, to separate your dreams from those of your student.
Over a lifetime of work, students who are deeply interested in their job will
be more successful and happier in their career than those who are in it only
for the money.
The University Parent Program has worked with career advisers in the colleges
to develop an online workshop, "Parents' Guide to Career Planning." It
provides methods for supporting your student in each of the four years of college;
see www.parent.umn.edu/career.html. |
