The start of the fall semester is always busy — there's new classes to take, new people to meet, new clubs to join- basically, new experiences around every corner. But before students get into the back-to-school madness, it's important for them to slow down and reflect on how their summer affected their career plans.
Every job, internship or volunteer opportunity students participated in over the summer had an impact— whether they realize it or not. Parents can help their students recognize that impact by simply asking them about their summer. Some good questions to start with include:
- What were your favorite and least favorite parts of your job/internship/volunteer experience?
- What is your take-away from your summer experience?
As a life mentor and career advocate, parents can connect with students on what is important to them and to find meaning in their experiences.
Once the student has reflected on how they feel about their summer experiences, they can start thinking about the impact those experiences had. Some follow-up questions to support this would be:
- What did you do that you can add to your resume?
- Did you work with anyone who could be a good reference?
- Does your experience change what you want to pursue professionally?
- What is your next move?
Making the next move doesn't need to be stressful. If a student has questions or concerns about their career path, they can connect with Career Services. Career Coaches are available in most colleges and in University Career Services to help students clarify their goals and how to reach them. Coaching appointments can be made through MyPlan.
If a student is seeking a fall work experience, they can stay ahead of the competition by starting their search now using Handshake, the Career Services hosted site that connects Nebraska students with career opportunities. Handshake lists part-time jobs on and off campus, internships and full-time jobs. Students sign-in with their MyUNL log-in and search on criteria important to them. Career Coaches can also help students with all things related to a job search.
Before the hub-bub of back-to-school begins, a little time spent on reflecting on the summer and looking forward will help students move closer to their career goals.