What "background" can be done on the school prior to being hired with
Institutions are able to do their due diligence in realizing that a prospective employee is to the their standards but where can an individual go to ensure that that institution is reputable and not suspected of possible problems?
In this time of the "Information Highway" there are many resources that the consumer can use to evaluate the product they want to purchase. I believe that it is the responsibility of consumer to do their homework. At the click of a mouse one can find an incredible amount of information. One of my favorite places to research products is “You Tubeâ€. Often time you will find the answer you need from real people.
Brian:
A google search of the institution's name will probably reveal any current media coverage or other reviews of the institution. However, in reviewing the information available via the internet its important to consider the reliability of the source.
The problem with google or otehr internew sites is that people rarley post their success stories and the one percent of disatisfied customers seems to always pop up first. I think that one should ask to job shadow or interview with potential co-workers to get a feel if an organization is right for them.
They can check to see if the college is accredited. With that information they can directly contact the accrediting firm. That agency will provide information and statistics. See if they are members of the Bettert Business Bureau. Talk with past graduates.
College Navigator is a free consumer information tool designed to help students, parents and High School Counselors compare different learning institutions.nces.ed.gov
I always do research on any company that I may have the opportunity to work for, because I want to make an informed decision. I totally agree with using Google or another search engine to find out good or bad information about your potential school. I have also gone to the US Dept. of Educ. website to find out about the schools accreditation and the accrediting organization. Another thing that I have done was to ask professionals in specific industries about how they feel about people who have degrees from a particular school.
There is plenty of information on the web in regards to different schools. In my experience though, I have found that people are more likely to post or review a school when they have had a bad experience. For example, if you eat at a restaurant and have a good experience then you may tell people that the food was good if they ask for recommendations. However, if you have a bad experience you are more likely to share the story with ten or more people. This tends to also happen on the web. In researching an institution you need to be careful of the source, searching respected educational sites are in my opinion the best source. I have also asked employers if they have come across any employees with degrees from a specific school. In doing this, I know my source and whether the information should be taken seriously.
