Career Development Info for Parents

The Office of Career Development offers students the following three (3) – step process that must be completed before referrals to employers or graduate schools may be made:

  1. Career Assessment – Selection of career(s) and major(s); Setting up an academic strategy to attract employers or graduate schools
  2. Resume Building
  3. Interviewing – Two 30 minute appointments:
  • Interview Preparation / STAR Question-Answering Technique and
  • Mock Interview

Students should complete these steps no later than September 30 of the sophomore year! 

Office staff are not authorized to discuss details of your student-relative’s visit to Career Development but we can disclose appointment attendance records or issues and field trip participation.

Here are 10 ways you can help your son or daughter here at Lincoln and the Office of Career Development:

  1. Challenge your student to create and show you his / her general weekly schedule so that you can see their class times, times designated for studying (2 hours between each class session is recommended), and how he / she plan to spend their weekends.
  2. Make sure your student completes the FERPA Disclosure Authorization Form (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974) and designates you to receive their grades so you can monitor their academic progress. A 3.0 cumulative GPA is a minimum requirement for many outstanding internships or full-time job openings. 
  3. Make sure that your student has at least one interview-appropriate suit in their residence hall room so that they can interview with visiting employers on 2-3 days advance notice.
  4. Encourage your student to visit the Career Development Center no later than the Spring Semester of their Freshman year. Many students have landed internships the summer between their Freshman and Sophomore year in school.
  5. Allow your student to make the decision about his/her future career. We all have our strengths and interests, and your child's are unique to him/her. Even if you don't agree with the decision, be patient and understanding.
  6. Advise your student to stay abreast of current events. Students can gain much career-related knowledge by reading the daily news or a weekly periodical. Additionally, during the interview process, many employers ask questions pertaining to recent events in their industries.
  7. Persuade your son or daughter to work during the summers and learn the value of a strong work ethic. Too often new employees do not succeed due to poor attendance records and poor work habits.
  8. Encourage your student to write a resume. We provide a variety of resources to help students learn the basics of writing a resume and suggest that students meet with their career counselor for a review of the final draft.
  9. Lend support to your child throughout the job search process, but do not conduct the job search yourself.
  10. Assist the Career Development Center. When you have an open full-time, internship, part-time or summer position, please call our office with the information. If you are an alumni, please consider becoming a mentor and helping current students learn more about your profession.