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College to career?

College-to-Career Counseling in Connecticut: Helping College Students Find Direction in a Rapidly Changing World

Increasingly, I meet parents and college students across Connecticut — including Old Lyme, New Haven, Madison, Guilford, Essex, Fairfield County, and the Connecticut shoreline — who share the same concern:

“My son (or daughter) is in college and still doesn’t know what they want to do.”

A generation ago, that situation was completely normal. College was the place where students “figured things out.” Freshmen and sophomores routinely said, “I have no idea what I want to do,” and no one worried very much.

Today, that uncertainty carries more weight.

In what I call the New World of Work, career direction during college matters more than ever. Internships, skills, and early professional experiences increasingly shape post-college opportunities. Students who drift through college without a developing direction often find the transition to work more difficult than expected.

At Career Counseling Connecticut, a growing part of our work involves college-to-career counseling for students currently in college — helping them move from uncertainty to direction while there is still time to build a strong path forward.

Terry and Tyler: A College Student Searching for Direction

Terry lives in Old Lyme, Connecticut, and like many parents along the Connecticut shoreline, she is thoughtful and engaged in her son’s future.

Her son Tyler was doing well academically at college. His grades were solid. He had adjusted well socially. He was responsible and capable.

But when Terry asked about career plans, Tyler’s answers were vague.

“I don’t know yet.”

“I’m still figuring it out.”

“Maybe something in business… or maybe not.”

At first, Terry assumed this was normal.

But as sophomore year turned into junior year, the uncertainty remained.

Tyler could complete assignments and do well on exams, but he could not picture himself in any particular career. Conversations about internships felt overwhelming. Career fairs felt confusing. Choosing a major had not clarified his direction.

Like many college students in Connecticut colleges and universities — including UConn, Quinnipiac, Fairfield University, Wesleyan, and other regional schools — Connor was academically successful but professionally uncertain.

Terry began searching for career counseling in Connecticut for college students and eventually contacted Career Counseling Connecticut.

The Modern College Student’s Dilemma

Tyler’s situation is increasingly common.

Many college students are capable and motivated but lack clear career direction. They attend classes, earn good grades, and progress toward graduation — yet remain unsure how their education connects to work.

College career offices often help with résumés and job listings, but many students need something deeper:

This is the focus of college-to-career counseling in Connecticut.

From Confusion to Possibility

When Connor began career counseling, he appeared thoughtful but uncertain.

Like many students, he had never gone through a structured process of career exploration.

We began with:

Gradually, Tyler began to see patterns.

He started recognizing strengths he had never fully articulated. Certain kinds of work began to stand out as better fits than others. Majors and career paths that once seemed abstract began to look concrete.

The shift was noticeable.

Instead of saying “I have no idea what I want to do,” Tyler began asking:

His confusion began turning into curiosity.

Curiosity turned into excitement.

Terry saw the difference.

Tyler no longer felt stuck. He felt engaged in building a future.

An Oddly Optimistic View

I have an oddly optimistic view for my clients.

The world of work is changing rapidly. Artificial intelligence, automation, remote work, and shifting economic structures are creating uncertainty.

But chaos creates opportunity.

Really.

Periods of disruption often produce new paths that did not exist before. Students who develop direction and adaptability can do extremely well in changing environments.

Many families worry that the future will be harder for today’s college students.

In many ways, it will be.

But in other ways, the possibilities are greater than ever.

A Personal Example

My own career path illustrates what I mean.

I began as an attorney working in large organizations in large cities. By traditional standards, it was a successful and stable path.

When I left law to become an educator and counselor and to start an education business — particularly in coastal Connecticut — many people thought the decision was crazy.

They were firmly rooted in what I would call the Old World of Work mentality, where stable careers followed predictable paths.

My decision was not based primarily on strategy. It was based on a sense of calling.

But I also sensed that the world of work was shifting. I believed that creating one’s own work — building something meaningful — would become increasingly practical.

At the time, I could not have articulated this clearly.

I knew that the New World of Work was emerging.

Looking back, that instinct proved correct.

The Opportunity for Today’s Students

I see the same possibilities for today’s college students.

Students who feel uncertain now are not necessarily in trouble.

Often, they are simply at the beginning of a discovery process that can lead to strong and meaningful careers.

With the right guidance, things could be very good for your children.

Really.

Students who:

are well-positioned for success in the New World of Work.

Career Counseling Connecticut

At Career Counseling Connecticut, we provide career counseling for college students across Connecticut, including:

We help college students move from uncertainty to direction while there is still time to build a strong career path.

If your college student feels unsure about the future, that uncertainty is not unusual — but it is best addressed early.

Clarity creates confidence.

Confidence creates action.

And action creates opportunity.