Four years may seem like a long time to spend on a job search, but for freshman students entering college, four years spent wisely is exactly the amount of time needed to find a job. Use the following seven (7) tips to guide your college freshman on the path towards landing a job upon graduation:
Tip #1: Advise your freshman to approach the freedom of college cautiously. One of the first adult decisions he or she will have to make is whether to study or party. Let your college freshman know that both can be accomplished, but that it’s important to find balance. Advise him or her to err on the side of caution and focus on studying. With your permission to have a full college experience, your college freshman will not feel compelled to hide “extra curricular” activities from you, and will be more apt to listen to your words of caution regarding underage drinking, skipping classes, etc.
Tip #2: Emphasize the importance of maintaining a GPA of 3.0 or better. Most college students lack extensive work experience, so some employers use GPA as a measure of a success. Remind your freshman that it only takes one failed class to destroy a GPA. Recovery can be frustrating and nearly impossible.
Tip #3: Encourage your freshman to find the placement office. The placement office contains valuable resources. Career counselors can help with career assessment tools and can provide guidance on majors that fit specific interests. The placement office can also be used to get insight on employers and the majors they commonly pursue.
Tip #4: Guide your freshman to choose a major that fits his or her passion. Be careful not to impose your own idea of a successful career on your child. Whether you believe it or not, your college freshman is still heavily influenced (or hindered) by your thoughts and opinions. It’s important that you allow your freshman the freedom to find his or her own passion. There is no question your child will be more successful in a career if allowed to choose a career path that matches his or her natural skills and abilities.
Tip #5: Encourage membership in student organizations. Student organizations are a great way to purse personal interests and can provide valuable experience in vocational areas of study including management, public relations, fundraising, accounting, etc.
Tip #6: Suggest that your freshman build lasting relationships with professors over time. One little known fact is that some employers by-pass the placement office altogether and head straight to certain professors to get recommendations on those students best suited for their openings. Professors can also be good mentors to students who show a strong interest in their personal field of expertise.
Tip #7: Strongly support the idea of securing an internship or co-op. With out a doubt, students who successfully hold internships or co-ops are better positioned to find a job upon graduation. In this tough economy, internships are hard to come by, but this should not be a determent. Many employers consider internships an investment in the future, so there are opportunities out there. Note: Co-ops generally require students to work during a school semester, which could delay graduation. If your college student works in his or her field of interest, this would be a small price to pay and the trade-off is usually worth it. Also, some internships and co-ops only accept rising juniors or seniors.
Congratulations on getting your child to his or her first year of college. This will be a journey for you both. It will be both challenging and fun. You will watch with pride joy and sadness as your child experiences college life with all its trials, tribulations and triumphs. You’ve done the best you can to prepare your child for this moment. It is now time to turn the controls over to the co-pilot.
As a parent of a college freshman I think Andie hits the nail on the head!
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