Parent-Student Communication
Despite what many parents may believe based on their interactions with their children, parents are one of the most important influencers in their student’s life. This is even truer regarding their student’s career development and post-college choices. Off-hand comments and small biases can have lasting impact on your student’s decision to pursue (or not pursue) a certain major or career. Therefore, we want to offer some suggestions how to have productive conversations with their student concerning this important topic.
First Year Student
As you would expect, first-years are just getting started in the career development process. Most have no idea what’s out there or what they could pursue once they graduate from Wake Forest. Others are very firm in their path, most often focusing on pre-law or pre-health tracks, yet they cannot articulate why they are interested in that career field or why it would be a good fit for them. Many first-years are unaware of the proper steps they should take to increase the chances they will find meaningful work or attend a top graduate school after graduation.
During your student’s first-year at Wake Forest, encourage exploration and discovery of his or her VIPS, values, interests, priorities and skills, as well as careers fields that MIGHT be of interest. The first year of college is the ideal time to explore, try and investigate different ideas and possible pathways while evaluating likes, dislikes and what s/he may find of greatest interest or importance. This initial reflection and self-assessment is very important. It will empower your student to make thoughtful decisions about choice of major, extracurricular activities and ultimately, what career to pursue.
Parents can facilitate this reflection by asking open-ended, reflective questions. Even if there is an uncomfortable silence at first, try to let your student find his/her voice. Allow your student to think about it, articulate it, and ultimately determine their own VIPS. Be patient and understanding that they may change their minds several times in the process. At the same time, parent feedback is an important aspect of the process. Give your input while respecting that they must seek these answers themselves in order to fully learn and grow from the process.
A brief list of example questions can be found below. Your student may not be able to articulate immediate, perfect answers. S/he may need time to think and reflect adequately answer your question. Remember that there are no “right” or “wrong” answers to the questions as they are only meant to facilitate reflection.
- What has your favorite class been so far (more than ‘because I loved the teacher’)? What did learned about yourself in this class?
- What has been your least favorite class (more than just ‘I didn’t like the teacher’)? What did learned about yourself in this class?
- What organizations or clubs have you gotten involved with on campus? What about that organization interested you?
- What are you doing with the organization? What are you enjoying? Not enjoying?
- Are there any career fields that you have started to think about? If so, what interests you about them? How are you thinking about getting started?
- What career fields would you want to learn more about?
- What aspects of the transition to college have you enjoyed? Which ones have you struggled with? What have you learned about yourself?
- How might I be able to help or support you in this process?
Sophomore Year
As you would expect, first-years are just getting started in the career development process. Most have no idea what’s out there or what they could pursue once they graduate from Wake Forest. Others are very firm in their path, most often focusing on pre-law or pre-health tracks, yet they cannot articulate why they are interested in that career field or why it would be a good fit for them. Many first-years are unaware of the proper steps they should take to increase the chances they will find meaningful work or attend a top graduate school after graduation.
During your student’s first-year at Wake Forest, encourage exploration and discovery of his or her VIPS, values, interests, priorities and skills, as well as careers fields that MIGHT be of interest. The first year of college is the ideal time to explore, try and investigate different ideas and possible pathways while evaluating likes, dislikes and what s/he may find of greatest interest or importance. This initial reflection and self-assessment is very important. It will empower your student to make thoughtful decisions about choice of major, extracurricular activities and ultimately, what career to pursue.
Parents can facilitate this reflection by asking open-ended, reflective questions. Even if there is an uncomfortable silence at first, try to let your student find his/her voice. Allow your student to think about it, articulate it, and ultimately determine their own VIPS. Be patient and understanding that they may change their minds several times in the process. At the same time, parent feedback is an important aspect of the process. Give your input while respecting that they must seek these answers themselves in order to fully learn and grow from the process.
A brief list of example questions can be found below. Your student may not be able to articulate immediate, perfect answers. S/he may need time to think and reflect adequately answer your question. Remember that there are no “right” or “wrong” answers to the questions as they are only meant to facilitate reflection.
- What has your favorite class been so far (more than ‘because I loved the teacher’)? What did learned about yourself in this class?
- What has been your least favorite class (more than just ‘I didn’t like the teacher’)? What did learned about yourself in this class?
- What organizations or clubs have you gotten involved with on campus? What about that organization interested you?
- What are you doing with the organization? What are you enjoying? Not enjoying?
