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 Vanessa, What do you mean by "proper branding?" I am not sure I understand the challenge you are identifying. Could you explain further? Robert Starks Jr.
Discussion Comment
Hi Vanessa, Excellent observations! Thank you for sharing your detailed thoughts. I agree. Twitter is an excellent tool for curating education in a particular subject matter which contributes to one's own professional development. If we can only help more students understand this! Then, they could use Twitter with intent and for purposes beyond chatter! Thanks again for sharing! Robert Starks Jr.

Hi Vanessa, As the course indicates, a marketing "trick" is that a URL can also be tracked providing feedback on whether or not your link is getting clicked. Have you discussed this tactic to students who may include links in their email signatures, digital resumes, and/or in post interview correspondence? Bitly is a great tool to get this type of feedback and I have found most job seekers in general don't use these types of marketing tactics. For instance, if one wanted to know if an employer got their email follow up thank you - they could include a trackable… >>>

Hi Vanessa, It's great you have developed a workshop on this topic. It is critical for students to be educated on the impact their online presence has on their professional image/brand. Have you found that it is well-received? How do students react? What types of questions/feedback do you get? Robert Starks Jr.

Hi Vanessa, Do your students include URLs to a unified web presence such as LinkedIn or About.me on their resumes? If they include any URLs on their resume, perhaps you could start asking employers if they look at these profiles when considering a candidate. If you haven't asked employers specifically how they use social media (the answer may be that they don't), this might be good to get their feedback. Although your employers may not be directly advertising on social media for jobs, I am wondering what part of their recruiting process it may influence. They may not even be… >>>

Discussion Comment
Hi Vanessa, Consider specifically asking for new ideas of ways in which students can demonstrate skill in their portfolios and see what employers tell you! It might lead to some innovative ideas. Robert Starks Jr.
Hi Vanessa, I've had the challenge as well and I use it as an opportunity to explain the importance of work experience, volunteering, and/or other ways to get experience and work with others so that one can build their network and potential list of references. It's valuable to have diversified references so this is the conversation I would have with students. Robert Starks Jr.
Discussion Comment

Hi Sheri, Has there been any research done to identify the platforms your "Allied Health Students" are already currently using and what they use them for? This in itself is likely to reveal where they may fall on the social Technographics Ladder (referenced in the "Getting Your Career Center Started on Facebook" resource in the course). The best way to find out how students use social media is to ask the students themselves. For instance, you could survey them and ask questions like: 1. Do you use social media? (Find out if they are active and get a sense of… >>>

Discussion Comment
Hi Vanessa, Have you asked employers what they may like to see in a portfolio? Have they communicated any preferences perhaps from advisory board meetings or in your conversations? Robert Starks Jr.
Discussion Comment
Hi Vanessa, Do you find that students want to draft a cover letter and then use the same cover letter for multiple employers? I've seen this many times in my own experience and am curious if you've also experienced this. I've had to emphasize how the cover letter also provides an opportunity to articulate "fit" into company culture which isn't something easy to convey in the resume, yet is something employers also look for. Robert Starks Jr.

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