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Parents'
guide to University career services
From the Winter 2003 Parent Newsletter
When
it comes to career planning, students start out at different points.
Some have a clear goal in mind when they start college, with an understanding
of how to get there. Others have only a vague idea of what their
major will be and how that might relate to a future job; as an entering
student, they may have more questions than answers. Still others
have no idea what they want to do with their lives. And even as upperclass
students, many will be realizing that they have not yet found the
path they want to follow.
Just as students change throughout their college years, their career interests
and advising needs also change.
The University of Minnesota has a wide-ranging array of career services, which
may seem complex at first glance. The scope of student needs, however, requires
a comprehensive selection of career advising services and tools. The guidance
needed by a focused engineering student who is studying computer technology is
quite different than the support needed by a multitalented arts student who hasn't
yet figured out how to turn his interests into a livable wage. Career concerns
for a freshman are not as specific as job questions for a second-semester senior.
Each of the University's colleges provides career counseling. Most have career
centers staffed by career counselors. Many offer career exploration workshops
or courses, mentoring opportunities, internships, on-campus recruiting opportunities,
and career fairs.
Other offices at the University also offer career services. University
Counseling & Consulting
Services provides personality and interest assessments, and counselors are available
to work with students to explore how personal interests relate to careers and
jobs. The Learning Abroad Center helps students find career opportunities abroad.
The Career and Community Learning Center, which is sponsored by the College of
Liberal Arts but is available to all U of M students, helps students find community
involvement opportunities and internships and offers workshops and service learning
classes.
Parents often find themselves in a difficult position regarding their
student's career selection and planning. They can become frustrated
as time goes by with
no clear decision from their student on a major and career path. They might be
confused when a student who "always wanted to be a lawyer" suddenly
changes her mind. Or they can become bewildered when their student selects a
profession they know nothing about.
Career counselors at the University of Minnesota suggest that parents keep a
few key points in mind when talking to their students about academic majors and
career goals:
— Students should begin working
with their college's career office as freshmen.
An
annual appointment with a career counselor is recommended for the
first two years, with more frequent contact during the junior and
senior years. (See the timeline)
— Career preparation requires
more than coursework.
Students gain practical
work experience and explore career options as they volunteer for
student organizations, take jobs on or off campus, participate in
faith groups, or perform community service. These opportunities also
serve to highlight their résumés and job applications,
giving potential employers a better sense of a job candidate's interests
and abilities.
— As students participate
in campus and community activities, they should be actively involved.
Leadership
roles, committee work, and participation in events and projects
help students develop real-life skills. Students should think about
why they are in the group, how they are contributing, and what
they are learning.
Parents might be concerned if their student selects a field of study that doesn't
seem to have an obvious job path. Open-ended questions will help your student
think through career options: "What kind of job do people get with that
degree?" "What about that field interests you?" Students can talk
to their professors or to the career counselor in their college to identify jobs
related to their major. Career exploration courses may be offered in the student's
college to help identify or fine-tune career plans.
Many students start college with plans for a career in a highly competitive field,
then are dismayed when they realize they will not qualify for the program. Or
they may not be able to devote the time required to earn a professional degree.
Parents can help by encouraging the student to investigate other interests or
to find other ways to apply their long-standing interest. Rather than becoming
a doctor, for example, a student might find satisfaction by working in public
health, physical therapy, or another health-related field. |
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