Western Illinois University: Macomb Campus

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Parent Resources

You as parents play an integral role in your sons’/daughters’ educational and career development.  There are a variety of resources that our office provides and we encourage you to look over these services (with your son/daughter) on our home page.  Please join us on Facebook (Western Illinois Career Services) and Twitter (@WIUCareers).

Career Exploration: We strongly suggest that you start with the What Can I Do With This Major? This site will provide information on what sort of careers are best suited for each academic major.  Within this link, there is The Occupational Outlook Handbook  (from the US Department of Labor), that will provide specific information on careers including what the career entails, the type of education and training that is needed, and the future outlook for each career.  The O*NET Online link will allow the user to conduct a skills search to match-up with specific occupations. These sites are on our home page.

Internships: More and more employers are requiring that new graduates Must Have experience in their specific career field to even be considered for employment.  Whether or not these are paid or un-paid internships, the important thing is that students have this "real world" experience completed before they graduate.  Many employers would like multiple internships completed over the summer months or up to 12 months in duration.  There are certain majors that require an internship for their curriculum.  If this is the case, we encourage students to discuss this with their department internship coordinator or department chair.

About Our Office

• We do not get jobs for students, we are not a placement agency
• We cannot help those that are unwilling to help themselves
• We provide the tools necessary so that your son/daughter will be prepared to enter the world of work.  Please return to our main page to see the list of services that our office provides to assist your son/daughter

What Can You Do As Parents

• Trust your son/daughter and allow them to make their own decisions
• It’s OK if they don’t know what they want to do at this time, encourage them to explore many different types of career possibilities
• Allow them to “adjust” to college life because it takes time to be a good student.  Students need a good balance of education, work, and social life
• Encourage your son/daughter to become involved; a club, an organization, a fraternity/sorority, part-time job while in school
• If you have more than one college age child, try not to compare them and treat each child as an individual with possibly different educational and career goals
• Foster independence and growth to help your son/daughter to become more responsible for their futures
• Be aware of your son’s/daughter’s use of credit cards.  It is very easy to “run-up” a mountain of debt.  More employers are using credit and finance checks to screen potential employees

Additional Resource Offices

General Resources:

The Student Assistance & Parent Resource Center: A comprehensive resource covering everything from Financial Aid/Costs, Billings, Federal Right to Privacy Act (FERPA),  moving to campus, and parking are just a few of the available resources

Safety Issues:

The Office of Public Safety: Everything on the Emergency Alert System, Campus Escort System, EMS, Team Police, and Student Patrols

Personal Issues:

The University Counseling Center: Dealing with academic and personal issues are some of the resources available

On-Campus Housing:

University Housing and Dining Services: Housing contracts, roommates, visitor, internet access, phones, fridges, and residence life policies are just some of the information that is available

Academic Issues:

Student Development and Orientation: Academic success and personal development, emergency and crisis follow-up assistance, student absence, total university withdrawal are some of the services provided

Health Issues:

The Beu Health Center: For all things medical related

Contact Info

Career Services
Memorial Hall 125
1 University Circle
Macomb, IL 61455

Email: careers@wiu.edu
Phone: (309) 298-1838