There are many options for what students decide to do after graduating, whether it is going to graduate school or getting a job right away.
If they are going right into the job world, it is important to teach them about proper work etiquette and to give them “real-world” advice on how to be successful in their job.
Enforce that they must maintain a clean image on the Internet. Human resources personnel do check social networking sites, and the wrong picture or message can cost students an interview or even a job.
Encouragement is a very important tool for parents to use during this time, Ginna Holmes, Director of Academic and Career Planning, explains.
“Find ways that you can support them without conducting their search for them,” says Holmes. “Remind yourself and them that this will be a time of highs and lows until they are able to settle on a path that suits them.”
Parents can also use their own connections to offer opportunities to students.
“Over 50 percent of positions are secured because of a contact the person had with an individual in the organization,” says Holmes. “Parents can assist with this networking component—not doing it for the students, but introducing them to individuals who can assist them.”
