Get a Head Start on a Career
Once in college, students are finding that completing an internship is great for their resume since many employers demand graduates with the kind of ‘real world’ experience internships help supply.
Another positive step is to help your child find a mentor who is a good role model. As noted in Yes, You Can… Raise Financially Aware Kids, a mentor is “a wise and trusted counselor or teacher.” The book suggests children ask themselves the following questions when selecting a mentor:
- Who has a job you admire?
- What are your favorite locally owned businesses?
- Have you read or heard about anyone whose expertise or knowledge you’d like to know more about?
Once your children have several names to choose from, they can write to ask “if they can work with them for a day or interview them about their career,” the book suggests. With younger kids, you may need to make the initial contact on their behalf.
An additional benefit of working with a mentor is that it helps prepare kids for an internship. Even at the high school level, internships and other career-oriented opportunities are available. Students should check with their guidance counselor for information on programs in cooperation with local businesses. Once in college, students are finding that completing an internship is great for their résumé since many employers demand graduates with the kind of “real world” experience internships help supply.
Internships offered by major employers are usually highly structured and may provide college credit. Many colleges and universities have career services offices that offer listings of internships. The Dean’s office and alumni offices are also worth a try. Other sources include networking with parents’ contacts, career fairs, trade associations and the career section on corporate Web sites.
Searching for an internship is good training because it requires the same skills needed for job hunting – researching companies, networking, writing a résumé and cover letters, interviewing and writing thank-you notes.
“I found a company seeking paid interns, and did well enough in the interview to be one of two chosen out of 40,” remembers Joe. “I worked so hard to prove myself I was offered a job after graduation. It was an awesome experience!”
Noncredit “externships” are another possibility. Law students, for example, are required to clerk in a law office, gaining valuable experience. They seldom earn credits or a paycheck.
Choosing the right career is a life-changing decision for your child. But making the effort to find something that perfectly matches their skills and interests will bring not only financial rewards, but also lifelong rewards of self-fulfillment.