Tara,
I think the feeling you describe is something with which others can relate! What tactics do you use to balance working with current students (out of cohort), cohort graduates and alumni?
Robert Starks Jr.
There is never enough time in the day, to start with. We have such a great team at this campus & the Career Services team between the multiple campuses is superb.
However, servicing past and current graduates sometimes seems like being pulled in many directions... like that toy from the past "Stretch Armstrong"... heehee! I really want to be there for every single person, but have to balance it with my other duties which are vital as well.
Kristine ,
The challenges you speak of is common among many institutions and there are, arguably, even greater challenges for online schools who must use technology-mediated forms of communication to develop "bonds" with students. In the career counseling profession, the bond between the practitioner (career advisor, counselor, coach, etc.) and the client (student) is known as the Working Alliance. The working alliance is a partnership between the student and advisor based on a foundation of trust and open-honest communication that improves collaboration in achieving the end-goal of obtaining employment. So, what you speak of is very important and as you take this course, you'll see that there is a heavy emphasis on how social media can be used as a tool, not just to simply blast out messages like an email distribution list, but to actually influence affinity with students/alumni/employers and influence decisions and behaviors. This is a much more strategic thought process than "how to use Facebook to inform students of events." Many career services office, unfortunately, focus only on message dissemination vs. social tools as a means to foster working alliances which you point out, is a real challenge. I am glad you see the benefit in developing a sense of community (affinity) and simply incorporating social media as one of the tools you use to do so.
Robert Starks Jr.
I think the biggest challenge for our school is to create a significant bond with the graduate so we don't lose their interest as in keeping in touch with us. After students complete the program and move on with their lives, they sometimes forget to stay connected with us. They could be working in the field they trained to work in but neglect to inform us. I see the benefit in creating a strong social network to help with this issue. kriss grove
Our licensing process takes 14 weeks and during this time we have the challenge of keeping grads motivated to stay focused on getting employment in their field of study. We are very fortunate in that the job market is ABUNDANT and there is HIGH DEMAND for our grads, however, they must have a license in order to start practicing what they learned in school.
Mary ,
Thank you for sharing. These are indeed challenges. Can you explain what interventions you have in place to address these challenges? Additionally, how might you be able to use social media as a tool to incorporate into any existing or new intervention strategies to help you overcome these challenges?
Robert Starks Jr.
Our biggest issues are developing an economic plan to get our students licensed in their field. Generally this process is entirely too much for our recent graduates, and they have to find employment outside of the spectrum that is acceptable for them to be a verified placement for accrediting. By the time they are able to come up with finances, they've lost their momentum. Another issue is location. Our area is dependent upon the area University, so we have a large gap during the summer, when many students are able to start their job search.
Susan,
You may be interested in the concept of reverse job searching which is an inbound marketing technique that requires the strategic use of social media platforms to attract interest and opportunity vs. only seeking opportunity. The primary idea is that one's virtual presence in virtual communities already allows them the opportunity to have dialogue and form relationships with targeted audiences. For instance, if my goal is to become employed in the graphic design industry, I may join virtual communities of graphic designers such as LinkedIn Groups, or niche social network platforms that allow me opportunities to engage with my target audience. Demonstrating expertise in one's field through answering questions on group forums, being helpful, and sharing relevant, valuable content either curated from the web or originally published on one's blog provides an opportunity to showcase one's talent, knowledge, professionalism, etc. In doing so, it can lead to attracting opportunity when done strategically in targeted communities where attention is wanted. You may find the following resources helpful to expand on this concept:
The Reverse Job Search
http://lwire.us/?l=DHDF
Traditional vs. Reverse Job Search
http://lwire.us/?l=QQN0
Social Media Strategies: How to Use Them and When
http://lwire.us/?l=X6BK
Job Search 3.0
http://lwire.us/?l=90DJ
Career Marketing 3.0: Changing the Way Career Services Representatives Market Students in the Information Age
http://lwire.us/?l=C9MC
Robert Starks Jr.
There are 3 main alternative job search strategies I encourage (especially for students living in rural or isolated areas): cold calls & emails, information interviews and joining associations/groups (whether online or in real life). With cold calls, students are asking about job opportunities whereas with information interviews, they are only gathering information from the employer. Joining groups is intended to expand their network and keep them up-to-date.
Students can use social media to locate employers or leads but I also encourage students to do an online search of themselves (before they start to job-search) so they are aware of how they may appear to an employer. (There can be some inappropriate photos to say the least!)A task I frequently assign is to make your social account "job search ready" so that if an employer decided to look for you online, you would look the part.
The challenge becomes one of persuasion. Some students take to these methods immediately whereas others are reluctant, argumentative or they tend to shut down the first time they get rejected.
Susan,
Can you describe these alternative search methods you mention? I think it would benefit the forum for all to see. Additionally, I would presume social media would play a role in alternative methods not only to "search" but to connect and "pitch" in a sense making targeted niches aware of one's value proposition and thus perhaps gaining opportunities in this manner vs. just "searching and applying" to job ads. Thanks in advance for sharing.
Robert Starks Jr.
Our greatest challenges come from students who live in rural or isolated communities. To combat this situation, alternative job search methods (as opposed to "wait to see a job ad then apply") had to be developed and encouraged. A lot of students are hesitant to try alternative methods even though students who use these methods have better results.
I think the biggest challenge is the number of students who simply vanish after graduation, never returning calls/Facebook messages. Our graduates need to take a certification exam in order to practice, and many never even take the exam or they wait so long to take it that they forget everything.
Melissa,
It sounds like you are not only having to develop rapport and build new relationships, but also having to mend old ones and perhaps rebuild the reputation of the Career Services department among past graduates. That's a challenge and it speaks to the precise reason relationships are emphasized in the course. There is no magic bullet for approaching different students and you may not be able to convert some of the individuals who are upset but goal 1 should always be to build rapport. If you can build a relationship, you will build trust and your partnership with the student/graduate will be improved.
Robert Starks Jr.
I think it comes from past experiences with the people in this department.
I just let them know I don't know how things were but I do know there has been changes for the better. The ones I have been able to get in contact with seem to respond well once I talk to them. My challenge is the ones that don't give me the chance.After going through this course it has given me some ideas how to approach them. My next step it to talk to my supervisor and get her approval.
Melissa,
That is a challenge. Where do you think this idea/attitude stems from and what are some of the ways you address this challenge?
Robert Starks Jr.
One of my challenges right now is trying to get the students and grads to take ownership of their job search. Some of them go through the program thinking they are going to walk out of school and into a job. They do not want to look for a job they want to be given a job.
I would have to say getting documentation of employment or continuing education. I do believe that if you can automate and streamline as many processes as possible,it increases the likelihood of getting what you need. If students know what is expected of them and you have simple processes in place that take minutes for them to complete, they are more liekly to cooperate. I think gettting results quickly from a few students who will help share how easy things are with their peers, the sense of cooperation grows. Students will hear feedback from their peers more quickly than they do from anyone on staff.
Andrea,
In what ways have you addressed the concerns of those who are afraid of social media because they are private people?
Robert Starks Jr.
Getting all staff on the same page. Some are great at using social media, while others are afraid to get involved,because they are very private people.
The biggest challenge for me is the commitment and motivation of a student to follow through with job leads that I provide. I think that with a platform that I can get students to interact with me after graduation will help them become more focused and hopefully employed.
