Many students are looking for a summer job at this time of the year. If your college student is looking for a job to help with expenses, you might be wondering what you can do to help. Now that they're in college, however, it may be unclear exactly what is expected from you.

Our kids are always our kids whether they are four or 24! At times it is hard to shift our parenting role from caregiver to guide or coach. This is particularly tough when your child is in college and entering the working world. Understanding your role when they are looking for work can make their work search process less stressful.

As guide or coach, you are not expected to have all of the right answers or to "make things work." Be there to listen, support and help your child plan strategies and take action.

As coach, you can check that they:

• Know what they want and understand themselves
• Know the types of work they are looking for
• Understand the job market and how to access it
• Need a plan

As part of the work search process, you can help them:

• Begin to network
• Conduct informational interviews
• Target possible work opportunities
• Research companies
• Look for opportunities
• Market themselves with their resume
• Follow their market research with job application activities
• Write covering letters to accompany their resume
• Fill out application forms
• Understand their rights as a worker
• Learn effective interviewing techniques

Using these strategies does not guarantee a job at the end.

Three factors contribute to the success of the job search:

• Applying job-search techniques
• Personal style used in the job search
• LUCK! Being in the right place at the right time; knowing the right people and being the right person at the right time

Increasing and using a network can help increase the "luck" factor. Helping them establish their network is a good place to start.

The more people that know they are looking for work, the more their opportunities will be expanded. There is a strategy to accomplish this.

Everyone they come in contact with on a daily basis is a potential source for work leads, whether they are family, friends, neighbors, previous employers, colleagues or instructors. As a parent and coach you can make some contacts for your kids: your tennis partner, work associate or waiter at the restaurant you frequent. Once your son or daughter has the contact, the ball is in their court to follow up.

Have your son or daughter get some advice from these contacts and ask for referrals to help with their job search. While explaining their goals and what they are looking for, make sure they are clear about whether they want contacts for a career "informational interview" or whether they are looking for contacts in hopes of getting a job.

Coach them not to ask for a job when they are visiting for a career informational interview. It is important to keep the two types of interviews separate, to keep the on-going support of the contact for further referrals. Always leave a networking or informational interview by asking who else they could talk to or who may be hiring in the area they are interested in.

Encourage your kids to listen carefully during the interview and ask for business cards that they can keep on file. These cards may be useful later on.

Coach your kids to make sure they thank all their contacts for their time and any referrals that may have resulted from the meeting. If they land a job from any of these referrals, make sure they follow up with a specific thank-you note or a phone call letting the referral know they were successful in finding work.

Networking can help with that luck factor, but more importantly, it gives your kids that increased support system that will help them find the kind of work they are looking for.

Speaking of the luck factor, good luck coaching your child's work search!