Lakeland College

Parents

As a parent of a Lakeland Student, we hope you will encourage your son or daughter to visit the Career Development Office several times before they graduate! We provide students with free services to help them prepare for a professional role and be successful in the work place. Consider referring them to our office, or contacting us directly, to learn more about how we can be of assistance.

General Services Offered

Your son or daughter may be exploring many things at Lakeland College. As a parent, understand that the process in choosing a major and a career path is very time consuming. It requires patience and many conversations. Please review the stages that students may experience and consider how you can provide assistance.

Parents of First Year Students

After a student graduates from high school, they tend to have a limited amount of knowledge about the world around them and lack of insight into possible career paths. It is during a student's first year of school, where they begin to explore new interests, skills, and abilities. They continue to learn more about themselves through their classes, involvement in activities, discussions with family and friends, and by attending a variety of events.

As a parent, how can you help? Continue to encourage and support your student in their interests and understand that it is all part of the exploration. Engage in discussions about their involvement on-campus and the classes they are taking; gain a better idea of what they are enjoying and what struggles they are facing. As a parent, you serve as a sounding board and help them determine the appropriate career path. Finally, encourage your student to visit the Career Development Office and complete personality assessments and various other inventories that may also make things more clear for them. Deciding on a major can be a lengthy process, so be patient and enjoy learning more about your son or daughter.  

Parents of Second-Year Students

During a student's second year of school, they generally begin to feel more focused on just a couple of majors and do more serious exploration of those. Students may struggle in making a final decision because they are afraid it will close off possibilities. By talking with friends or family members in a field they are considering, they can gain additional insight into different professions and begin to take a specific direction. If the student does not know anyone specifically, they can conduct "informational interviews" and speak with a variety of individuals in a career field. They should contact the Career Development Office to gain assistance in this process. The other suggestion to offer is to check out our Career Connect database. It includes a list of mentors who are interested in working with Lakeland Students to provide them with guidance. The website details their current position and previous experiences—a great tool to utilize!

Parents of Third or Fourth Year Students

As students begin to feel more comfortable within a particular major, it is appropriate to begin thinking more about specific types of careers. By participating in internship programs, obtaining related summer jobs, or completing practicum assignments this will assist students in gaining a better understanding of their career field of choice. It may also help them understand areas they should avoid! It is important that if a student is interested in getting an internship, that they make contact with the Career Development Office, to ensure they have the proper paperwork, and complete the process themselves. Going through the search process is an important aspect of their learning and better prepare themselves for the search after college!

Parents of Graduating Students

This is one of the most critical times for students to seek out assistance from the Career Development Office. As they begin to finish up their last semester of school, and balance that with jobs/activities, they also need to be thinking about getting organized with their job search process. It is a lengthy process and the sooner the student can begin, the better off they will be on graduation day! As a parent, please continue to support and encourage your son/daughter in their pursuit and remain positive. If you get frustrated, the student is likely to do the same. If the student is interested in pursuing graduate school or other formal education programs, they can also work with Career Development to begin the research needed for that process. No matter their plans after graduation, the staff in the Career Development Office is here to help!

Check out this article for more information on "How to Get Your College Grad Hired!"

Other Common Questions

How can my son/daughter get a job on-campus or in the area?

We highly encourage students to create a profile in our Career Connect database.  Through that website, students will be able to review all of the current, available positions - both for on-campus and in the area.  Then, in order to apply for a specific position, students are required to have a resume uploaded to the site.  

Is my student required to have an internship?

For some programs at Lakeland College, an internship is required of the student to gain education credits. For those programs where it is not a requirement, it is still highly encouraged! The more related experiences a student gains prior to graduation, the more prepared they will be in an interview setting. They need to contact the Career Development Office and their academic advisor to complete the necessary paperwork in advance.

How can I be a mentor of other Lakeland College students?

If you currently hold a position where you might be a great resource for Lakeland students and would be interested in having them contact you for informational interviews or job shadowing, consider becoming a mentor. Click on Career Connect and you will need to create a profile and the site will direct you from there.

What other topics can you assist my son/daughter with?

We can provide additional information to students on the following:

How can I contact you?