Keeping Students Motivated
How will you help keep students from becoming exhausted, getting discouraged, or giving up on their job search altogether?
I love this response. Just calling them helps keep them motivated and knowing that they are not alone in the process is great. I understand giving false hope is not good but giving them hope on new places that you have contacted with and possible places to send their resume too. It rejuvenates them.
Meet with them on a regular basis. Continue to provide them with feedback from employers that they have interviewed with. Give them the good and the bad feedback so they know what to work on and what they are doing well so they can ace the next interview. Continue to search for new employers and new job leads and encourage them to try different avenues from social media, networking, applying online, cold calling, apply in person and etc. Changing tactics keeps the job search fresh and motivated.
This is the biggest challenge I have for my Graphic Design Grads. The school is located in close proximity to Reading, PA and statically jobs and income are low. I encourage my students to search beyond the local area in a radius that is approximately 50 miles form school. This a challenge for this generation as many get around using public transportation.
I wish I had an easy answer for this but this is some of things I have tried with assistance of the Career Services department. Weekly calls to unplaced grads, creation of an online job tracker that can be viewed by staff to check on student job hunting progress and a "job hunting pizza party" where they are invited to come back for a refresher of job hunting tools. The documents you offer in your resource library should be an excellent source to give them at this event.
Dorothy,
This is great; giving them action items along with ongoing support is the ideal.
Elizabeth Kemler
Shawn,
The job search can certainly be a tedious and discouraging one for many students; I think your idea of returning to their long term goals as a motivational springboard makes good sense.
Elizabeth Kemler
We keep students motivated by following up. If they have not had call backs then set up workshop to review resume and use this time to mock interview. Send them personal invites to jobfairs and give them 15 min before you open the jobfair up to everyone.
I have found that working with students in the job search can be either a quick or on-going process. For those students who seem to take longer to become placed in a job, it is often a challenge to keep them from becoming discouraged. Continuing to speak with them about what their long term goals are seems to help the student stay with their search until they find the position which will enable them to meet those goals.
Viola,
This is crucial and unfortunately not done often enough; I'm sure it helps your graduates immensely to know that you are still there to encourage and offer them support in their job search even after they've graduated.
Elizabeth Kemler
I stay in touch with my students and encourage them to stay positive and to keep trying. Our school is in an area that is still struggling so often students will give up or take a job outside of their field. I work closely with the academics dept to help encourage the students through a long job search. Being available and having job leads also helps.
Judi,
I definitely agree with your advice to go to the facilities and meet people--this will help prepare them to sound knowledgeable during the interview and ask relevant questions.
Elizabeth Kemler
I have found that the students I work with in the nursing program seem to think that they can do all of their job search on line. But, I have to encourage them to not just fill out applications on line but to actually go out and visit the facilities and meet people. Frequently they will meet someone they know who is working in the facility and get a job lead right there. I find that I must call the graduate and discuss what they are actually doing to get a job. Frequently it is passivily staying behind a computer and not talking to people and engaging with people they know networking.
Sheri,
I really like the idea of a formal plan and schedule-as the job search is indeed a job unto itself and needs to be approached as such.
Elizabeth Kemler
I give all my students a plan. I explain that looking for a job, is a job! I encourage them to commit some time each day to searching for opportunities, submitting resumes, meeting potential employers and following up on prior contacts/interviews. I also let them know they are not expected to do all of these things everyday for 8 hours a day- but, they need to have a plan/schedule so they address it all. And I keep in constant contact by phone and email to encourage and support them.
Octavia,
Those positive messages go a long way. It's easy to get burnt out especially in a tough job market; when you're reminded that you have someone on your team, it can really keep you motivated.
Elizabeth Kemler
Sharing a positive message every time we are ready to keep looking for the jobs. Also, to avoid using all the spare time to research because the students will get burnt out.
Kimberly,
I always think it's great when the career service team stays in touch with graduates; I have no doubt it provides much needed support.
Elizabeth Kemler
I keep in close contact with my graduates and students. I like to troubleshoot their problem and determine if it is a resume or an interview problem.
Jo-Anna,
I agree absolutely that ongoing encouragement, education, and group support go a long way toward keeping students optimistic about their job prospects and focused on their goals.
Elizabeth Kemler
I believe constant praise and direction helps to encourage one to move forward.By offering continue education in their given field help to expand their courage and skills for the right position. For it is there they will flourish
By asking for support from those closest to them. Building up courage to keep on keeping on.
Looking for new pathways to inspire them. Have them work together to support one another with the information to take them to the destination they seek. Roll playing gives one courage, strength, tenacity.
