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

alexander, I think after going through the entire course, you may have a better idea as to why you may want a separate Career Services Facebook presence. It depends on what your goals are. I would say in general, if you wish to engage and interact with your students, having a Facebook page is important since data tells us that the attention of this audience is on the internet, and more importantly, the majority of their time is on social media. Facebook is the largest and most engaging platform so I believe it is strategic for Career Services to have… >>>

alexander, Please let me know if you would like me to further elaborate on something specific after reviewing my response to Katia's question. I believe you will find the suggestions to answer this question as your question is the same as hers. I mention that on social media platforms, the user is the one who determines what they disclose and share so if you wish to be more private, this is simply a decision to be strategic in your choices regarding your social media usage. Additionally, you can create a separate account used for professional purposes if you wish to… >>>

Discussion Comment
Angela, When you say "response back," do you mean you are using the number of comments on Facebook as a "response back" or the responses to "LinkedIn" posts, etc.? Relative to Social media, engagement can be measured through Facebook Insights for instance to show you what engages your audience. Once discovered, you can leverage what you know engages them to encourage the type of behaviors you want to encourage. For instance, if Facebook Insights data demonstrates that your audience tends to be engaged with stories of alumni success, how might that information be leveraged in other ways? Robert Starks Jr.
Discussion Comment

Marcus, How do you leverage what you know engages students to accomplish your career center goals? For instance, if you know success stories engages and interests students, consider using Facebook to announce that students can come into the Career Services office on a scheduled day to meet a successful alumni. In this example, you would be strategically using Social media and your knowledge of what engages your students to encourage that they visit your office (assuming you are a ground campus). Or, if you are online, hold a Tweet up where students can chat with an alumnus via a live… >>>

Paul, You will find the document at the end of the course helpful to you in starting a Facebook page. In fact, there are many other tools listed near the end of the course. LinkedIn has become the standard for professional networks but make sure to review some of the tools available that allow students to have a professional presence on Facebook as well such as BeKnown and BranchOut. I encourage you when teaching students how to use a platform like LinkedIn, that you make them aware that what you are teaching them truly goes beyond LinkedIn and it is… >>>

Angela, Many career services professionals take the approach of helping to educate their students beyond self-marketing and help them understand their industries more as a strategy to have student become more career-ready. Youtube may or may not have the type of learning content you are seeking specific to medical billing and coding, but it definitely has many videos relevant to career advice. Additionally, SlideShare is a great resource to share learning content with your students. One SlideShare account relevant to Medical Billing and Coding that might have information your students would find valuable is at http://www.slideshare.net/bobkruse/how-medical-billing-and-coding-services-help-healthcare-practices. Additionally, I encourage you… >>>

Angela, When you describe using Facebook to interact with students, I am wondering what is meant by this. For instance, are you using Facebook as another communication tool or are you using it in some other way? Have you begun thinking about how you might use tools like Facebook or LinkedIn beyond the ways you currently use them? For instance, do you use Twitter or LinkedIn for your own professional development strategically building your own personal learning networks? Do you use LinkedIn not only for employer outreach, but for employer engagement? Have you thought about leveraging groups so that you… >>>

Discussion Comment
Carren, Thank you for sharing your challenge. I am wondering what specific strategies you currently employ to help you overcome these challenges. You shared that social media is a plan to help you in the future but I think other learners taking this course could benefit from you sharing some of the ways you have already attempted to overcome these challenges. I would appreciate hearing some of the things you have done thus far and think it would add value to the learners taking this course. Thank you. Robert Starks Jr.

Carren, Social media is a perfect intervention strategy to help you overcome the challenge you describe. As the course outlines, using social media as a department strategy is very different than merely using it as a communication tool. I hope you are more able to explain the why behind your strategy once you are finished with the course. I am here to help if you need further guidance as I will also be available in the Lounge (www.careercollegelounge.com) which is the social learning network for career college professionals so you can continue to engage me there once you complete the… >>>

Carren, Carren, thank you for sharing this. I am happy this course is helping you. I am also here as a resource if you need additional information or any other help. Robert Starks Jr.

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