Parents and Families

How to support your student

1. Be a listener.

   • Offer attentive listening and truthful responses without passing judgment.
   • Engage in conversations about the subjects and activities your student finds engaging, and inquire about any shifts in interests—they often switch majors.

2. Be an advocate.

   • Promote participation in campus activities. Co-curricular engagements offer students invaluable opportunities to cultivate skills such as leadership, organization, and time management.
   • Adopt your student's perspective. Understand the challenges they face and the myriad decisions confronting them. Reflect on your own experiences at their age.

3. Be a network resource.

   • Aid your student in establishing networks for guidance, counsel, and support in career planning and job hunting.(e.g., connecting with friends, coworkers, family, or church members in positions they are interested in.
   • Recommend that your student cultivate relationships with faculty members as they often serve as key references for jobs, internships, scholarships, or further studies.
   • Propose the pursuit of internships or part-time employment opportunities.

4. Encourage them to meet with a Career Coach!

   • You can help by becoming familiar with our career development roadmap and encouraging your student to take advantage of our services. We assist with:
     • Vocation and Career Exploration
     • Career Assessments
     • Resume and Cover Letter Writing
     • Networking
     • Interviewing
     • Job and Internship Search
     • Graduate School Preparation

Is your family member a prospective student considering Bethel? Start your journey here. 

 

Career connections across campus

One of our goals is to create connections to careers throughout campus. From the classroom to events, we are working on integrating careers into key channels to reach the whole student population and prepare them for the world of work. Here are the connections we are currently making:

• Recruiting for Careers & Internships
• Career-Infused Classroom Learning
• Flexible Opportunities for Professional Mentoring

 

Employers and professionals

Want to get involved and share your time and talents with Bethel’s amazing students? There are three main ways you can help Bethel students in their career development:

• Hire a Bethel Student or graduate for a job or internship.
• Attend an employer showcase or host a table on campus.
• Volunteer your time and professional talents with the Office of Career Development and Calling.

If you are interested in these opportunities, please reach out to career-development@bethel.edu.