Opening Doors to College and Career Success
Who is in Your Network?
Many students feel isolated while planning their college and career path. As teenagers strive for independence, many believe that a plan influenced by others would be less authentic. Other students suffer from insecurities that would have them believe their questions are naïve or trivial. Still others simply don’t know where to start.
The good news is that no student needs to travel the path to college selection and career mapping alone. Every student has access to a network of people who provide information, encouragement, and guidance in support of making well-informed decisions. By starting with their current list of contacts, students can grow their networks to include a variety of mentors and advisors.
Parents and guardians can help their teens begin making connections by asking questions such as:
What career fields are interesting to you?
What are the biggest questions you have about that field?
Who would you like to meet?
How can I help you meet that person?
Some teens may want to take ownership of networking, so they only request phone numbers and email addresses. Others may feel more comfortable with a formal introduction. It’s important to follow the student’s lead so that networking activities are productive and beneficial.
Grow Your Networking by Leveraging Existing Contacts
The key to successful networking is starting with family and school connections and asking for introductions. Students have access to a number of individuals who are happy to make connections, but they must first identify those helpers.
For high school students, school counseling offices are the most obvious place to start. High school counselors often have contact lists for alumni categorized by college or profession. Teachers may have even better access to alumni than counselors. College students and young professionals who felt inspired by a high school teacher will often stay in touch, which makes them a valuable resource for teachers to share with students who have similar goals.
Similarly, college students can leverage college advising offices and professors within their field(s) of interest as resources for connecting with recent graduates and industry professionals. University’s career services and alumni relations offices are another valuable source of referrals to help students - and recent graduates - learn about career paths within their chosen field.
Students, in both high school and college, must also remember to talk to their peers and to the parents of classmates. While it’s common for teenagers to dismiss the significance of their parents’ jobs, they may show interest in what their friends’ parents do and discover great learning opportunities within their own social circles. Similarly, family friends or extended family are excellent networking prospects and sounding boards as students chart their way towards their future.
College and Career Networking Go Hand in Hand
As students make networking connections, they will naturally begin to hone their interests. They may start with a career plan in mind, and their conversations and learning opportunities will guide them to learn more about specific colleges or careers. Through these new relationships, teens and young adults will gain insight about programs and career paths that go far beyond the information found online. Those who are proactive will gain clarity as they explore their future options and how different paths will help them achieve their goals. This gives them confidence during the interview and application process, thereby increasing their chances of gaining acceptance or landing that prized internship or job. Students who embrace the power of networking are well on their way to a successful and rewarding future.
If your student is struggling to find the right connections, contact us for a free Strategy Session. Hollenback Consulting provides college/career guidance that helps teens and young adults navigate from high school to successful career.