Parent/Family Resources
This is your student’s life. This is their career. No one but your student can do the work and make the decisions necessary for them to find success and happiness. Career Services has the resources, skills, and experience to be of great assistance to them in that process, and to make their efforts more efficient and effective. But, like you, we can’t do it for them. Planning a career and preparing for the world of work and/or graduate/professional school is not difficult, but it does involve making a commitment of time and energy.
As a parent, we welcome your interest, questions, and assistance in encouraging your student to take advantage of all we have to offer. You and they, won't regret the investment.
EIU Career Services connects with and supports EIU Parents! We encourage you to attend our presentations during your student's Orientation Program date. Learn how to make the most out of your college investment. Career planning and preparation is not something that should be put off until graduation. We will discuss how we can help your student create a Freshman Action Plan that has provided successful results for other students! Here is what other parents are saying:
"Students should attend this lecture."
"Wish this service was available when I was in college!"
"The 4 planning was exactly what I needed to know. This session gave me priceless information."
If you have scheduled your Freshman Orientation date with New Student Programs, be sure to reserve a seat for our presentation here!
This will likely be one of the most important decisions your student makes, so it is critical that they have the resources needed to make, not an impulsive decision, but an informed decision.
- What Can I Do With This Major? - List of majors and includes an outline of common career areas, typical employers, strategies designed to maximize career opportunities, and weblinks for additional resources.
- Focus 2 - Online self-assessment program that will help find the "right" major for them. Follow-up professional advisement will be provided by Career Services. Request access for them by calling Career Services at 217-581-2412 or email, rkingery@eiu.edu.
Four-Year Student Career Plan
This plan gives you specific details and suggestions on what your student should be doing each year to move toward their career goals.
HANDSHAKE
Encourage your student to use HANDSHAKE. This is your student's 4 year track to Career Success! Students have access to Campus Jobs, Internships & Job Postings screened by our Career Center, and access to Employers seeking EIU candidates including EIU Alums.
Career Counseling
Encourage your student to schedule an appointment with one of our Career Counselors. They will help them with a wide range of career-related subjects, including: choosing a major, career options, job searching, resume writing, interviewing skills, job search strategies and more!
There are many ways in which parents can help their student's progress through the career decision-making process. Here are some ways you can support your student:
- Encourage a visit to Career Services early in their college career to learn about available resources. We work with students from all class levels and majors and strongly recommend beginning a relationship with our office as early as possible.
- Support your student's exploration of majors & careers. Be patient as your student considers a variety of options, even though they may not be considering a career field that you want them to. Your student has to find a career field matching his/her interests, skills, values and talents in order to be challenged and satisfied in life and work.
- Introduce your student to people in professional fields who can provide career information and advice. These networking contacts may open doors to internship and ultimately full time employment opportunities.
- Assist your student in identifying strengths, achievements, and areas for development. The ability to effectively communicate knowledge, skills and abilities is important, but often, difficult for students to do.
- Support and encourage involvement in leadership and student organization activities, both on and off campus. Employers place high value on leadership, teamwork and organizational skills, and campus involvement provides an opportunity to develop these skills.
- Emphasize the importance of gaining career-related experience through externships, internships, volunteering, summer jobs, etc. This experience may help your student to confirm their career choice. Experience will also build confidence and help your student become more marketable to employers.
View our annual report online about our Career Development Services, Recruitment Activities, Employment Statistics, Salaries & More!
