For Families

Welcome Parents and Families!

Archived CDO Newsletters (PDF) ...more>>

We want to assure you the Career Development Office is available to all students, first-year through seniors, as well as alumni, and to stress how important career preparation is to the success of your student.

It is never too early for students to take the initiative in preparing themselves for their first professional position, applying to graduate/professional school, or seeking post-graduate service. We regularly publicize our services to students, but we want to make our services known to you as well.

We offer:

One-on-one career advising to develop career goals, assess interests and abilities for possible career applications.

Assessment testing with any of the three free instruments to assist students in making informed career choices (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, Strong Interest Inventory, and FOCUS-2).

Weekly e-mail notifications about jobs, internships, summer opportunities and updates on career events through the CDO Newsletter and the Intern Connection Newsletter, as well as access to postings 24/7 through PioneerLink, our online career management center.

On-campus recruiting from graduate schools and nationally recognized employers seeking full-time and intern candidates.

Job fairs in several Iowa locations and throughout the U.S. to expose students to career opportunities nationwide through the Selective Liberal Arts Consortium (SLAC) and the Iowa College Recruiting Network (ICoRN).

Graduate and Professional School Fair to be held Tuesday, October 14, 2008 on the Grinnell College campus.

Use of a mentoring network through the Grinnell College Alumni Online Directory.

Etiquette sessions:
Mix & Mingle: How to Work a Room
Wine, Dine: How to Act Fine

Fourteen informational sessions each month:
Graduate School Planning, Writing Resumes and Cover Letters, Interview Techniques, GRE Basics, Dress to Impress, and much more.

Career Development Office Services
An overview of the services available to your student.

4 Year Plan (PDF)
A list of suggested activities for your student to consider as they move forward during their stay at Grinnell College.

Jobweb
An online resource for parents provided by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).

Confessions of a Helicopter Parent (PDF)

These articles will help you guide your student in their career development:

A Parent's Guide to Career Development (PDF)

A Career Planning Course for Parents (PDF)

A Career Action Plan (PDF)

How Assessment Can Help You Choose a Major or a Career (PDF)

(Please note the above PDFs were created by the National Association of Colleges and Employers. If you experience any difficulty in trying to view these documents, please visit www.naceweb.org or contact the CDO at career@grinnell.edu.