The Last Lesson: Are research papers the best final takeaway for your graduating college students?

last lesson

Have you heard of the Last Lecture? College professors are asked to think about what matters deeply to them and give a hypothetical “last talk” – what final words of wisdom do they want to share? As a long-time college professor, I’ve always understood that the flip-side of teaching is learning – and it is […]

Career Guidance for First-Generation Students

Career Guidance for First-Generation College Students

First-generation college students are learners from households where neither parent (or guardian) has obtained a Bachelor’s degree. In other words, they are the first ones in their immediate family to attend college. These students forge their own paths ahead in college without following footsteps from a previous generation which can be both exciting yet intimidating. […]

What Education Can Learn From Uber? Technology

technology

Technology gives our generation the opportunity to revolutionize industries. Ridesharing apps such as Uber became the future of public transportation. So what can the education industry learn from Uber? Disruption and evolution best describe the future state of education in 2020. Crushing debt, new innovative channels for skills acquisition, a new focus on certifications and […]

Employers with Benefits: Investing in Talent Through Career Development

Employers with benefits

By now you’ve heard of the “gig economy,” in which workers and organizations contract for short-term projects – based on the need of the employer and the availability of individual workers. You may have heard the term “protean career” a term used to describe a career path that is managed by the individual, not the […]

Discover, Embrace, and Fulfill Your True Self this New Year

true self

With every new year comes an internal pressure to become a happier, healthier, more productive version of ourselves. An alarm goes off in our mind that screams THIS IS IT – this is the year I am going to change myself for the better. While making positive lifestyle changes is never a bad idea, I […]

Should You Use Online Personality Tests to Help Students Choose Majors?

online personality tests

I recently came upon this blog, which raises the question of whether college career counselors should use online personality tests to help students choose their major. I think the author comes down on the side of “yes they should,” with the caution that the assessments used should be reliable, valid, fair (unbiased), and suitable for […]

The Power of Two: Knowing Yourself is the Beginning of all Wisdom

Knowing Yourself is the Beginning of all Wisdom

Knowing Yourself is the Beginning of all Wisdom Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom. In prior blogs, we’ve talked about the importance of grounding your career planning on reflecting what has already driven you and engaging in self-exploration to guide your planning.  You may have heard Plato’s advice: Know thyself.  But did you know […]

How to Make Career Decision: Flip the Script

How to make career decision

Three of the most important decisions young adults will make involve their major, their college, and their career. How should students make those decisions and, more importantly, in what order? Some students may pick the college they’d like to attend based on location, recommendations, or their parent’s alma mater. After a few semesters at school, […]

Best Career Advice: Are Colleges Giving Students What They Need?

best career advice

Do U.S. colleges provide students the best career advice to build successful careers?  According to an article in The Atlantic, maybe not. Citing the results of a Gallup-Purdue Index study suggesting that just one in six college graduates in the U.S. found their Career Services office to be “very helpful.” The article argues that perhaps […]

Should Strengths Guide Students’ Vocational Discernment?

Vocational discernment

Should Strengths Guide Students’ Vocational Discernment? There is something intuitively appealing about strengths. We tend to assume that identifying and leaning on their unique strengths is a key path for helping students develop and succeed. That assumption seems like a safe one, but it doesn’t answer the question of how, precisely, student strengths influence their […]