Meeting the demands of the individual student
The evidence suggests that students benefit most from individualized and structured instruction when finding a job. However, this presents a challenge when trying to manage workload. What resources do you currently use to help provide the student with individual attention (workbooks, videos, mentoring, etc.) that gets results while managing your workload in CS?
Marsha,
The role of the Career Services Professional is certainly a very demanding and challenging position. Is it possible in your organization to enlist the help of instructors to provide career information to your students?
What do you think of creating committees whose members are staff, instructors, employers and possibly students/alumni to oversee various projects or initiatives? For example, an alumni committee, an employer networking committee, a committee to address soft-skills, etc. (these can be multi-program or program specific).
Sheri Leach
it is very challengeing providing the students, alumnis, and employers with the dedication required to ensure job placement. We currently do not have anything in place to assist with the work load and provide the one-one one time needed.
Our campus utilizes co-teach presentations in the classrooms where Career Services and instructors provide pre-assigned information on various employment topics. We love to attend the classes of those instructors who are engaged with their students! It makes our job easier plus it is a time of motivation for the students. The students are energized and so are we. I enjoy listening to the instructors tell of their employment experience, so it is a learning time for me also. We use handouts and also individualized mentoring to ensure that our assigned students benefit from the services in our department. The icing on the cake is when a student reports back that they obtained a position due to our assistance!
Jennifer,
How have you found this has improved (or not improved) the career readiness of your graduates?
Ann Cross
Our program is 5 modules long. The students are introduced to Career Services at module 1, again in module 2, and have their first assignment (the resume assignment) due in their 3rd module. We included mandatory workshops in module 4 that are part of the student curriculum and are done during the regularly scheduled class sessions. Once these workshops are completed, the students begin working one on one with their individual Career Services Coordinator on the areas that have been uncovered during the scheduled workshops. The workshops are alternated between the Coordinators so that each member teaches a maximum of 3 workshops per 4th module class. Strong communication efforts between Coordinators allows for identifying areas of concern for each student and making sure that each Coordinator is aware of tasks being completed so as not to duplicate or hinder progress.
Helga M.,
Is this like a portfolio project where they keep relevant projects in a portfolio which can be shown to a prospective employer at an interview?
Ann Cross
Helga M.,
Great approach Helga! There have been studies done which demonstrate that students do benefit most from individualized attention. However, how do you balance this with workload?
Ann Cross
We communicate to the students the importance of beginning an employment search file while still in school. Some of our curriculums have mandatory workshops which they have to complete throughout their academic lifespan.
I agree; students benefit most from individualized instructions. It also helps them from a moral standpoint to understand the labor market and their own soft skills as they are pursuing an employment opportunity. To provide such assistance and still be able to cope with the rest of the work load, we utilize the media such as text messages, and emails as well as arranged face-to-face meetings. The idea is maintain a true open communication whereas for employability or moral support until the goal is attained.
Elizabeth,
One idea is to partner with your most high profile employers to help you create the vignettes. The messages coming directly from the employers can be tremendously powerful.
Ann Cross
Our Career Services team employs several strategies including classroom presentations, one-on-one advising, stand-alone workshops and printed materials. We also use a vendor-hosted career service product that students can use to prepare resumes, practice interviewing and conduct job searches. I'd like to see faculty develop video vignettes offering career development tips to expand the pool of resources students can access to meet their individual needs.
Kendra,
That is an excellent approach- thank you for sharing.
Ann Cross
We reach out to our students, via telephone, email, text messages, and also thru our learning resource database (Angel). I believe if we try to reach our students through every option we will have a better turn-out. We also add previous gradutes feedback through quotes on the invitation so that they can have an idea how beneficial it can be for them to attend.
Kendra,
Many institutions try to hold professional development workshops but have difficulty gaining the participation of students as an "elective" workshop. Can you please share what you've done to get your students to show up to these seminars?
Ann Cross
Our career services coordinators perform weekly professional development seminars. The seminars allow the students to build on their soft skills, prepare for the interviewing process, discuss the importance of resumes and cover letters, etc. All students are invited and this allows the coordinstors to address important topics to many students simultaneously and this helps the corrdinator manage their workload more effectively.