- Are there any career fields that you have started to think about? If so, what interests you about them? How are you thinking about getting started?
- What career fields would you want to learn more about?
- What aspects of the transition to college have you enjoyed? Which ones have you struggled with? What have you learned about yourself?
- How might I be able to help or support you in this process?
Junior Student
As you would expect, first-years are just getting started in the career development process. Most have no idea what’s out there or what they could pursue once they graduate from Wake Forest. Others are very firm in their path, most often focusing on pre-law or pre-health tracks, yet they cannot articulate why they are interested in that career field or why it would be a good fit for them. Many first-years are unaware of the proper steps they should take to increase the chances they will find meaningful work or attend a top graduate school after graduation.
During your student’s first-year at Wake Forest, encourage exploration and discovery of his or her VIPS, values, interests, priorities and skills, as well as careers fields that MIGHT be of interest. The first year of college is the ideal time to explore, try and investigate different ideas and possible pathways while evaluating likes, dislikes and what s/he may find of greatest interest or importance. This initial reflection and self-assessment is very important. It will empower your student to make thoughtful decisions about choice of major, extracurricular activities and ultimately, what career to pursue.
Parents can facilitate this reflection by asking open-ended, reflective questions. Even if there is an uncomfortable silence at first, try to let your student find his/her voice. Allow your student to think about it, articulate it, and ultimately determine their own VIPS. Be patient and understanding that they may change their minds several times in the process. At the same time, parent feedback is an important aspect of the process. Give your input while respecting that they must seek these answers themselves in order to fully learn and grow from the process.
A brief list of example questions can be found below. Your student may not be able to articulate immediate, perfect answers. S/he may need time to think and reflect adequately answer your question. Remember that there are no “right” or “wrong” answers to the questions as they are only meant to facilitate reflection.
- What has your favorite class been so far (more than ‘because I loved the teacher’)? What did learned about yourself in this class?
- What has been your least favorite class (more than just ‘I didn’t like the teacher’)? What did learned about yourself in this class?
- What organizations or clubs have you gotten involved with on campus? What about that organization interested you?
- What are you doing with the organization? What are you enjoying? Not enjoying?
- Are there any career fields that you have started to think about? If so, what interests you about them? How are you thinking about getting started?
- What career fields would you want to learn more about?
- What aspects of the transition to college have you enjoyed? Which ones have you struggled with? What have you learned about yourself?
- How might I be able to help or support you in this process?
Senior Student
While senior year of college is often portrayed as one of celebration and excitement, if you do not know what your post-graduation plans are, senior year is better characterized as full of anxiety and pressure. Seniors’ emotional states are split between the harsh reality of leaving college and entering the ‘real world’ and the excitement of being the seniors who are the most wise and experienced students on campus. For seniors who have not started their career process yet, the fall semester involves cramming four years of career planning, reflection and preparation into four months – or four months in an emotional state of denial and apathy. Contributing to this pressure, many set arbitrary, unrealistic deadlines in their mind (sometimes a result of real or imagined pressure from their parents), such as Thanksgiving or Christmas or graduation, for when they must have a job. Sadly, these assumptions lead to disappointment and frustration (and sometimes depression) as these expectations do not align with the hiring and recruiting cycles of the jobs that they are pursuing and the time required to adequately be prepared for a very intensive job search in an extremely competitive job market.
Assisting your senior student is a tricky balance of encouraging action while not adding to the pressure he has already placed on himself. The key to walking this thin line is by encouraging and praising the accomplishment of having a career action plan and completing action steps according to the plan, rather than making your approval or satisfaction dependent on an end result, such as a job offer.
During the next conversation you have with your student, ask about his progress in his career or graduate school search. If he has a fully developed plan and has been following it, commend him! However, if he does not have a plan or is not taking action to progress, encourage him to visit the OPCD to develop a Career Action Plan with a coach. Then, ask him if he would be willing to share his plan with you and inquire how he would like you to support him in this process. It will be his journey, but you can be a supportive resource.
If your student is following a well thought-out and thorough plan, a positive end result will come. It might not be before Thanksgiving or Christmas or at graduation, but it will come. Last year, 98% of the Wake Forest graduating class of 2015 reported at six months after graduation that they were employed or attending graduate school. Be an encouragement to your student so that he may learn and succeed in the process… and still make the most of his senior year.