The Role of Professors in Career Development

By Dr. Lisa M. Wiśniewski 

There are many roles that professors have. This can include teaching classes, being academic advisors, conducting research, and supporting students throughout their college career. The most common way that professors and students interact is in the classroom. However, it is important to consider other ways to interact with professors and how this can be helpful in a student’s career development.

Professors focus on teaching and are experts in their subject area. Many professors worked in their fields before they came to teach. As a result, they may continue to have connections within their field. The benefit to students is a professor may be a great member of their social network and connect students with opportunities. This can be for internships or work after graduation. There are several benefits for students to work with faculty members. It can help support their college and career goals. Here are some of the key areas that working with faculty members can be helpful:

1. Ask questions: being comfortable to ask questions can be helpful for a few reasons. The first includes getting clarification on assignments and doing well in a class. In addition, this can clear up any confusion on questions such as when assignments are due, asking for feedback on assignments, or clarification about grades. This approach will support academic success in college.

2. Academic opportunities: professors may be working on projects that students can help on. This can be conducting research with faculty members or working within the department. These types of opportunities are great to add to a resume and can also be a reference for jobs outside of the university.

3. Career goals: professors retain connections to their fields of study. They may be familiar with job opportunities that they can connect students with. In addition, they can provide letters of recommendation for these job opportunities. Sharing your career goals with professors is a great chance to expand your social network and can lead to getting your dream job.

The pathway to a career begins in the classroom. It is a great opportunity to learn but also to develop and share your goals. Always remember that professors can be partners with students in that journey.