This time of year we seem to be seeing many articles helping our students find the right job, select the right major, pick the right mentor, etc., etc., etc. Though all are well meaning and helpful, they seem to all start in the middle of the process. They use terms like, “follow your passion”, “think about courses you enjoy”, “find an internship”, “shadow a person in your field of interest”, and, finally, “prepare a resume that stands out”. These are all great suggestions and will certainly contribute to moving students in the right direction. However, what seems to be lacking is the first few chapters that teach the students how to know and understand themselves. Without the first few chapters, all the rest becomes a hit or miss exercise which may or may not contribute to their success. In some cases, it may even cause setbacks.
Many of us that have gone through the process as presented above have experienced these setbacks. And college and university staff and career development professionals do not have the time or resources to cater to the needs of every student. This is not an isolated problem but one that most, if not all institutions of higher learning need to deal with. Knowing we are not able to just add more staff, the solution needs to come from a joint program between staff and students where the students take responsibility for chapters 1-4 in their quest for success. We just need to provide the tools.
The first step of the Success Process is getting the students to learn about themselves. This will require a short assessment that encompasses four areas.
Thinking skills and problem solving
Personality attributes
Professional skills
Areas of interest
Armed with this information and the corresponding self-help guide to understand how to interpret the results of the assessment, students are ready to make intelligent and informed choices regarding the career opportunities that give them the best chances for success. They will also understand the types of mentors they respond best to, the types of professors and courses that will resonate with their learning style, and, importantly, they will be able to respond with confidence when asked:
Where do you want to go?
Why do you want to go there?
What paths are open to get there and who can help?
How long will it take and how much will it cost?
Think about it. If all your students could answer these questions, I would suggest we can confidently say, “We have been successful in giving our students the best chances for success”.
GFV CAMPUS TO CAREER
A TRUSTED RESOURCE FOR COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROFESSIONALS
gary@gfvcampustocareer.com | 616-460-8140 | www.gfvcampustocareer.com
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