Read below for our tools, resources and ways you can get involved with Career & Professional Development as a new student or parent.
First-Year Checklist: Increase Self Awareness
- Make an appointment with your Career & Professional Development counselor to become familiar with our resources
- Research majors and careers that relate to your skills, interests, values, personality, desired education and lifestyle
- Take a career assessment on Focus2. Discuss results with your Academic Adviser and Career Counselor
- Attend career-related workshops, panels, career fairs, and other professional development events
- Join a club or organization relevant to your interests
- Get involved in the LEAD Academy series offered by Student Engagement & Leadership
- Create a resume using the Career Guide. Make an appointment to have your resume reviewed by a Career Counselor
- Attend the Employment Fair in August to land a student job on campus or in the local area
- Look for an internship for the summer following your first year. Attend an Internships 101 workshop to learn more
Tools to help students build self-awareness, explore majors and career options:
What Can I Do With This Major – Explore a range of career paths based on majors.
Focus 2 – Explore your skills, interests, values, majors, careers and much more with the Focus 2 assessment.
Undergraduate Bulletin – Explore Penn State majors.
Bureau of Labor Statistics-Occupational Outlook Handbook – The OOH can help you find career information on duties, education and training, pay, and outlook for hundreds of occupations.
O*NET Online – The O*NET program is the nation's primary source of occupational information.
FAMILIES: HELP YOUR STUDENT NAVIGATE THEIR CAREER
EXPLORE: Talk with your student about the courses and activities they are enjoying. Students discover new things about themselves throughout the college experience. Your willingness to listen and be a sounding board will keep you in the loop.
AMPLIFY IT: Promote extracurricular involvement. Students gain the skills employers value through involvement in clubs and academic programs. Extracurricular involvement should be balanced with maintaining achievement in the classroom.
ACT AS A RESOURCE: Refer internships or job leads
-Is your employer interested in starting an internship program? We can help! -Employment and internship opportunities can be listed on Penn State’s Job posting system: Nittany Lion Careers
BE OPEN: Be open to new ideas and support your student’s exploration of new areas of study and interests. This, after all, is what education is all about. Don't panic if your student is excited about majoring in something like English, history, or art. These can be excellent choices, particularly if they are a good match for a student's interests and skills.
DRESS FOR SUCCESS: Help prepare students for career fairs and other employer interactions by purchasing professional attire, such as dress shirts/slacks/suits/shoes.
FACILITATE INDEPENDENCE: Provide your student with the Career & Professional Development contact information and urge them to contact the center to schedule a meeting. Assist students with formulating communication tools, but allow them to interact independently with employers.
This information was adapted from the National Association of Colleges & Employers (NACE)
