Robert Pearl Starks

Robert Pearl Starks

Location: phoenix, arizona

About me

As Vice President of Product Development, I lead cross-functional teams of designers, developers, QA testers and product stakeholders to develop, launch, and improve products customers need and love. 

Previously, I've worked in a variety of leadership roles in education / learning & professional development. Through my experience, I've become accustomed to working across departmental silos and with various stakeholders (executives, end-users, faculty, staff, students / learners, alumni, parents, regulatory agencies, partners and employers) to facilitate collaboration and advance common goals. In my previous roles, I've advocated for student needs and driven organizational change that helped educators do their best work, students thrive in their careers, and employers connect with quality talent.

Despite different contexts, a common theme in my career journey has been to do work that contributes to a mission which improves people's lives. It's also always been important for me to work with an organization whose values align with my own. I'm a listener, empathizer, customer advocate, servant leader, and lifelong learner. I'm never satisfied with status quo, I constantly strive for "better," and I'm driven by genuine curiosity to solve complex problems.

“Work to become; not to acquire.” -Elbert Hubbard

Interests

social media, career development, training, higher education, web 2.0/3.0, career services, leadership, marketing

Skills

social media, marketing, training, consulting, management, strategic planning

Activity

Hi Katie,

For accredited schools that must report placement and graduation rates, the frequency is based on the particular accrediting body which tends to be annual with the cohort defined by the particular accrediting body.  If a school is not accredited and isn't required to report, as you indicate, it is still a best practice to collect the type of information you mention.  While numbers fluctuate, data collection is a continuous process so the cycle of collection never really stops.  

With that in mind, I presume you are asking when the information that is provided to the public should… >>>

Discussion Comment

Kenton, Alumni, particularly older alumni, tend to want to continue being associated and involved with their alma mater when they perceive that it holds prestige. Consider how your department and entire school works toward a long-term branding strategy that shapes this perception. Sharing stories of prominent alumni success, awards/honors bestowed upon the school, etc. can help in this regard. The more proud alumni feel about their school, the more affinity they will have toward the brand. Award programs help with this as well. It is recommended to have a "master" plan that outlines your message - what are the core… >>>

Discussion Comment

Hi Taunji, I agree that this generation has both challenges and amazing strengths. Technology mediated communication is one of the ways in which this generation has become accustomed to not just building and maintaining relationships, but learning, researching, etc. Whereas some students within a population may wish to have a face-to-face meeting with a career advisor as an example, others may have more interest in self-help resources which may be anything from a library of video content, blogs, or a recommended list of resources. Having a digital career services presence alone is a start to using this generation's strengths because… >>>

Hi Cathy, Excellent method. Do you use a standard questionnaire or some sort of other data collection instrument that standardizes the process? Make sure you download all the PDF files in the course - including a list of questions to elicit data for designing a resume. You may find some to add to what you already do. Enjoy the course! Robert Starks Jr.

Hi Sarah, I'm sorry, I think perhaps there was a misunderstanding. I was asking about how you and your department use social media for your own employer outreach strategies vs. how you encourage students to connect with employers. For example, a Director of Career Services may establish formal goals for their career advisors to increase their LinkedIn network with individuals specifically in a certain industry and monitor/measure results using analytics data. Another example might be the career services staff using LinkedIn to recruit employer guest speakers, program advisory members, or to develop other programs your school may have such as… >>>

Hi Sarah, Thank you for detailing your strategies - this is helpful for everyone to see. Yes, that's right - you exclusively use a third party platform for alumni - what about your employer engagement strategies? Any ideas to share on what works for you? Your students might find the following resource helpful since you are so active in teaching them how to use social media for their career goals - http://slidesha.re/1vZNEUJ. Robert Starks Jr.

Hi Sarah, This is a great starting point as I think it is the easiest thing for students to do - create profiles, follow companies, find jobs. How are you addressing other powerful ways to use LinkedIn and other social tools for things such as company research, researching people for interview preparation, strategically building a Personal Learning Network, or engaging in groups to connect with industry, etc.? I'm curious if you are building any groups such as an Alumni LinkedIn group or perhaps on a different platform such as Facebook? Is your department using any platform to market the CS… >>>

Hi Steve, I have found Twitter is best used to listen. Think of Twitter like a news service - what do you want to stay up on - job search tips, industry news, etc.? Find the influential users on Twitter tweeting about your topics of interest and follow them. I compare it to subscribing to magazines only you are following people. I scan my Twitter stream daily to stay current and fresh on my own topics of interest. You can find Twitter influencers on topics using tools like listorius or wefollow. Regarding the social tools you advocate students use -… >>>

Discussion Comment
Hi Rae, Online operations does indeed bring an entire new set of challenges dues to no physical presence. However, social media use makes even more sense for online operations. Have you experimented with the use of any social tools to "bring employers" to the students? If so, can you share the tools/methods you've used? If not, what tools could you use if you wanted to "bring employers to the students" virtually? The same questions apply for mock interviews. Have you used social tools to conduct mock interviews - what might be the best tools to use/try? Robert Starks Jr.
Discussion Comment
Hi Tara, I think many who work in career services have witnessed that fear you mention. The job market is tough and so is competition so I think that fear is to be expected. Your approach is great since many individuals struggle with identifying and communicating past experience relevant/transferable to a new career. You have them simply focus on past experiences and you collaboratively help them identify the most relevant. Great coaching technique! Robert Starks Jr.

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