Do you know where I can find a job?” is a recurring question on campus–not a new one, but one having greater urgency these days. Hillsdale’s excellent liberal arts education gives your child an advantage, and using this advantage requires planning, preparation and performance.

Supporting our students is a dedicated faculty, staff and administration. Your child, however, is the one who must take charge of his or her career.

Planning encompasses deciding what to do with one’s education. There are many questions college students must ask themselves: “Where can I use my education so hard gained?” “For what jobs has my education prepared me?” “Which jobs are of interest to me?” You may have already heard similar questions at home.

There are several steps helpful in responding to these questions:

1. Your child must set aside quiet times to think of his or her interests and explore “what if” themes (“I can’t” is not allowed). “Know thyself” should be at the center of these thoughts.
2. Your child should talk with family and experienced people whom they trust.
3. Encourage your child to research jobs.

The online Occupational Outlook Handbook found in libraries and Hillsdale’s Career Planning Office is a publication that will amaze both you and your child. It lists all the jobs in the United States (there are so many we do not know) and indicates future employment opportunities, earning potentials, education requirements, job locations and where to find additional information.

This source is especially helpful for those who do not know what they want to do. If your child is among this group, it is best to select two or three areas of interest and study them before going on to the next stage: preparation.

Preparation requires time and effort. First, I advise students to assemble the names of companies employing in their interest areas. They should secure names, addresses and phone numbers, and select several. They should then research the companies and their competitors in order to learn their strengths, markets, products and services.

Next, they should prepare a one-page resume highlighting their education, skills and experiences needed by the company. Here, we encourage students to avoid locking into a “standard” resume. It is best to write a cover letter that is brief and that identifies one’s interest and potential contribution to the company. Our students are advised to use high quality, business-type (color, size) paper when preparing their resume, cover letter and correspondence.

Preparing oneself is the next step. Your child should plan his or her appearance. Clothes should be cleaned and pressed, and their fit, match and style should be appropriate for a business interview. Hair must be clean and groomed in a business style. Ladies should minimize their jewelry and makeup. Men should be clean shaven and leave the earring at home if they wear one. And we tell our students to plan the questions they need answered during the interview and the points they want to make about themselves.

Hillsdale’s Career Planning Office is a major resource. Please encourage your child to use it and to keep informed about programs, speakers, training sessions, on-campus interviews and off-site job fairs. The Career Planning Office can help your child research companies, prepare a resume and cover letter, hone interviewing skills through mock interview sessions, undergo dressing and personal grooming training and practice etiquette at special dinners.

Performance is where planning and preparation shine. When it is time for our students to go to the interviews they have chosen, they can go with confidence, knowing they have planned and prepared. They can walk in and speak clearly, answering questions and presenting themselves as individuals with a fine liberal arts education demonstrated by their knowledge in a variety of fields.

Hillsdale College students are candidates who have the ability to learn many disciplines while performing at the highest levels of achievement. They are the new hires that companies can use effectively in planning, preparation, performance and success.

by Dr. Charles E. Davies Jr.
Stranahan Professor of Family Business and Associate Professor of Business