Parent Notes

Parents as Partners

Parents are a major influence in the lives of college students. Parental support and encouragement are crucial for academic and career success. Caring and informed parents can play a key role in enhancing the college experience. They can provide guidance and direction. They can offer reminders. They can ask questions. They can monitor progress. They can provide a balanced perspective and help their sons or daughters stay focused.

Parent Resources
Career Action Plan
Career Resource Handouts
List of Services

We value the opportunity to work with the parents of our students. We are grateful for their partnership. We know that typically students take seriously the advice of their parents. So we greatly appreciate parents' support of our ongoing efforts. Parents can help their sons or daughters set goals, make good decisions, and plan ahead. They can encourage them to take advantage of the services offered on campus for their benefit. They can urge them to make appointments to visit the career counselor. They can emphasize the importance of attending career workshops, career fairs, information sessions, and on-campus interviews.

Sometimes students just need a little push from Mom and Dad to keep them on track. With the support of parents, we can help ensure that students get the assistance they need. Working together we can help your son or daughter achieve career success. Please encourage your son or daughter to utilize our services, attend our events, and participate in our activities.

Recommended Reading:
Letting Go: A Parent's Guide to Understanding the College Years
by Karen Coburn & Madge Treeger
When Your Kid Goes to College: A Parent's Survival Guide
by Carol Barkin

Career Success

Your son or daughter can achieve success and satisfaction in pursuit of a meaningful career. We offer a variety of programs, services and resources that will help them formulate and realize their career aspirations and prepare and equip them for entry into today's competitive job market. Through comprehensive career planning and exploration, they will be empowered to make good decisions and achieve their goals.

We seek to equip your son or daughter and instill confidence. Our goal is that they become serious career planners instead of simple job hunters. We will show them how to utilize the best techniques and most effective strategies. Please remind them not wait until the last minute. They need to begin early preparing for their career success.

Our competent and caring career counselors will teach your son or daughter how to effectively manage their career. We offer one-on-one consultative appointments to assist them with the development of their job search strategy and career action plan. We offer them the resources necessary to enhance career planning, career exploration, job market research, job search strategies, interview preparation, and resume writing.

Parent Resources
Career Action Plan
Career Resource Handouts
List of Services

Career Counseling

Confidential career counseling by experienced professionals is available by appointment to provide guidance and direction and help address individual needs and minimize any fear or confusion your son or daughter might have regarding their career planning efforts. We assist them in developing a sense of focus through the career exploration process. We offer career testing to assess their interests, abilities, and values and help them match their personality to the career that is the best fit. We provide them the resources and assistance needed to fully explore their career options and make meaningful career choices.

Career Activities

Throughout the school year we offer workshops on a variety of career-related topics, including job search strategies, resume writing, interview preparation, job market trends, professional behavior, and graduate school preparation. These seminars provide practical, comprehensive, real world training for serious-minded candidates.

We sponsor career fairs, information sessions, on-campus interviews, and other networking events to give your son or daughter opportunities to meet and interact with employers and other representatives from the field to gather information and discuss potential employment. Also, we offer programs to facilitate their participation in internships, mentoring, job shadowing, mock interviews, and graduate school fairs.

At Your Service

Mailing Address: BSC Career Services, Birmingham-Southern College, 900 Arkadelphia RoadBox 549010, Birmingham, Alabama 35254
Location: Norton Campus Center, Room 214