Dr. Susan Schulz

Hi Kate Great idea to suggest or offer coureses on how to set up your own business, develop it, and practice management techniques. The community project sounds like a great way to push students to discover what other opportunities there are for them. Also other ways to serve the community. I don't feel distance education is an obstacle to interview skills development. There are books that provide great training and practice in interviewing. I just got a new catalog from JIST publishing. They have many many books on employment skills development. Something to look at. We find that encouraging career… >>>

Hi Deborah Great that you are sending out employer surveys. Lots of information should come back that will be of interest to your entire staff. From this changes and improvements can be made. If employers don't respond you may want to call them and ask if they will complete the survey on the phone. Building relationships is important. Employers are the source for more job openings, students, and free advice about your training programs. They can also be asked to visit school and give presentations or hold mock interviews. Getting and maintainingcontact information is always a challenge. That is why… >>>

Hi Deborah Interesting challenge. Here are a few ideas to motivate students to attend career service workshops and offerings. Constantly promote career services throughout your school so everyone knows the value and encourages students to attend. Make attendance at career services events mandatory. Make attendance a privilige. Allow students to sign up only after they have completed half their course work, for example. Ask instructors to offer extra credit to students who attend career services workshops. Ask admissions staff to promote career services as an incentive to enroll. Build statistics showing how many grads got jobs after attending workshops. If… >>>

Hi Deborah Congratulations. You have built a wonderful base for a career services department. More offerings than many established schools. You have put the foundation in for further growth. Seems like you have two challenges. One is to market the career services to students and the other is to develop their work ethics. Marketing career services is an on-going task. This means well thought out strategies to reach everyone campus wide - faculty, staff, students, alumni, and employers. Lots of public relations. You might also make completion of career services workshops a requirement or a privilidge. To prepare students for… >>>

Hi Sundra Sounds like you work for a school that understands the benefits of a strong placement department. On the surveys sent to students, what percentage of feedback do you get? Some schools send a 90 day survey as well. Keeping in touch with grads gets the information you need and want. It also helps keep track of them if they move. Re surveys to employers, what kinds of questions do you ask. Can you provide specific examples of the curriculum changes you make as a result of the feedback. You mention the low response rate. Always a problem. You… >>>