Career Development Parent Information

Referrals Process

Please complete the following steps prior to Sept. 30 of Sophomore year. These steps are required for the  Office of Career Services to make a referral.

1. Career Assessment – Selection of career(s) and major(s); Setting up an academic strategy to attract employers or graduate schools
2. Resume Building
3. Interviewing – Two 30 minute appointments:
   1. Interview Preparation / STAR Question-Answering Technique and
   2. Mock Interview

Office staff are not authorized to discuss details of your student’s visit to Career Services, but we can disclose appointment attendance records or issues and field trip participation.

10 ways to support your student’s career development

1. Challenge your student to create a general weekly schedule to see their class times, times  study times (2 hours between each class session is recommended), and how they plan to spend their weekends
2. Make sure your student completes the FERPA Disclosure Authorization Form, which is available in their CampusWeb portal, and designates you to receive their grades so you can monitor their academic progress. A 3.0 cumulative GPA is a minimum requirement for many internships or full-time job openings.
3. Make sure that your student has at least one suit or other interview-appropriate clothing on-hand. This will help them be ready to interview with visiting employers on 2-3 days advance notice.
4. Encourage your student to visit the Career Development Center no later than the Spring Semester of their first year. Many students take internships during the summer, beginning as early as their Freshman year.
5. Allow your student to make the decision about their future career. Your child has unique interests and strengths. Even if you don’t agree with their decision, be patient and understanding.
6. Advise your student to stay up-to-date with current events. Students can gain much career-related knowledge by keeping up with local, national and international news.
7. During the interview process, many employers ask questions pertaining to recent events within their industries. Encourage your student to keep up with industry news in their areas of interest.
8. Encourage your student to work during the summers to learn the value of a strong work ethic. Often new employees do not succeed due to poor attendance records and work habits.
9. Encourage your student to write a resume. We provide a variety of resources to help students learn how to write a resume and we suggest that students meet with us to review the final draft.
10. Lend support to your child throughout the job search process, but do not conduct the job search yourself.