See the links above
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Open 9-5 M-F
during semester,
9-4 during breaks.
Advisors on duty
noon to 2, or
by appointment
Career Services
The College at Brockport
350 New Campus Drive
Brockport, NY 14420-2974
(585) 395 2159
fax: (585) 395 2708
101 Rakov Center
Web site:
rkincaid@brockport.edu
Division of Enrollment
Management & Student Affairs
Question about Career Services? Ask Ellsworth!
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DISCUSSING YOUR CAREER CONCERNS WITH FAMILY
· KEEP THE LINES OF COMMUNICATION OPEN
Arrange a time to discuss your career decision with your parents or spouse. Make sure it's a time when none of you have distractions or deadlines. By doing so, you demonstrate that you value their support and opinions and that you are taking the situation seriously. Communication is two-way, listen to each other, and remain calm.
· YOU MAY HAVE TO DEMONSTRATE TO YOUR FAMILY (PARENTS ESPECIALLY) THAT YOU ARE SERIOUSLY ATTEMPTING TO DEAL WITH THE SITUATION.
§ If Undecided: Share with them the steps you are taking to resolve your indecision such as participating in a career planning workshop, seeking individual career advisement, examining career literature, using our career guidance software, arranging information interviews, etc. Explain what these activities consist of because they may be unfamiliar with them. Career Services offers drop-in services from 12 noon to 2 pm Monday to Friday, and by appointment.
§ If Decided: First discuss the steps that you took to resolve your indecision. Then, outline your career planning and preparation strategies. For example, describe your present and future course curricula, volunteer and student organization activities, internships, part-time jobs, mentoring, networking plans, etc.· BE SPECIFIC
A parent or spouse may react unfavorably if you are keeping them in the dark! Instead, deal with specifics. For example, if you are receiving career counseling, describe what has been discussed (e.g., work values, interest themes, assessment of abilities, results of inventories, etc.). You need not reveal all that has been covered in counseling, only that which you feel comfortable discussing and enough to demonstrate the comprehensiveness of the approach. Objections from parents and others often come from fears - for your security. If you can show them how secure and organized your life will be, you can often allay those fears.· PRESENT THE FACTS
If your parents or spouse possess inaccurate or outdated information, gently educate them. Examples of information that you can provide include starting salaries for various job areas, companies' hiring practices by major, and U.S. Labor Market projections for specific career fields. The Career Resource Room (Rakov Center) has many of the directories and references you'll need for this information.· SUPPLEMENT YOUR DISCUSSIONS WITH AVAILABLE PRINTED MATERIAL
If it has been of value to you, it may be of equal value to your parents or spouse. Examples include career assessment results, career handouts, undergraduate and graduate catalogs and course descriptions, etc.. The printed word often carries weight, especially if it's current and accurate. Visit the Career Resource Room for more information.· BE ASSERTIVE
That is, say what's on your mind and express your feelings and opinions honestly and clearly. It is also of equal importance to afford your parents or spouse these same courtesies. You can respect their opinions whether or not you agree with them. You are both entitled to your own opinions. Ultimately, only you can decide what to do with your life. This is especially true if your decision is the result of well thought out, organized, and patient career exploration and planning. Remember, a career is something you do with your life; a job is something you do with your days.Adapted from: Louisiana State University, Career Planning, Placement & Co-op Center
