Services for Families

Families are critical contributors to students' career development. Students will often turn to trusted family members for advice and guidance.

Career Services is here to support your student throughout their time at SUNY Oswego and beyond. We can help provide you with resources, tips, and information that you can share with your students. We look forward to partnering with you along the way.

Supporting Your Student

You are critical to your student’s success! Explore the many ways you can support their career development.

Return on Investment

Our graduates live amazing lives and are so accomplished. Check out our first destination outcomes by school, major, and geography.

Career Coaches

Your student has their very own career coach who specializes in your student’s field of interest. We even have a coach who specializes in “I’m not quite sure.”

Success Checklist

Successfully navigating college with a focus on career readiness is a process. We’ve outlined the steps to take each year to ensure your student is prepared to launch.

Tips for the College Parent

Here are a couple of articles that will help you support your student!

Career Planning Checklist

Use the checklist below to help your student make the best use of their time in college and plan for their future.

First Year: Welcome Home

Familiarize yourself with the Career Services website and connect with us via Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn to stay up to date with our current events, tools, resources, and services.
Inform your student that we offer 1:1 personalized career coaching in the areas of Business; STEM & Health Care; Communication, Media and the Arts; Education, Public and Human Services; and Major and Career Exploration.
Encourage your student to take our online self-assessments which will help them to understand their own unique personality characteristics, strengths, interests, values, and more.
Promote your student’s involvement in campus activities, clubs, organizations, and jobs that match their interests. Check-out LakerLife, the hub for students involvement.
Assist your student with establishing their online presence and their career preparation skills using our Networking and Professional Development pages.
Be open and willing to discuss ideas your student has regarding their current or potential major and career fields of interest. See What Can I Do With a Major In... to explore possible careers.
Encourage your student to connect with an alumni mentor through the ASK Program to explore career paths.

Sophomore Year: Assess and Explore

Assist your student as they further explore potential occupations and majors. Encourage them to set up a meeting with their academic advisor or a career coach to explore careers.
Support your student as they gain valuable experiential knowledge through community service, part-time work, student clubs, and co-curricular activities that relate to their interests and skills.
Brainstorm with your student professionals in their field of interest who can be contacted for informational interviews and/or shadowing. Don’t forget about CandidCareer videos, too! Here you will find an extensive library of informational videos, including SUNY Oswego alumni.
Consider suggesting your student attend one of our Career Fairs in their Fall or Spring semester. This allows for them to get a taste of what to expect in the future and serves as a great way to gather information on potential careers and employers. View all events hosted by Career Services.
Encourage your student to start thinking about or seeking out potential internships for academic credit in their junior and/or senior year.
Empower your student to start their LinkedIn profile and take a professional headshot using resources at Career Services.
Remind your student to use the resources from our Professional Development page to help them network and build their personal brand.

Junior Year: Evaluate and Network

Remind your student to regularly update their LinkedIn profile.
Encourage your student to complete an internship for academic credit.
Recommend that your student to customize their résumés and cover letters to match positions they are interested in. Encourage them to meet with a Career Peer Intern or schedule a meeting with a Career Coach for a review and critique.
If your student is considering graduate school as an option, facilitate the start of the brainstorming and search process.
Encourage your student’s participation in meaningful co-curricular activities and support them in seeking out a leadership role within these groups if possible.
Discuss positive networking strategies that will allow your student to build strong professional relationships with individuals who could potentially serve as a reference.
Remind your student to attend our Career Internship Fairs and Graduate School Fairs.
Speak to your student about solidifying career-related choices and goals.

Senior Year: Market Yourself and Search

Encourage your student to update and enhance their LinkedIn profile to broaden their professional network.
Have your student check out CandidCareer videos to increase their knowledge of networking techniques, interviewing skills, and how to financially succeed after graduation.
Encourage your student to take part in mock and on-campus interviews through Career Services.
Make sure your student reads through our Professional Development page, tailors their résumés and cover letters, and continues to polish their personal brand.
Remind your student to attend our Career Internship Fairs and Graduate School Fairs, emphasizing networking with potential employers of interest.
Remind your student to solidify their references and share their career aspirations with mentors and supervisors.
Listen, discuss, and support your student as they launch their career search process. Remind them it is best to start sooner rather than later!

Contact Us

145 Marano Campus Center
Phone: 315-312-2255
Email: [email protected]

Connect with a Career Coach
Meet with a Career Peer Intern

Career Tools

Discover the best online tools available to help you explore majors and careers, find internships and jobs, develop amazing documents, and connect with others!

Online Career Tools