Tips for talking majors and careers with family

Going home for break can be relaxing while you spend time with family as well as getting some time away from school work. It is common to encounter questions from parents and family members asking about school, major, and next steps toward your career. Below are some tips to talk with family about careers over your winter break!

Questions you might encounter

What are you going to major in?

• If you already declared your major, or further confirmed your decision on a major, you can discuss what classes you plan to take next semester or (current or future) involvement in something that will help you gain experience in your discipline.
• Still deciding? Talk about how you are exploring different classes – list ones you are currently taking or really enjoy. Share something you are really curious about. Talk about any student organizations, team projects, volunteering, or other extracurriculars you’re participating in that may help you explore possible engineering fields.

• If you aren't sure yet, tell your family about the ways you are exploring possibilities. You can explore a variety of job titles associated with your engineering disciplines and learn more about those roles using

  • Engineering Pathways
  • Candid Career
  • O*NET Online My Next Move
  • What Can I Do with This Major?

So, what are your plans after graduation?

This may feel like a loaded question. If you have not confirmed your plans, answer in parts and have a clear direction for how you want to lead the conversation.

• If you plan to pursue professional employment, indicate your knowledge of the steps in the job search process and which portion of the process you are currently working on.
  
  1. Build materials | Resumes, Cover Letters, Digital Profiles
  2. Target your search
  3. Build connections
  4. Apply and Interview
  5. Assess, evaluate, and accept or decline offers
  6. Familiarize with cost of living tools + budget planning
  
  Mention any specific tools you are using (hint: Handshake, LinkedIn, professional associations) or contacts you have / will be reaching out to as you seek to learn about companies (hint: Make Connections; Career Conversations).
• If you plan to pursue graduate school, talk about your timeframe for the application process or researching potential programs.
• Meeting with an Engineering Career Coach helps too! Talk about the CDCR resources you plan to use and schedule an appointment after break to go over any questions or concerns you may have.

Remember, family members care for you and just want to help! Think about ways they can be of help and ask them for specific assistance.

• Get feedback to help you understand your strengths and passions. Your family members often know you better than anyone. This will help you identify possible roles or articulate your strengths during an interview.
• Tap into your family’s network, even if it’s informally. Neighbors, friends, co-workers, friends of friends, acquaintances. Don’t ask them to reach out for you, but ask for contact information so you can get in touch!
• Ask for perspective and counsel on making choices in life. Right now – your next step after graduation likely feels very high stakes. Your parents and family members can provide perspective on how they have made choices over the years based on the best information at hand, and then revisited and re-evaluated their decisions later in life.