Holidays are a great time for food, football, and friendly conversation, but can be stressful, and not just if the turkey burns. For your student, a simple question like “What are your plans for after graduation?” can cause anxiety. To avoid creating angst and an unfortunate end to the merriment, let them do (most of) the talking by asking open-ended questions that encourage more conversation and exploration of possibilities. Here are a few examples that may help you start a stress-free career conversation with your student:
- Your internship(s), class projects, and campus activities could open a lot of doors for you. What directions are you most excited about?
- It sounds like you are loving your coursework in (their major). What aspects of it do you enjoy the most?
- It’s exciting for me to see you getting closer to graduating. How are you feeling about it all now that you are so close to that degree?
These approaches call attention to their achievements and can lead to discussions on how to build upon them. They also give you an opportunity to offer your insight and support for your student’s next steps.
If they are apprehensive about not knowing what to do next, you can share similar feelings you may have had making a career decision when you were their age. If they have an idea of where they want to go but are unsure of how to get started, reflect on connections you may have with professionals in that field or in organizations that may be of interest to them. School breaks can be a great time for your student to meet with experts who could shed some light on a career path and give them some timely advice for getting started. You can be a big help in the process by making an introduction or two.
It’s normal to feel some stress mixed in with excitement about career possibilities and decisions. Remind your student they don’t have to go it alone. In addition to offering your own support and guidance and connecting them with professionals you know, you can direct them to Career Services. The Career Services community has staff across campus ready to help your student explore careers, develop a job search strategy, and position themselves for potential employers. Whether by appointment or just by walking in, students can connect with Advisors and Coaches who will help them move forward in their career development. (https://careers.unl.edu/ready-help-smile).
With a few intentional questions and conversations, this holiday season can be stress-free as you help your student move toward their next step. Burnt turkey notwithstanding.