Parent to Parent: Why Taking Advantage of Career Support Matters

The week after Commencement, I received emails from two of our new graduates. The first name I recognized instantly: it was from a student who had participated in our Co-op Program and who was sharing the news that he had just accepted a full-time offer from his worksite. This student had become a regular fixture in our office since his first days on campus, attending workshops, careers fairs, and checking in for guidance on everything from resume updates to negotiating tips. Our staff couldn’t have been prouder!

The second email came with a red exclamation point for high urgency. It read: 

“Dear Career Services Director, please help! I graduated with a 3.5 GPA, was active in my fraternity, and worked part-time jobs  all through college. I have applied to more than 100 roles online and am not getting any bites. What am I doing wrong?” 

The graduate attached her resume. Scanning quickly, I saw no evidence of an internship, co-op, or even a job shadow that could suggest early preparation for a career field of interest. Based on our appointment records I also noted that she had never engaged with our office while here as a student.

Career Success Starts Earlier Than Many Students Think

The good news for the second graduate is that Widener’s career services office, Career Design & Development, frequently provides career counseling to new alumni. Yet career services are available to our students from day one on campus, and taking advantage of them can make the transition to the world of work so much easier, especially in an ever-evolving employment market. Even so, nationwide more than one-third of undergraduate college students do not take advantage of the support provided by their institution’s career services offices.  

We do not want your student to miss out on all the resources at their disposal, just for the asking. Here is just a sample of the types of support that are available:

• 👤 Meet with a Career Counselor: Topping the list an all-important human touch. Your student has unlimited access to individual appointments with a professionally trained career counselor.  
• 🧭 Explore Career Interests:Early career interest assessments can help your student identify or change a major or add a minor or concentration. Associated resource links can provide insight into labor market forecasts, compensation ranges, and more.
• 🤝 Build Connections Through Widener Connect: Our exclusive career mentoring platform, Widener Connect, allows students to instantly connect with the University’s most engaged alumni across every area of student interest and industry imaginable. The platform offers an ideal venue for “low stakes” informational interviewing and invaluable networking practice.  
• 🎤 Practice Interviewing Before It Counts: Speaking of alumni and industry connections, Career Design & Development hosts a weeklong practice interview event called Mock Madness every semester. Mock interviews are held online, consistent with how most first interviews are conducted in the workplace. Students share their resumes, respond to typical interview questions, and receive feedback on the spot.
• 💼 Attend Career Fairs Early: Our office also holds seven career fairs each year organized by industry and areas of study. Rather than hosting just one large fair, this approach allows both students and employers to enjoy a more inviting and focused experience. We encourage students to attend events of interest as early as their first year to gain important networking experience.
• 📄 Build Professional Skills: We offer year-round professional skills workshops on everything from optimizing resumes and LinkedIn profiles in increasingly AI-enabled recruitment processes, to basic communication and “soft skills” that employers prioritize.
  • For students who aspire to continuing graduate and professional degrees, our office can also assist with more structured curriculum vitae (CV) development as well as advise on strategies for compelling personal statement essays.
• 🚀 Gain Real-World Experience: We have saved the best for last: access to work-connected experiences – sometimes called “experiential learning” – that prepare students for life after graduation.  Our office both oversees and supports a full range of pre-professional opportunities including early job shadows, meaningful on-campus employment, part-time internships, and full-time co-ops.  

Why Experience Matters

If there is one consistent theme across all types of industries and employers, it is that having a meaningful work-connected experience is often the differentiating consideration among two otherwise equally qualified candidates. It is also critical for students to communicate effectively about these experiences both orally and in writing. Our office works closely with students to close this important loop to do justice to the time and energy they have invested.

Speaking parent to parent, allow me to make just one suggestion: Encourage your student to visit Career Design & Development. In the meantime, please visit My Career Success to learn more about specific programs and resources. We can’t wait to meet your student! 

Janet Long, EdD, is the Associate Vice President of Career Design & Development at Widener University, where she leads a team focused on preparing students for career success. Drawing on her experience as an executive recruiter, marketing executive, entrepreneur, and higher education leader, she helps students connect their education with meaningful career opportunities. She is passionate about empowering students to build confidence, gain real-world experience, and thrive after graduation.