I keep my door open
When our admissions department takes a new student to tour the campus I'm the first stop. I stand up, greet and welcome the student. Invite the students in my office and tell them that I am here for them. They are told they are welcome to my office at any time. I spend time with them. I help them get part time jobs while they are in school. Alot of them need that help. I'm open for any ideas.
Richard
HI Richard
Great to have an open door policy and to meet prospective students as soon as possible. A new student soon forgets a lot as they focus on getting used to school. So we feel it is important to keep reminding students that placement services are part of what they are paying for. And placement services are for everyone. That means meeting with students on an individual basis early on, stopping by the classroom to give brief presentations, and doing whatever it takes to keep reminding the student to do well with their studies so they can get a great job.
Best wishes
Ssuan
I like to meet the students during the enrollment process as well. Something that I have gotten great response from in the past is posting pictures of graduates with their place of employment. Prospects will sometimes recognize the graduate or be familar with the place that they work. Basically a picture is worth a thousand words.
Hi Hildie
Agree that a picture of a working grad is the best admissions and retention tool. You might want to have a wall of successful grads with photos at their place of work. Also create a booklet for admissions to use. Also have these grads stop by for a 5 minute classroom update. It reminds students why they are in school and helps students keep their eyes on graduation.
Best wishes
Susa
Thanks thats a great tool!!
You're welcome. I have a question--I have worked in Placement for 7 years and have always worked in departments that were already set up. I am now at a new college and starting the department. When making contacts to new prospective employers what have you found works best for you; Verbal, written, or person to person contact?
We are looking here to set up a placement departmaent as well...I personally just sent out flyers or the salons have called me. we have also sent out Update Needed! to both salons and students for information.
Great idea thanks. I will try that. I am trying to find ways for the employers to know I am here before I start cold calling.
HI Sheila
This course gives you most of the how to's to set up a placement department. Once you set it up remember to spend a lot of time outside the office to meet with students and also the community.
Best wishes
Susan
Hi Hildie
Here's an idea. Ask grads permission to contact their employers. Then send a survey to employers and follow up with the phone call. Also put all employers and potential employers on your mailing lists and send them updates periodically. When you contact them they will already know about your school.
Best wishes
Susan
I have found that it is most important to have a large contact database of potential employers (any business related to the school's field of training). One can use this database to make calls, send letters or in-person calls. Or all of the above. You will find that this database is ever evolving. Deleting out the old (no longer in business) and adding the new. It's a numbers game, the more contacts you make, the more chances of finding an internship or placement opportunity. I also have a clone database for our students to reference, minus my notes and comments. Good Luck!
Hi Teresa
Wow. That's great. You have the secret. Use technology to build and maintain lists. With lists of employer information you can keep a steady stream of communication going to them. It's a numbers and a public relations game. Keep your name in front of people who can impact your school.
Another thought is to have a place on your school website where employers can access and provide information.
Best wishes
Susan
Hi Richard:
A good idea would be helping them to prepare their resumes, provide orientation for employability skills, job hunting tools, etc... Many of them have not had the experience of a job interview, so it will be a challenge once they graduate.
I have the experience of offering Employability Skills Workshops where they can learn how to prepare a good resume, what to expect from a job interview, how to look for employment on the Internet, what websites to visit for this purposes, among many others things involved in this process.
These Workshops shoulb be offered during their externship/training period since finding a job will be the next step in their careers.
Hi Maria and Richard
We also believe that career school students need a lot of assistance in getting a job. It takes consistent employment skills training and a great deal of role playing and practice in interviewing.It's not just about offering a course or two. We also think that the placement process should begin early in the student's career.
Best wishes
Susan
I like leaving my door open as well. I beleive it keeps the (my door is always policy alive).
John
Hi John
Keeping the door open is a great policy. The policy though, has to be evident throughout the school. The environment of the school has to say that students are the prime reason why you are open.
Best wishes
Susan
We always keep our doors open in every department. We beleieve that the students should feel that they can come to us with no appointment when ever they need us.
Dario
I always keep my door open. I believe it makes students feel like we are just like them.
Ayala
HI Dario
Great idea to have an open door policy. It has to be felt throughout the entire school to really work. What is also effective is to ask students that you see how they are doing and what the school can do to meet their needs. You learn a lot with a few questions.
Best wishes
Susan
Hi Ayala
Keeping the doors open is a great approach. To be effective students have to know they can enter the office and that they will get a caring response.Each employee has different ways of showing that the student always comes first and is not an interuption. It takes guidelines from management and techniques to show how this is done.
Best wishes
Susan
