By Amy Do & Hilarie Longenecker

Congratulations on becoming a Blue Demon Parent! Sending your child to college and funding their education can pay dividends in the form of increased earning potential. According to the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, young full-time workers with Bachelor’s Degrees made a median annual wage that was $12,000 more than their counterparts with a GED. The Center of Education and the Workforce has found that the earnings of a bachelor’s degree is worth $2.8 million on average over a lifetime. 

The Career Center considers parents to be some of our strongest allies in our efforts to prepare students for the world beyond DePaul. With that in mind, you may be wondering how you can help. Read on for some best practices surrounding how you can support your student’s journey towards career success! 

DO

Ask good questions – open-ended questions encourage critical thinking. Ground questions in your student’s current experiences. This also gives your student a good opportunity to reflect, verbalize their feelings, and articulate their skills. Here are some examples:

  1. What are your favorite classes, and why?
  2. What extracurricular activities do you enjoy? What have you learned about yourself from participating in the activities?
  3. Who do you look up to?

You’re likely to find that your student’s responses hold important clues to the professions and industries that they’ll thrive in – try pointing out your observations. If your student is unresponsive or seems unwilling to engage in conversation, give it time and revisit the conversation later in the quarter. They, just like you, are adjusting to a new environment.


Suport Exploration – Exploration and the uncertainty that comes along with it is a natural part of the career development process. College is generally the time when students will take stock of their skills, interests, and values, and how those would map onto a future job search. Give your students space and trust in their resourcefulness as they navigate the journey. Model exploratory behavior by treating this new phase of life – parenting a college student –  as a chance to branch out! Pick up a new hobby, join a volunteer group, or travel if it is within your means. 

Encourage utilizing resources – If your student shares with you that they are struggling or feeling overwhelmed, there are a variety of resources across the university that can provide support in various areas including career coaching. Our career coaches are dedicated to helping students navigate the process of designing and pursuing career goals.


DON’T

Do it for them  – A valuable part of the college experience is becoming more emotionally independent. The instinct as a parent may be to try and pull strings, make phone calls, or otherwise intervene to protect your child from experiencing failure and rejection, but this is detrimental to their development and can be harmful to your relationship. Keeping constant tabs on your student might reduce anxiety, but it can also chip away at your student’s sense of independence and self-efficacy. 

Keep communication flowing so they know that you’re still invested in their well-being, but take a step back. Have your student engage in their own research, attend events, and develop valuable skills through their coursework and clubs. Encourage your student to get involved in on-campus activities, as these can help them develop valuable career skills and a network of friends! 

Erase Failure – Failure is an essential part of life. As your student becomes more independent, they will experience hurdles. 

According to Forbes, an essay published in Parenting Culture Studies states that “…a parent protects their child from negative experiences to be a good parent, but eventually may get blamed by their own child for any or all problems they might face in their adulthood.” To encourage growth, provide a welcoming environment where your student can share their experiences of failure. Share stories from your childhood when relevant. Empathize, and then emphasize a growth mindset. Cheer them on as they grow and learn in their own time.

Assume You’re the Expert- The digital job market has vastly altered the landscape of hiring and recruitment. The 2020 pandemic further exacerbated swift and comprehensive changes throughout the world of work across industries. Thankfully our staff are up to date and familiar with these changes and are able to provide salient insights.

The DePaul Career Center is unavailable for coaching parents, but we are here as part of your student’s holistic support system through college and into the workforce. To learn more about various programs, check out the Career Center instagram @depaulcareerctr. 

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Not sure what the future holds? Need support along the way? That’s exactly where we come in. Whether you’re a freshman or an alumnus, it’s never too early (or too late) to utilize our services.

Book an appointment with Amy, or another member of the advising community through Handshake, or by calling the front desk at (773) 325-7431.