Together with the WashU Center for Career Engagement, parents and families can help guide students and their educational interests into meaningful work. Encourage your student to take advantage of the what the Career Center has to offer.
Ways Parents & Families Help
- Encourage early and regular engagement with a Career Adviser and the Center for Career Engagement’s services and events. We work with students at every stage, from exploring career possibilities to actively seeking post-graduate opportunities. We encourage students to begin building a relationship with the Center for Career Engagement during their first year.
- Discuss and support the importance of multiple, meaningful summer experiences, such as internships, research opportunities and study abroad. These experiences allow students to explore interests, ask questions, create contacts, and make new discoveries about themselves and their career options. Research shows that students with at least one internship are more likely to have an opportunity within 6 months of graduation than students with no internship.
- Observe and listen to your student’s interests, values and strengths. Serve as a coach
and mentor. Encourage your student to update her or his interests in Handshake (WashU’s online database of jobs, internships, and career events) to receive customized announcements of upcoming opportunities. - Tap into your network. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 70% of all jobs are found through networking. Guide your student on how to approach the initial outreach to your professional contacts. With your support, your young adult is ready to lead this search and exploration.
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Ways the Center for Career Engagement Helps
Individual Career Advising
- Self-assessments and career exploration (Strengths Quest, Meyers-Briggs, Strong Interest Inventory, CareerLeader)
- Resume and LinkedIn Profile development and review
- Mock interviews and search strategies
- Graduate school preparation and coaching
- 25+ Career Advisors
Signature Center for Career Engagement Events
- Junior/Senior Job Search Launch
- Junior Jumpstart
- Career Development Day
- Career Early Action
- Etiquette Dinner
- ACE Shadowing Program
Student Outreach
- Regular engagement on social media
- Auto-search emails notifying students of opportunities
- Weekly eNewsletters of upcoming events
- Email announcements for events and positions
Peer-to-Peer Networking
1,800+ Internship experiences shared online by WashU students, allowing students to reach out to classmates for insider advice & connections. Encourage your student to log into students.wustl.edu/success-stories to start browsing.
Career Interest Groups
Industry-focused, educational skill-building groups that explore various career opportunities and often include engagement with professionals. Groups include:
- Architecture
- Consulting
- Engineering
- Entertainment
- Explorers
- Fashion
- Finance
- Government & Public Policy
- Pre-Grad
- Pre-Health
- Pre-Law
- Strategic Communications
- Sustainability
Employer Engagement
- On-campus interviews
- Three+ on-campus and off-campus Career Fairs annually
- Multiple small Career Fairs, on-campus yearly
- Alumni shadowing & mentoring programs
- “Lunch with a Pro” and “Coffee with a Pro” and Meetup Events
- Multiple Road Shows: industry-specific site visits and tours nationwide
- 7000+ jobs & internships posted by employers on CAREERlink each year
- Online alumni groups, including the 25,000+ LinkedIn WashU Alumni Group
Additional Resources
Website:
WashU Graduates Outcome Data
PDF Download:
Career Planning 101: A Guide for Parents & Families
Center for Career Engagement
- Physical Address: 6475 Forsyth Blvd, Suite 110
- Phone: 314-935-5930
Main Office: DUC 110
Monday – Friday: 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Careers@wustl.edu
Find a Career Adviser
Make an Appointment
The Mission of the WashU Center for Career Engagement is to support students and alumni as they transform their passions, education, and skills into purposeful career paths by teaching lifelong career development strategies and by connecting our diverse students, alumni, and employers.