Parents as Partners in the Career Development Process
A career is a very important part of one's life. Encourage your son or daughter to become active in exploring careers before and during college, and offer unconditional support as he or she grapples over one of life's major decisions. The SUNY New Paltz Career Resource Center is available to help you and your student. You will find us in the Humanities Building, Room 105. Call us at 845-257-3265, email us at careers@newpaltz.edu, or visit our website.
FIRST YEAR:
- Encourage your son or daughter to meet with a career counselor/advisor during his or her first year to explore possible majors and careers.
- Serve as a resource. Discuss possible majors/careers and what they could do with them. Refer them to family, friends and co-workers that are working in fields of interests.
- Familiarize yourself with campus facilities and resources (e.g. library, health center, math lab, writing and tutoring center).
- Encourage your daughter or son to participate in the CRC’s First Year Internship Program, Saturdays of Service, and/or Alternate Spring Break.
- Tell your student to start looking for internships and/or research opportunities. The CRC can help with this search.
SOPHOMORE YEAR:
- Become familiar with our Wednesday Workshop series and encourage your daughter or son to attend presentations that address his or her career related issues.
- Encourage them to attend career-related events both on campus and off. The CRC provides transportation to several off campus events.
- Advise them to start looking for hands-on experience through internships, fieldwork, volunteer opportunities and/or study abroad.
- Recommend setting up a profile on LinkedIn and join the CRC LinkedIn group.
- Continue to suggest contacts within your own network that are in your child’s field of study and/or interest.
- Encourage your child to ask a CRC career advisor to identify contacts (alumni, employers, etc.) and to develop networking strategies to connect with these individuals.
- If you daughter or son doesn’t have a resume by now, encourage them to work with the CRC staff to develop a first draft.
JUNIOR YEAR:
- Continue to have your child update their resume and cover letter.
- Strongly encourage them to attend career fairs both on campus and off.
- Discuss life after college (graduate school, future jobs, financial expectations, field experience).
- Help them research graduate school options using www.petersons.com.
- Recommend that they take a practice GRE, MCAT, LSAT, GMAT, or other required entrance exams.
- Instruct them to practice their interviewing skills including a practice interview at the CRC.
- Continue to urge them to secure professional experiences (internships, employment, and community service).
SENIOR YEAR:
- Make sure they have a quality resume, cover letter and portfolio (if appropriate) that demonstrates their professional skills and experiences.
- Positively reinforce your child’s job search by focusing on their interests and strengths.
- Share job postings or resources with your child, but be careful to not take over the job search process.
- Encourage your child to perfect their interviewing skills with practice interviews.
- Encourage networking with New Paltz alumni and other professionals in their field of interest before they graduate. This includes job shadowing and informational interviewing.
- Have your child meet with the CRC staff to develop an effective job search and social media strategy.
Location: Humanities Classroom Building, Room 105
Phone: 845-257-3265
Email: careers@newpaltz.edu
Appointment hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Drop-in Hours: Tuesday-Thursday, 1:30-4:30 p.m. and Friday, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
