Welcome Families!

By using the Center for Career and Professional Development, all students who have completed a Roger Williams University undergraduate or graduate degree will have the self-knowledge, tools and skills to successfully navigate lifelong careers.

The Center for Career and Professional Development challenges our students to answer the following questions:

• Who are you?

• What do you want to do?

• How will you get there?

To assist students in the difficult process of career discovery and career exploration, the Center for Career & Professional Development utilizes assessments, such as the O*Net Interest Profiler, to collect data about a student’s interests, preferences or work values, and provides students with suggested career paths based on their individual data set. With the results of a self-assessment and a consultation with a career advisor, students will have detailed information about career options and an objective baseline from which to conduct a strategic career engagement process.

How Parents Can Participate in Student Success

• Parents can help drive students to our office for our services and programs. The Center for Career and Professional Development wants our students to have a plan in place prior to graduation, and parents play an important role in guiding and encouraging their students. Together, we can ensure your child is on a path of their choosing.

• We suggest that parents educate themselves in order to help their child with career planning.  To start, read about college hiring and get the latest job-search advice. Look at resources that offer resume help and interview tips.

• Parents need to know how a college degree will help their student get a job.  By having your student actively engage in all the Center for Career and Professional Development has to offer, it will significantly increase their career-readiness.

• Reading Making College Pay will help you understand what your college student should do as early as their first year at college.

• If you are a working professional, consider hosting our students for a job shadowing opportunity so students can learn about industry, professions and career paths and participate in daily activities. Offer an internship to students where they can get academically rigorous hands-on experience for a minimum of 135 hours while they earn three credits. Recruit RWU graduating seniors and alumni for professional positions within your organization. Post them in Handshake and interview the candidates on-campus.