Dr. Susan Schulz

kim`, Great that the discussion of placement starts early at your school. And great that you introduce career services early on as well. We also believe that career services and assignments need to start on day 1. How are you doing that? Many schools make these assignments a requirement. We agree. And we definitely vote for internships for every program - not those where practical experience is required as part of the training. In fact, I'll be giving a talk on experiential learning at ABEHS conference at the end of the month. Perhaps you will be there? Thanks, Susan Dr.… >>>

kim`, Yes, successful career schools know how to focus on customer satisfaction for the customers - students and employers.Interesting that you wait 6 months to contact grads. We believe that grads need to be contacted at least once a month for forever! Alumni can enroll in the next level programs and make a difference in your institution as discussed in earlier comments. We feel that grads should see their schools as a resource for ongoing training, use of library, and assistance in any phase of their job search, loss of job, goals to seek promotion, increased salary and lots more.… >>>

Antonio , Sounds like you have great signage. Ideally there is traffic and you measure results about people who visit your school as a result of the signs. Are they quality leads? It's always good to put new marketing strategies in place. We think each decision has to be well thought out, tested, and then evaluated for results. TV and radio often sound great. So far we have heard just a handful of success stories and only for certain schools. Following contacts is often the key to success. People don't always respond to the first contact. We find at least… >>>

Antonio , Great. Large databases of emails and email blasts always worry us. The first question is who is on the database? Are they qualified leads who might be interested in your training and would they likely have friends, employers, or relatives interested? The other concern is how often do you send out a blast and what does it say? Too much and viewers will ask to be deleted or simply not read your messages. If there is little interesting or valuable information that also reduces viewership. Every strategy has pluses and minuses. Every strategy has to be measured for… >>>

Antonio , This is all great. What kind of training do you give your students and staff who attend the events? It is important to remind them about what they can and cannot say and how to represent your school to the public. It is great that you are attending industry trade shows and expos as well. This tells your community who you are and your interest in being a contributing part of the community. Yes, getting help is always a challenge especially if there is limited staff and volunteers. This is a good reason to stay in touch with… >>>

Cassandra, We feel that Planning is a must regardless of how long the institution has been functioning. As schools get more mature it is even more important to put Plans in place. You don't want to get lulled into doing the same thing. You have to be careful to ensure that your programs are up to date and relevant and meeting the ever changing needs of the community. There are many new opportunities and it takes the brainstorming and planning to identify them and make that happen. For new and ongoing growth a Plan is always essential. Thanks, Susan Dr.… >>>