6 Ways Parents Can Positively Support Their Student’s Career Exploration in College
We spend so much time helping our students find their ideal college fit. Throughout high school, students diligently put together lists of activities and interests to showcase that they are the ideal candidate for their dream school. If so much thought is needed to set up our students for success pre-college, why aren’t we talking about setting up our children for future career success post-college?
Once your student takes off for college, they often breathe a sigh of relief in knowing they “made it.” Following a first year of trying out new friends, finding their way around campus, joining clubs, and figuring out the ideal class schedule, their minds often shift to “what skills do I need?” and “what do I want to do with my life?” Unfortunately, in many colleges, students are faced with a barrage of information from career planning offices nagging them about building resumes, LinkedIn accounts, and on campus recruiting fairs before they’ve had much time to settle in. Despite the information thrown at them, offices of career development rarely provide students with the support they need to discover their professional interests and break down the process of finding potential career paths. Rather than being a source of support, these administrative offices often cause confusion and stress. In some competitive universities, professional clubs require students to know in depth information about specific careers from the onset. Interested in joining the investment banking club? Don’t even think about applying until you know how to talk through a business valuation and a macroeconomic analysis of the stock market. Why this lack of support and community at such a critical juncture in our students’ early adult lives?
As a career coach working with college students and young graduates, I see parents nagging their children about internship and job searches much in the same way they nagged them throughout high school about improving their prospects for getting into college. This often furthers feelings of anxiety and rejection amongst students who ruminate about their future career prospects before they even know what they want to major in.
But there is hope for our children! As parents, we can provide the support needed to set them in the right direction while minimizing anxiety. Despite the constant drum beat of the need to figure out what they want to “be” when they graduate, we can reorient their thinking about college as a time of career and interest exploration, not as a time for finding definitive answers. It’s a time when it’s just as OK to learn what they hate doing as what they love doing. In fact, those students who take the time to explore are far more likely to find a good fit in a first job and stay for longer. Furthermore, employers are stating that more often they are looking for soft skills developed over the college experience, rather than hard skills relating directly to a specific industry. In a 2023 survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, communication, teamwork, and critical thinking are cited as the top 3 career readiness competencies by employers. Here are 6 ways that you can encourage your student to keep an open mind to many career possibilities while developing the career readiness skills valued by employers:
1. Encourage them to talk to their professors from their favorite classes. Professors know what career paths their students have taken before, and often have ideas for how to learn more about subject areas of interest while at college. They are often looking for students to help them with research or are asked to make student referrals for positions in their areas of expertise.
2. Take as many Gen Ed classes as possible early on to expose them to different topics and skill areas. A student I recently worked with majoring in Psychology took an art history class which led her to an exciting career in graphic design and branding.
3. Ask them to consider what they liked and didn’t like about past work experiences. Did they like working with others or working alone? Did they like the frenzy of a fast-paced work environment, or did they prefer time to work at their own pace? Did they value the freedom to put creative thinking and talents to work, or find contentment following more structured processes and working towards more tangible goals? Taking the time to reflect on past experiences helps to find better alignment with future ones.
4. Encourage them to get comfortable with networking early on. Networking need not be formal. Get them comfortable with reaching out to people who they find interesting, or who do interesting work. Encourage them to ask upper classmen to chat about their internship and career search experiences. Attend alumni mentoring events. Alumni love giving advice to students, it’s one of the most fulfilling ways to give back to their alma mater. It’s great to practice networking skills with friendly audiences!
5. Make them comfortable with the idea that changing career interests is NORMAL. In fact, most adults make a career pivot more than once over a lifetime. The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that the average person will change careers 5-7 times during their working life. That’s a lot of opportunity for change, growth, and exploration!
6. Seek out classes with a teamwork and/or presentation component. These experiences are invaluable for building up confidence in these areas, and employers often ask candidates to talk about experiences working with others.
Every student has skills, interests, and accomplishments to be proud of. Remind them that past successes, no matter how small, will empower them in their future endeavors. Discovering ideal career paths is a journey, not a sprint. Much like navigating college itself, learning about one’s early professional interests requires trial and error, talking to new people, and being open to new experiences.