Student awareness of the Placement Department
If the Placement Department is explained during admissions appointments is it necessary to have the placement department do a presentation during orientation.
Hi
Good question. We suggest that the placement department play an active role throughout the student's life on campus. And after as well. Students don't always know that placement services are free and available to them. Placement personnel can have a great impact on retention by reminding students about jobs they can seek after graduation. Give placement a large role in the students' education.
Best wishes
Susan
Yes, however during orientation this is the first step in meeting the new student(s) and be able to give a more in-depth explaination of what Career Services is all about. Possibly speak of the professional organizations available to the student, and get the students excited about their new career.
HI Margaret
Great idea to introduce Career Services to students during orientation. You might want to plan additional times to tell students about what services are offered and how they can benefit. Sometimes students don't realize that they get student services as well as training for their tuition. So they have to be reminded by having someone from Career Services visit classes and plan programs that everyone can go to.
Best wishes
Susan
Our Career Services Department actually delivers the new students orientation. We believe that by talking "job" during their first class (orientation), discussing success strategies and building their excitement about the career they've chosen, the student is more likely to complete the program. Our Career Services Director is also a frequent classroom visitor and is a guest speaker for our Professional Development class. We don't wait until the end of the student's program for them to connect with the Career Services Department.
Hi Allison
What a great Career Services Department you have. You're quite right that keeping the student excited and informed about the career they have chosen is a great way to keep them motivated and successful in those challenging classes. Great that you have the Career Services Department so involved in the students' lives. How are your placement and retention rates?
Best wishes
Susan
Cheryl,
I think that it is important to not only do a presentation at orientation but also stay in touch with the students along the way as they progress through their courses. I feel that placement should be very visible and accessible to all the students, all the time. If you get to know the students you will get to know how they would fit in with different office environments.
Do you think it would be good to let the students know how many graduates have just started working in their field once a month to give them that renewed spark?
Hi Marlene
Really great concepts. It makes so much sense. People go to school to get jobs. So shouldn't they see the benefit from the placement department services on a regular basis?? The more the placement staff interacts with the students the more you will know their needs and the better services you can offer.
Announcing graduate success is a great motivator.
Best wishes
Susan
One of our biggest benefits our admissions department uses to attract students is the placement services we offer our graduates and alumni students. We make certain that our "Career Services department/Placement Department take a very active role in orientation. We also have our Career Service Specialists visit each term (six terms)with the students. Our Specialist also stay in very close contact with our faculty members to promote career awareness, career goal setting and self-directed employment searchs. We find it very benificial to meet and get to know the students as soon as possible. We also have our students create a (Sample) cover letter summarizing their skills/qualities and send it to their appointed Career Service Specialist in 5th term to assist the CSS's in getting to know the student! We have found that immediate contact with the student has assisted in increased retention, externship placement, self directed employment and an overall imporvement on our placement percentage. It can be time consuming, however well worth the effort to get to know the students and skill levels in order to place them in a career that they will be happy!!!
Wow. That's great Pamela. Can you tell us what kind of outcomes assessments you have in place. For example, what kinds of jobs do students get, how long is the average length of time to get placed, when do the students really understand that the placement department is available to serve them, how many alumna return for assistance, etc.
Thanks
Susan
DEFINITELY take part in orientations and ANY opportunities to meet the student and encourage them to actively pursue their career from day one of training/schooling! You want your department to be VERY visible and approachable!
Hi Amy
Very good points. The career services department has to be very visible. That means visiting classes, posting announcements of services, contacting each student to set an appointment, and becoming known as THE place to go to for employment skills and job search assistance as well as a resource about the workplace.
Best wishes
Susan
That makes me feel good because that is exactly what we do here!
Hi Amy
That's great. Now you might want to think about how you can measure students' awareness in your career services department. Survey to find out what they know and don't know.
Best wishes
Susan
Good Evening.
I agree 100% that Career Services should be apart of the Admissions process and Orientation. I have been in Career Services for 6 years and I have seen the impact that it has on the furture enrollments as well as the students who make it to orientation. Our office visits every orientation and speak to the students about the importance of the CSO and the benefits it has for them as well as the employers. We pass out a CSO newsletter to them during orientation that talks about employers who have called in with employment opportunites as well as listing our placement rates and spot lighting a graduate who obtained employment in their field of study. We ask them to come by ASAP and get familiar with our locations and that they can utilize our services from day one. We have seen a different level in our retention by reaching out to these students who have never experienced a college setting better yet a Career Services Office.
Candace Chandler
Hi Candace
Really impressive career services at your school. You are quite right to let new students and even applicants know how much the career services office will play in their lives as students. Familiarity and comfort level are the key. And what better way than to show students that getting them ready for successful employment is part of what your school offers. You might want to measure retention as it relates to career services participation by students. It can make a great study and publication!
Great job
Susan
Even though admissions explains the placement department services, it is imperative that the placement department follow-up. If you say you are there for the students but other departments are explaining your services, can you truly say that you are? Nothing makes more of an impact on students than to put a face with a name or a department. This makes them feel that they matter. Once you have an established relationship, then students will feel more comfortable walking into your office for assistance. This aids in retention in that it keeps students coming back and referring other students as well.
Well said, Shirley, Students don't realize that schools offer lots of services in addition to training. Can you describe all the ways your school currently keeps all student services personnel visible to the student? Thanks, Susan
Initially,students are introduced to student services personnel during orientation. They are informed of the services offered,our locations and are invited to come by ASAP. Afterward, we go into each class room to conduct mini-career related workshops. We also occasionally stand outside of our offices to greet students as they walk by so that they can see our faces.
