Parents & Family

New Year, New Opportunities: Career Tips for Students

Happy New Year!

January is the perfect time for your student to focus on their career development and job search. Here are some great ways they can get started:

• Update their resume to ensure it’s current. Sample resumes are available on the OPCD (College) and MRE (School of Business) websites. Get your resume reviewed.
• Set up job search agents in Handshake to receive internships and job postings that fit your interests.
• Refresh their career interests and profile in Handshake to find the best matches – and employers can find and contact them.
• Browse and register for career and employer events on Handshake.
• Meet with a career coach to discuss their career goals and learn about the best tools and resources to aid their search. College students can stop by Reynolda 230 for quick questions from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Thursday. School of Business students should contact their career coach. All students can make an appointment to see their career coach via Handshake.

And don’t forget—the Spring Career Fair is on January 22, from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., at the Sutton Center. It’s a fantastic opportunity to meet employers, learn about careers, and make professional connections that could lead to a great internship or job.

Spring Semester Spotlight: Career Fairs and Networking Events

January and February are the most active months for recruiting events during the Spring semester. It’s the optimal way to learn about careers and internship/job opportunities. Students should take advantage of the following events for careers that are popular among Wake Forest students: 

• 2025 Spring Government Careers Panel – January 21, 5:00 p.m.
• Spring Career Fair – January 22, 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Industry Panel: Careers in Technology (Virtual) – January 27, 5:00 p.m.
• Marketing Networking Event (Virtual) – February 5, 3:30 p.m.
• Industry Panel: Careers in Analytics (Virtual) – February 10, 5:00 p.m.

These events are excellent opportunities to gain insights, connect with industry professionals, and explore potential career paths. 

Students interested in financial services

Many events are occurring on campus and online in January. Hundreds of internship and job opportunities are now available in Handshake and expire with tight deadlines, so students must have a completely updated profile to receive these communications and should monitor their email and Handshake daily.

What can you do as a parent?

Parents play a critical role in their child’s college experience and their decisions for the future. However, the world of work is quite different than 30, 20 or even 10 years ago. In order to give your student sound advice, it is essential for you to understand the environment, resources and opportunities available for your student. You can play an integral role as your student navigates through their time at Wake Forest and makes plans for their future.