Career counseling for students is a complicated but critical role.
You nurture students as young as freshmen all the way up to seniors who are ready to actively enter into their job search. Balancing the different needs of these students is challenging.
Some need advice about which on-campus clubs and activities they should take part in. Others need hands-on guidance regarding key job search elements, such as interviewing and resume writing.
To meet your requirement of helping prepare students for “gainful employment in a recognized occupation,” you need to approach each student stage with a unique outlook.
Here are tips for career counselors guiding students at every stage of their college career:
Incoming freshmen
Freshmen arrive on campus with differing levels of preparedness — and expectations. Some will already understand the difference between college and high school. Others will be more naive, leaving them susceptible to becoming immediately overwhelmed.
One of the most critical differences between high school and college is that college has you. Career counseling for students is an important benefit many incoming students aren’t immediately familiar with. You and your team of career counselors can’t assume freshmen understand exactly what your role is on campus.
Provide information to freshmen during orientation events. Introduce yourself as more than a guide for higher-level classmates. Instead of jumping in and discussing your tools for interviews, resumes, and job search preparation, discuss how you can help students explore education options that will align them with their current career aspirations.
Also, create a virtual or in-person meet and greet with freshmen. Use this time to answer any of their questions ranging from on-campus activities to early internship opportunities and even scholarship resources.
Current sophomores and juniors
Career counseling for students is often underutilized — until students are panicked seniors. Of course, you know the earlier they prepare, the easier it will be for them to receive a job offer.
One of the biggest obstacles in getting sophomores and juniors into your office is limited visibility. They’re seeing what’s in front of them: their college courses and extracurricular activities.
Help these students caught in the middle of their college careers see their final destinations. Then, put them on a clear path. Show students the current number of careers available in their field of study. Share what those employed in the field with the same degree level are making now, as well as projections for future salaries.
When possible, use hard facts and data to help them design a path to their end goals. For example, employees in a specific field who entered into internships two years in a row were more likely to gain a job offer.
Graduating seniors
Seniors are likely the most focused on their futures. They’re taking their final courses and graduation is on the horizon.
Unfortunately, according to the 2018 McGraw Hill Future Workforce Survey, fewer than half of students feel they’ve gained the critical skills needed to transition into the workforce. This includes solving complex problems (43%), resume writing (37%), interviewing (34%), and job searching (31%).
Send monthly interactive resources to help your students improve these critical skills. At the end of every email notification, have a link that leads directly to your calendar. Ask students to fill in a time slot to go over their experience with the skills practice.
In these sessions, students have the opportunity to ask you more direct and personal questions. This gives you time to hone in on what they’re struggling with specifically. For example, if someone is still nervous in an interview setting because they’re not confident in their answers, you can sit them down for practice interviews using the key questions they’re not yet comfortable answering.
