How Parents Can Help
Trust Your Student’s Choices: You may be tempted to push your student to major in a particular area because it is a “hot” field. In reality there is no such thing as a major that guarantees a job. We encourage students to pursue something that they enjoy studying. That enjoyment will most likely translate into better grades, more focus, better skill development, and a higher GPA. These, coupled with thorough career exploration, will help prepare a student to land a job upon graduation.
Encourage Exploration: Encourage your student to try different courses that may be of interest, and to consider the importance of many kinds of field experience starting from the first year. These include community service, campus involvement, internships and co-ops, and any other opportunities to develop and demonstrate leadership ability, teamwork, time management, and other career-related skills. Through this journey of discovery your student may uncover unexpected career disciplines, fields, and personal passions.
Go to Where to Start to understand how we guide students in the process of building career success during their college experiences.
Be Patient and Encouraging: Be careful of the dreaded question: “What are you going to do when you graduate?” There are approximately 83,000 job titles in the United States alone, and research tells us that people will have seven to ten major jobs and three to four careers over the course of a lifetime. Instead, focus on career research, broad job interests and next steps. Then, help with research and exploration and offer informational networking contacts. Throughout the process, be encouraging but not overbearing.
Recommend Visits to Career Services: You probably won't know all the answers to the questions your student may have, but we can help. Students are welcome here at 511 Goodell at any point from enrollment to six months after graduation. Our services are not mandatory – but they are extremely helpful!
The Myths of Career Planning
My students should pursue a career that pays well.
Not necessarily! To be successful one must possess both ability and interest. Having a great salary may make life a little easier, but if you dread going to work every morning, what is that extra money worth? Often a true passion for your work leads to promotions and unanticipated success.
I know there are many options for my student, but it is probably best to pursue a traditional career path with more security.
The notion of “security” doesn't exist as it did only 25 years ago. Today's job market is in a constant state of flux, and high turnover rates are common. Today's job seekers, and even those currently employed, need to keep up with rapid changes in technology and policy. It is quite possible that in fifteen years, your student will work in an industry that doesn’t even exist today. Flexibility, adaptability, and lifelong learning are the keys to having a steady line of work.
My student ought to major in something that can lead to a job.
Choosing a major is NOT the same thing as choosing a career. Majoring in psychology does not mean that a student will graduate from college with a job in psychology, and majoring in art history does not mean that someone is doomed to a low-paying job. A major is a particular channel by which one develops knowledge and masters a skill set. What matters most on graduation day is the skill set the graduate has acquired; one that can be applied in almost any field with an adequate amount of experience. Students can build this experience through internships and co-ops, research, community service, extra-curricular activities, and part-time jobs. Learn more about building experience in our section on Experiential Education.
My student should make an effort to work during school. After all, a job now will lead to a better resume at graduation.
Yes and no. It is true that there are many benefits to having a job during college. Some employers offer scholarships, others offer valuable experience, and few can deny the fact that extra money is a good thing. However, research shows that the academic performance of students who work more than 20 hours a week while classes are in session suffers in comparison to those working fewer than 20 hours a week. Students should devote time to experiences that are relevant to career goals and to developing leadership skills. Regardless of the specific activity, if academic performance suffers, students should curtail extra activities.
The best time to go to graduate school is right after an undergraduate education. Completing grad school will lead to a better salary and job anyway, so you might as well get it over with now.
Not necessarily. The value of a graduate degree varies greatly from field to field. In some fields a graduate degree is highly desirable and even necessary for a professional position. However, in certain fields a graduate degree may actually have a negative impact on a graduate's job search. Some companies are more willing to train employees and later subsidize a graduate education than to pay higher salaries to entry-level employees with advanced degrees. Further, if a student has an advanced degree with little or no hands-on experience, the degree ay not help in the job market. Go to the section on Graduate School for more on this subject.
The Myths of Career Planning is adapted from the Stony Brook University Career Center.
