Career Development Begins Now!
By: Meredith Aronson, Center for Career and Professional Development
As summer is winding down (where did it go?!) and you start to think about bringing your Zag to campus—whether for the first time or the fourth time—I want to remind you of the importance of including career development in your conversations with your student. I know you are getting inundated with information this summer about campus resources and departments, so I will make this short and sweet. Below you will find the top three questions parents ask about the Center for Career & Professional Development services and my answers.
Q: Can the Center for Career & Professional Development help get my son/daughter a job so they will move out of my basement?
A: Yes! The Center for Career & Professional Development provides students and alumni with career support, opportunities, and connections to help translate the Gonzaga experience into meaningful life work. We offer a variety of services, including career preparation workshops, individual student appointments for resume and cover letter review, and multiple Career Fairs, both in Spokane and other cities. We also host and maintain an online job board called ZagTrax. Your student is automatically registered for ZagTrax and can use his or her Gonzaga login credentials to access it, so remind them to get in the habit of checking often! For more information about our services visit www.gonzaga.edu/CareerCenter
Q: When should my student start career development?
A: As soon as possible! Sometimes students assume that they don’t need to start worrying about their career development until they are graduating, but we believe that time spent on career development is inversely proportionate to time spent living in your basement. In other words, the more time a student spends on career development during their time at Gonzaga the better prepared they will be to secure employment upon graduation. Even if your student isn’t sure what career path to follow just yet, encourage a visit to our office for resources that can help with exploration of different fields. The Gonzaga Alumni Mentor Program (GAMP) is an excellent exploration and networking tool that matches students with volunteer alumni mentors in specific career fields or geographic locations. Mentors are prepared to help guide your student and provide advice on how to navigate the career development process. GAMP is free for all students and alumni, and students can be matched with as many different types of mentors as they would like. Encourage your student to register for GAMP at www.gonzaga.edu/JoinGAMP.
Q: How can I help with my Zag’s career development?
A: We love to partner with parents to provide the best possible support and opportunities for students, and there are a number of ways you can start the ball rolling in your student’s career development. Remind your student to take an active role in the process of making career decisions. Remember that it is OK to support and challenge, but don’t over-manage. Emphasize the importance and value of quality internship experience, encourage extracurricular involvement, teach the value of networking and open your network to your student. Also, encourage your student to come see us early and often—it is never too early to start the career development process, and we are ALWAYS here for Zags, even after graduation! To learn more about how parents can engage with our office, please visit our website.
Please feel free to contact me any time with questions, and don’t forget to stop by our office on the second floor of Crosby with your student in September! All of us here in the Center for Career & Professional Development are looking forward to meeting you and working with your Zag!