Career Services Center: Is Your Student Decided on a Major and Career?

Though your student may have declared a major, he or she may not know what type of job to pursue after graduation. Many students stop exploring career options after declaring a major due to false perceptions that careers will work themselves out a few months before graduation.

Exploring potential and realistic career paths is important throughout at student's college experience. Learning about common career paths pursued by a specific major, knowing what skills certain careers demand and networking with professionals are just a few of many ways students gather information to make informed career decisions. Furthermore, becoming involved in co-curricular activities related to an aspired career helps your student collect valuable and transferable experience for the future.

Talk with your student about career decision-making and encourage seeking assistance from the Career Services Center. Here are a few suggestions to offer:

• Enroll in the Career Exploration and Preparation course (SPMG 260). This course offers different systematic approaches to making career decisions
• Visit the Career Services Center website
• Join one of Xavier’s mentoring programs including the Xavier University Mentoring Program or the Executive Mentoring Program for students in the Williams College of Business

In helping your student with this process, remember to keep your personal biases in check. Although it is tempting to tell your student that he or she will never get a job with a certain major, colleges and universities do not offer degrees in fields for which students could not be successful. Additionally, many employers recruit students based on their whether or not they posses certain skills or qualities, such as communication skills and a collaborative attitude, rather than simply looking at a college major. Your role as a parent in helping your student pick a major that interests them and fits their personal skills is a crucial one. The more suggestions and offers you can volunteer for your student, the more supportive you will be.