Translating Education into Careers

1. Translating Education into Careers Donald Hafner Vice Provost, Undergraduate Academic Affairs Janet Costa Bates Associate Director, Career Center

2. Translating Education into Careers • The Value of a Liberal Arts Education • Translating a Liberal Arts Education into a Career • University/Parent Partnership

3. Liberal Arts Core as Practical Education

4. Liberal Arts Core as Practical Education

5. Liberal Arts Core as Practical Education

6. Six Goals of the Boston College Core Boston College graduates will — • Understand enduring questions of nature, society, and the purpose and destiny of human existence • Reflect on the values and commitments that give spiritual significance and practical direction to their lives • Understand diverse cultural perspectives on these enduring questions • Understand the historical development of ideas and fields of knowledge • Develop skill in the diverse methodologies of Core disciplines • Develop writing, quantitative, and expressive skills necessary to organize and communicate ideas

7. Six Goals of the Boston College Core Boston College graduates will — • Understand enduring questions of nature, society, and the purpose and destiny of human existence • Reflect on the values and commitments that give spiritual significance and practical direction to their lives • Understand diverse cultural perspectives on these enduring questions • Understand the historical development of ideas and fields of knowledge • Develop skill in the diverse methodologies of Core disciplines • Develop writing, quantitative, and expressive skills necessary to organize and communicate ideas

8. Students Need… • An understanding of themselves An understanding of skills, interests and values will be developed as they try different things, perhaps through campus involvement, and as they challenge themselves. As students challenge themselves, they will strengthen their sense of confidence.

9. Students Need… • An understanding of the workplace • What work settings appeal to the student? • Which employers/work settings match the student’s skills, interests and values? • What is the workplace culture? • What skills do employers need?

10. Employers Want More Emphasis On… • The ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing 89% • Critical thinking and analytical reasoning skills 81% • The ability to apply knowledge and skills to real-world settings through internships or other hands-on experiences 79% • The ability to analyze and solve complex problems 75% • The ability to connect choices and actions to ethical decisions 75% • Teamwork skills and the ability to collaborate in diverse settings 71% • The ability to innovate and be creative 70% Raising the Bar: Employers’ Views On College Learning In The Wake Of The Economic Downturn A Survey Among Employers Conducted On Behalf Of The Association Of American Colleges And Universities By Hart Research Associates

11. Connecting with BC Alumni • Students learn about the workplace by reading out it and talking to professionals about it • As often as possible, we connect BC students with BC alumni in order to give students a workplace perspective. • We bring alumni to campus through our Networking Nights, our Career Conversations series and our Lunch and Learn series.

12. BC on the Road BC students are encouraged to take advantage of on-site visits with BC alumni.

13. RealJobs Blog • BC alumni shared their career insight and day to day activities by blogging their work week. Many of the entries show the alumni brought the value of their Jesuit education with them to the workplace. • http://www.bc.edu/offices/careers/careers/networking/realjobs.html

14. Students Need… • Opportunities to build their skills • Through involvement in campus activities • Volunteer experiences • Summer jobs • And very importantly, INTERNSHIPS!

15. Internships • Students should try to do at least one, preferably two internships before they graduate • Internship drop-ins from 1 to 4 at the Career Center Monday thru Friday during the academic year • Internship Grants and Advanced Study Grants offer opportunities for students to be compensated as they gain experience around the globe.

16. Students Need… • The right job search tools • One of the strongest job search tools is networking. Students are encouraged to network with BC alumni through many on campus events and electronically through sites such as LinkedIn. • The BC Career Center has a strong recruiting program coordinating hundreds of employer visits each year. • The Career Center hosts an annual Career Fair, an Education Fair and a Nursing Fair

17. How Parents Can Help • Encourage your child to become involved on campus • Be aware of Career Center Programs • careercenter.bc.edu • Parents Page • Check Career Center calendar for special events • Read the once a semester Career Center Parent Update

18. How Parents Can Help • Give Students a Career Perspective • Jobs can be in a field other than academic major • First job lasts an average of 18 months • 10 years after graduation: • average of 3 jobs, including 1 major career change • The economy is cyclical • Necessary sacrifices and compromises

19. Three Questions • Share the following questions with your sons and daughters: • What gives you joy? • Are you good at it? • Does the world need it?