Families

University Career Services

Career Planning for Families:

It’s common for students to feel unsure about their major or career direction. Choosing a major and career is a process of exploration that progresses differently for every student. Typical steps include:

  • Assess skills, interests, and strengths to identify possible majors and career paths.
  • Explore majors and career options through research and conversations with professionals.
  • Gain Experience through internships and other experiential learning opportunities.
  • Prepare by building a résumé, practicing interviews, and setting up an ETSU Handshake account at https://etsu.joinhandshake.com.
  • Conduct a job or graduate school search using online tools and networking connections.

Families play an important role in encouraging exploration, supporting decision-making, and reminding students to use Career Services resources throughout their college experience.

First Year Students:

During the first year, students begin assessing their skills, interests, and strengths through coursework, campus involvement, conversations with faculty and peers, and exposure to new ideas.

Many enter college with limited knowledge of available majors and career paths. As they explore new subjects, even students with a clear plan may discover new interests. This is a natural and exciting stage of growth and exploration.

  • What You Can Do to Help

    • Encourage exploration: Ask questions, listen openly, and support your student as their interests evolve.
    • Affirm their strengths: Remind them of the skills and abilities you’ve consistently seen.
    • Discuss interests: Talk about the classes and activities they enjoy and what they’re learning about themselves.
    • Stay open-minded about majors: Fields like English, history, or art can lead to meaningful and successful careers when aligned with a student’s strengths and goals.
    • Promote balanced involvement: Encourage campus activities and leadership opportunities while emphasizing academic success. Extracurricular experiences help build teamwork, communication, leadership, and time management skills.
    • Encourage use of Career Services Career consultants, assessments like Focus 2, and professional guidance are available to support students at every stage of career development.

Second Year Students:

In the second year, students typically begin exploring majors and career options with greater focus. Coursework and campus involvement help clarify interests and possible paths.

Career Services plays an important role during this stage. Students can gain real-world insight by connecting with alumni mentors, pursuing internships, and participating in experiential learning opportunities.

  • What You Can Do to Help
    • Encourage your student to seek support from Career Services if indecision is slowing progress.
    • Remind them that avoiding a decision can limit options just as much as making one.
    • Suggest conversations with faculty, career advisors, and academic advisors about possible paths.
    • Encourage informational interviews with family members, professionals, or alumni in fields of interest.
    • Be aware that sophomore year is especially important for students considering professional programs that require prerequisite courses.

Third Year Students:

During the junior year, it is important for students to experiment with possible career options. Career Services will assist students in exploring internships, cooperative education programs, summer jobs, campus jobs, and responsible volunteer experiences both on campus and in the local community. This is a critical time for your support and encouragement.

  • What You Can Do to Help
    • Encourage Career Preparation: Urge your student to use Career Services to build a strong résumé and explore opportunities through Handshake and employer connections.
    • Support Experiential Learning: Reinforce the value of internships, summer jobs, and involvement outside the classroom to gain relevant experience.
    • Discuss Expectations Early: Talk openly about financial considerations, especially if opportunities are unpaid or located away from home.
    • Promote Independence: Allow your student to lead their internship or job search. You can offer networking contacts, but encourage them to make connections directly.

Graduating Seniors:

Senior year is when students actively organize and conduct their job or graduate school search. At the same time, they are often managing advanced coursework and leadership roles, making balance and prioritization especially important.

Career Services supports this transition through résumé reviews, job search planning, interview preparation, networking guidance, and access to opportunities on ETSU’s Handshake platform at https://etsu.joinhandshake.com.

  • What You Can Do to Help
    • Encourage Continued Career Support: Remind your student to use Career Services throughout senior year for guidance, résumé reviews, and interview preparation.
    • Promote Engagement: Encourage attendance at career fairs, workshops, employer events, and individual appointments to strengthen their job search strategy.
    • Respect Professional Boundaries: Allow your student to communicate directly with employers and manage their own applications.
    • Provide Emotional Support: The job and graduate school search can be competitive and lengthy. Offer encouragement, reinforce persistence, and recognize the effort they are investing.

Final Thoughts:

The college years are a time of exploration, experimentation, and learning on many levels for students and their families. Some student challenges may seem difficult, but all contribute to useful experience and positive educational outcomes.

Throughout these years, students are developing a "record of achievement" that will be evaluated by employers and graduate schools as they move beyond college. There are several elements of this record: 

  • Elements
    • Academic Achievement. GPA and performance in major courses are important indicators of a student’s ability to learn and succeed in an academic setting.
    • Relevant Work Experience. Internships, cooperative education, summer jobs, part-time work, and volunteer roles provide practical experience that employers value when hiring.
    • Responsible Involvement. Participation in campus and community activities helps students develop teamwork, communication, leadership, problem-solving, and time management skills.

Best wishes to you and your student. Be assured that Career Services is dedicated to student success, and will be available to your student as she or he works to complete a degree and prepare for a future career.