Q & A with Rachel Greenberg, Director, Career Center
What is your role and what most inspires you in your position working with students?
I’m currently the director of the Career Center. I’ve worked there for over 13 years now, serving in a few different roles, but have always been focused on finding ways to best support students as they discover, design, and pursue goals that align with their interests, skills, and values. What most inspires and excites me about this work is witnessing a student’s energy and confidence shift in a positive direction as they feel empowered to pursue their purpose.
What are some ways parents can support their students as they explore different career paths and embark on job searches?
First and foremost, parents can best support students by cheering them on and staying curious about their interests, goals, and their process of self-discovery. Helping your student view their career choices as part of the broader life story they get to create—rather than as a prescribed checklist of things to do—can make the process and the decisions they make feel more meaningful, purposeful, and enjoyable. The greatest support you can provide may simply be to serve as their sounding board and to help them stay grounded and keep things in perspective.
Similarly, because exploring career paths and pursuing jobs and internships— while also staying on top of schoolwork, jobs, and other commitments—can be stressful for many students, we recommend limiting your questions to those that help you better understand where your student’s interests lie and how they want you to support them as they seek to discover their purpose. When they do express that they are seeking help, encourage them to access the resources available to them through the Career Center. They can visit us virtually or in-person—we're right on Comm. Ave. next to St. Ignatius! Our welcoming and supportive team of professionals are available to work with students individually through career coaching as well as in groups through career-related events and programs throughout the year. Remind your student to start wherever they are and simply take their Next Step forward.
Finally, you can learn alongside your student to make sure you are not inadvertently providing inaccurate information. Hiring practices and timelines vary depending on industry and change over time, so staying educated yourself can be beneficial to both you and your student. Asking your child what they are learning about the search process for their career field of interest and letting them teach you can be a good way to open up lines of communication. Or perhaps you could explore resources together such as where past BC graduates have landed (which includes hiring timeline data) or how to prepare for a job or internship search. Just be sure you let your student take the lead as that will foster greater confidence and trust.
What are some key programs and resources that students can take advantage of at the Career Center this spring semester?
There are many resources and programs for students across all majors to take advantage of. Following are some events and resources students should be aware of this spring:
Key Events to Connect with Alumni and Employers:
Nursing, Health, and Science Fair | Friday, February 21
Communication, Arts, and Marketing Networking Event | Wednesday, March 19
Social Services Recruitment Fair | Friday, March 21
Additional Resources:
Eagle Intern Fellowship: A funding opportunity for students on financial aid who receive unpaid summer internships | 2025 Deadlines: February 24, March 31, and April 28
Eagle Exchange: A virtual platform that fosters connections between students and Boston College alumni to build a professional network, ask career-related questions, find alumni mentors, and more.
More resources and details can be found on our website.