Parents as Career Coaches

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Parents as Career Coaches
You are here

• Career Services Center
• Old Main 280, 650-3240
• M F 8 am 5 pm
• http//www.careers.wwu.edu

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HiIm Kergie Garcia

• Counselor
• WWU alum,
• Communications
• Major
• Work with undeclared
• majors assessments

OM 280 M-F 8-5
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Career Development Process
CSC
Student ready to pursue a career.
Student lacks clear educational/ occupational goal
s.
Parents
Employers
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Career Planning Choosing Majors Suggestions
for Parents

• Encourage your student to use general education
  requirements for exploration
• Urge visits to the Career Center
• (Old Main 280)
• Support special strengths and talents
• Help your student connect with people
• you know in fields that interest them

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Connecting with the Career Services Center

• Freshmen, Sophomores, Transfers Explore options
  tour the Center
• Juniors Conduct Informational Interviews,
  develop Internships
• Seniors Engage with on-campus recruiters
  prepare/conduct job search

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Career Planning Tools

• Self-knowledge
• Educational options
• Career knowledge
• Job search skills

Mt. Baker
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Personal Assessment

• Strong Interest Inventory
• Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)

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Mt. Slesse
I took an assessment at the Career Center when I
first came to Western and this led me to where I
am todayYou guys truly helped me when I wasnt
sure what major I should pursue. Katherine,
Exercise Science
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Exploring Majors Careers

• Library Web Resources
• Research occupations Occupational Outlook
  Handbook ONet (on-line)
• www.bls.gov/oco/
• http//online.onetcenter.org/
• Network conduct informational interviews
• Job shadow

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SPECIAL EVENTS 2006-07
Western Washington University

• COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS INTERNSHIP FAIR Oct. 24,
  2006
• HEALTH CAREERS PROGRAMS FAIR Nov. 2, 2006
• GRAYLINE OF ALASKA MOVIE NIGHT Nov. 15, 2006
• LAW SCHOOL PUBLIC POLICY INFO FAIR Nov. 16,
  2006
• MAJORS FAIR Jan. 18, 2007
• INTERNATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FAIR Jan. 25,
  2007
• WINTER CAREER FAIR Feb. 15, 2007
• ETIQUETTE DINNER Apr. 25, 2007
• SPRING CAREER FAIR Apr. 26, 2007

www.careers.wwu.edu
Old Main 280 650-3240
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Job Search Resources How we help students get
ready to pursue career goals

• Career Library
• Career Fairs
• Job Listings
• Placement File Service
• Candidate Referral

• Individual Counseling
• Job Search Workshops
• Mock Interviews
• On-campus Interviews

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Thank you for the career fairs! I ended up
getting 5 or 6 interviews from the contacts I
made there. Seth, History
Your on-campus recruitment and interview program
is excellent! I found my job via your website!
Thank you so much! Ashley,
Communications
Heather Meadows
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Changing Job Market(Teachers/Administrators)

• Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting steady
  growth in teaching through 2012
• Decreasing enrollment is being out-paced by
  teacher retirements causing continued demand for
  qualified educators
• Growing shortages in school psychologists,
  speech-language pathologists, special education,
  math, science, bilingual ESL instructors

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WWU Education Graduates 2004-2005 Placement Stats

• Classroom teacher (contract) 56
• Substitute teacher 30
• Non-certified school position 1
• Non-teaching employment 6
• Unemployed/Other 7
• Based on 95 response rate from 492 graduates

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WWU Majors Hired by Companies
College of Business Economics AccountingSta
ff Accountant, Moss Adams 43,000 Bus. Adm.,
Mgmt.Team Leader, Target Stores 36,000
Economics. .Revenue Agent, WA Dept. of Revenue
31,000 MIS..............................Data
Administrator, Starbucks 39,000 College of Fine
Arts Art..Graphic Designer, Elegant
Gourmet, 33,000
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WWU Majors Hired by Companies, cont.
College of Humanities Social Sciences Anthropol
ogy Community Organizer, ACORN,
25,000 Communication Copy Coordinator,
King 5 TV, 29,000 Journalism...Communication
Coord. Mammoth Mtn, 28,000 Physical Ed
.Personal Trainer, Pro Sports,
30,000 Political Science..Legislative Asst., WA
House of Reps., 30,000 Recreation .Park
Ranger, WA State Parks Rec, 31,000 Sociology
Juvenile Detention Officer, Pierce County,
30,000 Huxley College Environmental
Sc.,.Wildlife Scientist, Sauk Suiattle Tribe,
39,500
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WWU Majors Hired by Companies, cont.
College of Sciences Technology BiologyForensic
Scientist, WA State Patrol Crime Lab,
33,000 Chemistry...Material Chemist, Sienna
Technologies, 33,000 Computer Science............
..............Programmer, Costco,
43,000 Industrial TechMaterials Engineer,
PACCAR, 48,000 Manufacturing Mgmt...
Production Planner, Amgen, 50,000 Mathematics
Actuary, 412(i) Company, 45,000 Woodring
College of Education Human Services.Social
Worker, WA DSHS, 32,000 Teacher (Bachelor
degree with certificate).... 30,383
Teacher (PostBac)...35,640
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Integrate Your Education with Experience JOB

• Employers say related experience improves job
  opportunities
• Candidates with experience possess more
  confidence
• The Big Questions How does a student get
  experience? How do they distinguish themselves as
  the best candidate for the job?

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Michigan State SurveyRelated, Practical Work
Experience is Recommended by Employers

• Volunteer work
• Internships
• Summer work

Practical work experience increases
competitiveness
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An Internship...

• Involves making a short term commitment to
• an organization to gain valuable experience
• and exposure in a field of interest
• May be part time or full time
• May be paid or volunteer
• May or may not be for college credit
• www.careers.wwu.edu/interns3.asp

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Internship Tips for Parents

• Use acquaintances and professional network to
  help your student make connections
• Help CSC expand internship listings encourage
  your employer professional contacts to recruit
  interns from WWU

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What students say about the value of an
internship...
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• get practical work-world related
• internship experience...I thought...my GPA
• would have carried me farnot true.
• The internship...and your practical
• knowledge is the real key to success.
• Jason - Environmental
• Chemistry

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Parent Coaching During a Job Search

• Encourage connecting with the CSC at the
  beginning of the senior year
• Help your student network to identify job
  opportunities
• Provide cash/gift certificates for purchase of
  professional attire
• Help the CSC identify jobs for WWU grads
  Encourage your employer, colleagues, those you
  know to recruit at Western!

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Parent Coaching for Graduate School

• Encourage making early inquiry with programs and
  schools about assistantships, fellowships,
  scholarships
• Provide cash gifts to help with application fees
  and other expenses
• Consider taking out
  a second mortgage!

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What students say about early career exploration
and making use of the Career Services Center...
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An advisor at the career center went over my
resume with me and it made a HUGE difference. 
Because of my great resume and cover letter, I
was able to get a job while still attending
school.  I also found the listing for my current
job on the career center job announcements
board.  THANK YOU for your help.
Erica - Psychology My
counseling there helped me feel confident in
choosing my major. Julie - General
Studies
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• It should be mandatory for students to go to
• the Career Center!
• 
  Amanda, English

Mt. Baker
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Parents as Career Coaches
Career Services Center Old Main 280 (360)
650-3240 M-F 8 am 5 pm
www.careers.wwu.edu