Career Services Involment
Career Services should be a part of all decision making at the institution particularly in the admission department both of these department are the front and back end of students outcome.
Amber,
Great way to handle the situation.
Sheri Leach
I can absolutely understand how you feel, sometimes it does feel that way. Fortunately the admission team and I have built a very strong relationship, and when applicants come in with the backgrounds, or medical conditions that can hinder them throughout the program, the Director of Admissions and I meet with them. This gives me the opportunity to identify the student and build a relationship with them, around why they started in the program.
Jennifer,
Are all instructors supportive of Career Services?
Sheri Leach
All of the departments at our campus work together very well for the students. We all want students to succeed so the mindset really is that everyone has a hand in that success. From Admissions to Career Services I feel that all employees take initiative to blend our duties.
Judy,
Both positions are really quite similar. Partnering with admissions will provide another ally for Career Services when meeting with the students, gathering information and providing career advice. Assisting each other with open houses, career days and community events are a few of the best practices that help with both enrollments and placement outcomes.
Sheri Leach
I agree Career Services should work hand and hand with admissions.
Teresa,
What advice can you offer other Career Services Professional who want to more involved and become members of the campus decision making team?
Sheri Leach
I agree this is an important part in our institution that we take into consideration when a decision is take
Missy,
That can be frustrating! Some institutions have started to dissuade students with backgrounds from taking certain programs if they know their likelihood of finding employment in that particular industry is slim.
For those students with challenges or those who say they have no intentions of working, some schools have had success placing these grads. They have done it by going into the classrooms and beginning to bond with the students when they start school. Then they continue to work closely with them, building their confidence (many are scared of failure or even success - so they act tough). Share employment success stories of other grads that they can relate to. Hold group interviews for the entire class. Peer pressure works- if the student sees others in his/her class getting employed and feeling good about themselves, they won't want to be left out.
Sheri Leach
I couldn't agree more! We litterary let anyone that applies become accepted into the school as long as they have done what is required of them. I believe in 2nd chances but some of these students have backgrounds that will never permit them to be successful and a lot of the students that come through tell you up front that even after tehy graduate they have no intention of getting a job they are just going to school for something to do. So my placement rate becomes affect due to things out of my control!
Hi Maria Rosario,
In what specific ways does your career services staff work with admissions? Are there any new ideas you have to improve this collaboration?
Robert Starks Jr.
This is absolutely true! Career Services should play an important role in the admissions process and meet with the potential student. The Career Services is a good resource to disseminate industry expectations. Occasionally, there are hobbyists who enroll and have no desire to work in the industry. But if Career Services and Admissions can turn the situation around, this could be a measure of success.
Kelley,
One suggestion is to co-create a process with Admissions where they do an informal assessment of an incoming students soft-skills and hand that off to you in Career Services right away. This will allow you to at least start a process to mitigate soft-skill problems from the beginning, as these take time. Have you ever tried something like this?
Ann Cross
Admissions and our Career Services Dept/Placement Dept. are worlds apart on co-existing together for the better of the school. Admissions is all about the numbers and Placement is all about the students. To join the two departments together would take our Owners to change. Unfortunately, I do not see this happening. The only thing our school can do is to keep encouraging our Admissions Dept. to work with us directly because we ultimately have the same goal.
Veronica,
How do you ensure this happens at your institution?
Ann Cross
