Eleanor Roosevelt College

Tips for Parents

(Provided by UC San Diego Career Services Center)

  • Encourage Your Son or Daughter to:
  • Start exploring his/her career interests and options during freshman, sophomore and junior year.
  • Don’t wait until senior year.
  • Get internships and other career-related practical experience while in college.
  • Meet with a career, internship, and/or graduate school advisor at the UC San Diego Career Services Center.
  • Use resources at the Career Services Center. The Center’s reference areas include more than 350 career and employer books; more than 2,000 professional/graduate school catalogs, brochures and directories; and more than 300 videos featuring career professionals and/or graduate school representatives.
  • Get his/her résumé and/or graduate school application essay critiqued by an advisor at the Career Services Center.
  • Bookmark http://career.ucsd.edu to access Port Triton job listings, the Internship SuperSite and our calendar of events.
  • Attend career workshops, fairs and panels each quarter.
  • Find out how to prepare for and apply to professional or graduate school.
  • Talk to professionals who can offer job search advice and career info. The Career Services Center has more than 200 Career Consultants for students to contact for advice. Attend a networking program at the Center.
  • Contact professional associations for networking opportunities. Family and friends may also be resources for job search advice.
  • Prepare for interviews and practice his/her interviewing skills. Attend interview workshops to learn strategies for success.
  • Learn how to approach employers and practice proper business etiquette. Interpersonal and communication skills are very important to employers.
  • Although some UC San Diego students may know exactly what they want to do when they graduate, others need more time to explore their options and discover their interests and strengths.

Career Development Checklist

The checklist below is organized by academic years, but remember that each individual goes through the phases of career development at a different pace.

Freshman Year: self-discovery and exploration

  • Discover interests and strengths through coursework, student activities, and part-time jobs.
  • Meet with a career advisor. Use our self-assessment tools and research career options.
  • Go to Port Triton at http://career.ucsd.edu to look for part-time jobs and internships.
  • Attend workshops and panel presentations that relate to career interests.

Sophomore Year: exploration and decision-making

  • Continue exploring career options. Get familiar with our libraries and online resources. Attend career panels and workshops.
  • Begin to gain career-related work experience and develop skills through part-time jobs, internships, and summer jobs.
  • Check out our Internship Super Site at http://career.ucsd.edu.
  • Meet with a career, internship and/or grad school advisor to discuss goals, preparation and/or application processes.

Junior Year: decision-making & preparation

  • Narrow down your choices and make tentative career and/or graduate school decisions. Continue to obtain career-related experi-ence and/or plan for graduate or professional school.
  • Attend workshops & networking programs at the Career Services Center. Get resume and/or application essays critiqued by an advisor.
  • Gather info needed to firm up career goals. Set up informational interviews with professionals in your field.

Senior Year: implementing your career goals

  • Start pursuing your first full-time job out of college. Discuss job search strategies with an advisor. Continue using the Career Services Center job listings, fairs, and other resources.
  • Follow through with applications to professional or graduate schools.
  • Land a job and/or get accepted into a graduate or professional school program!