HELPING YOUR RECENT GRADUATE

Your student has graduated from college and is ready to start a career. This is a major life transition; and with every transition there can be uncertainty about what's next. The following are some suggestions about what you can do to help your recent graduate through this transition.

1. Offer support and encouragement - Family support and encouragement are important in helping recent graduates work through their transition concerns. Particularly if your son or daughter is still in a job search, parental support and understanding is vital.
   
   
2. Be aware of what a job search requires - Finding a job is a full-time job.
   In order to be successful in a job search, your student must prepare himself/herself by:
   a) assessing skills and interests
   b) matching those skills and interests with career possibilities
   c) focusing on the field (or fields) they want to pursue
   d) formulating a plan for developing leads and contacts
   e) setting a timetable
   f) following through
   
   
3. Provide resources - Encourage your student to stay in contact with Avila's Career Services. We have numerous resources and services available to alumni. Web resources are also an important part of any job search. There are numerous web sites that are specific to job types (i.e., finance, marketing, social work), more general job sites (i.e., Career Builder, Monster, Hot Jobs), and many companies utilize their own web sites for recruiting and posting job opportunities. Graduates should compile a list of target companies and check those web sites for potential positions.
   
   

4. Network with friends, family and colleagues - Parents can provide graduates with the names of people they know in certain career fields or organizations and encourage their graduate to set up informational interviews with these people. Job seekers should also be encouraged to attend any local career fairs and to join professional associations related to their field as a way of developing networking opportunities and job leads. Reading newspapers, trade and professional magazines and other periodicals will also provide valuable information about business activity as well as job leads.
   
   
5. Encourage other ways to “get your foot in the door.” If your graduate is becoming discouraged with the job search, recommend that they consider the following:
   a) an internship
   b) doing freelance work
   c) volunteer to gain experience in their field
   d) take a temporary position