Plan for Parents

Freshman Year
Sophomore Year
Junior Year
Senior Year

Freshman Year

• Encourage student to make grades a top priority.
• Emphasize importance of involvement in student clubs and organizations.
• Ask student if they have explored the Center for Student Professional Development and UTSA's Career Center, familiarized themselves with the services provided, and started to compile their résumé.
• Encourage student to learn about and register with Handshake career database.
• Talk to your student about the possibility of getting a career related summer internship or volunteer experience to help gain experience, differentiate themselves from other students when it comes time to apply for internships that can turn into full time opportunities as well "test driving" potential careers. Acquiring multiple internships prior to graduation not only makes a student more competitive and valuable to employers but also gives your student a foundation for improving skills, confidence and an educated basis for intended career.
• Introduce or provide opportunity for student to meet family, friends, colleagues or a member of your social network who works in a field of interest to your student.

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Sophomore Year

• Encourage your student to visit the Center for Student Professional Development for assistance exploring the link between majors and potential career options.
• Remind your student that majors and careers are not always directly linked! Refer your student to Center for Student Professional Development, where staff can ensure that your student’s chosen major will not limit applying their interests professionally.
•  Ask your student if they have an updated résumé that has been reviewed by a CSPD Career Counselor.
•  Ask your student if they are familiar with Handshake and additional job search resources that can be utilized when pursuing summer or full-time opportunities.
•  Help your child begin to develop an informal professional network. Consider asking your friends and colleagues if they would be willing to talk with your student about their professions, jobs and experiences.
•  Emphasize importance of searching early for summer internships or co-ops. Multiple internships as a student increase the chance of finding a post-graduation job.
•  Ask your student about the workshops instructed by the Career Center and CSPD personnel and which sessions they have attended.
•  Ask student if they have noticed companies in the Business Building or in other locations across campus meeting students. Find out if they have participated in corporate "meet and greets" or information sessions. Remind them that it's never too early to be meeting potential employers!
•  Support student's career goals even if it is not your first choice for her/him or what you consider to be the most "sensible". Encourage student to learn as much as possible about intended field/position by utilizing the staff and resources in the CSPD. Faculty can also provide valuable information about potential career paths.
•  Encourage student to stay involved with clubs or organizations they joined as a first year student or add others to their repertoire.

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Junior Year

• Continue to help your student to create an informal network by developing a list of friends and relatives with whom they might speak about careers. Ask them if they know peers who have internships in their intended career field. (Peers can be great source of information about applications, the interview process and actual internship experiences.) Additionally, ask your student which professionals or faculty might help him/her explore a field of interest and set up informational interviews.
• Emphasize the importance of attending workshops related to interviewing, networking, internships and Rowdy Jobs instructed by Career Center and CSPD staff.
• Ask student if they have an updated résumé and cover letter reviewed by one of the career counselors and if it is uploaded in Handshake.
• Ask student what they are doing in order to obtain a summer internship or co-op.
• Help student in obtaining appropriate interview attire.
• Encourage students to attend career fairs (Several of these happen throughout the year).
• Emphasize importance of taking on leadership roles within student groups. This could include student or community clubs and organizations, volunteering or community service opportunities.
• Ask student if they are taking a full course load during their junior year. Looking for a full-time post graduate opportunity takes time and saving courses to take during senior year could create an overwhelming work load when combined with a job search.
• Help expand opportunities available to your student by asking your employer, colleagues and friends to recruit at UTSA and extend internships or full time opportunities to the Center for Student Professional Development.

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Senior Year

• Emphasize the importance of attending workshops related to interviewing, networking, internships and the use of Handshake instructed by Career Counseling staff.
• Be supportive of your student during the job search process. Certainly every student would like to be an employer's top candidate with their first choice company. However, the process, which includes learning how to utilize Handshake, getting a résumé prepared and polishing interviewing skills, can be both challenging and time consuming.
• Ask student for a copy of their résumé in case you have an opportunity to aid in their networking.
• Encourage student to attend career workshops and speak to CSPD staff to discuss job search progress.
• Encourage your student to attend career fairs on and off campus, company sponsored information sessions, meet and greets and any other networking events.
• Talk with student about graduate school interests early in the fall semester since many applications for the following fall are due as early as November.
• Ask student how you can help.
• Listen, be patient and do not worry!

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