for
Indiana University
October 13, 2014
Dr Philip Gardner
Collegiate Employment Research
Institute & Career Services Network at
MSU
Gardner & Gross. May be used individual educational and research
use only with appropriate citation
Images from The Lorax © by Theodore Suess Geisel

Which of the following would you not
recommend for a first year student to
consider?
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Accounting
Financial Services
Human Resources
Medical Doctor
All of the Above
None of the Above
No experience
necessary
 Tenure in 1st position: 4
to 5 years
 Companies did most of
the training
 Large employer
dominance in college
market

Experience required
Tenure in first position
12 to 24 months
 Most organizations
provide little or no
training
 Skills & expectations
have soared
(employers)
 Large employers are no
longer dominant
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Work organizing differently: networks
Technology & smart machines
 Equilibrium Proposition
 50-50 Deal
 Disaster Ahead
Leaner/faster & chaotic organizations
(knowledge becomes negotiable &
ambiguous)
 Skills & competencies & learning trump (often)
academic disciplines
 “Dating” starts much earlier –
 Disruptions constant
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Diversity: for large companies
Small companies are at the party
 Entrepreneurial-mindedness
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Can the best students really be found?
Majors versus Skills
All engagement is not created equal
Don’t guarantee what you do not have
control over

Accelerated growth in job opportunities
 Dance like its 1999!
 But it is not like 1999 or 2007

Competitive
 No free pass --- those not ready will be pasted
over

“All Majors” in play
STEM mania – the road to a serf economy

Have the necessary
pre-professional
experiences

Engage in a high stake
internship and

Fluently articulate
skills developed
through experiences
Internships
Leadership in a
professional
organization
Study
Abroad
Supervised
civic
engagement
Leadership in
a nonprofessional
organization
Scholarly
research
with faculty
International
Internship
Faculty
supervised
applied
research
project with
company
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Developing
professional
competencies
Communicating
effectively
Solving problems
Balancing work and life
Embracing change
Working effectively in
a team
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Working in a diverse
environment
Managing time &
priorities
Navigating across
boundaries
Acquiring knowledge
Thinking critically
Performing with
integrity
http://careernetwork.msu.edu/award-winning-media
Apply learning
Write effectively
Work in teams
Grasp workplace
realities
Acquire information
Demonstrate initiative
Communicate orally
Think analytically
Acquire knowledge
Evaluate alternatives
Create solutions
Innovate
Work in teams
Lead as necessary
Utilize technology
Grasp workplace realities
Demonstrate initiative
• Build working relationships
• Analyze, evaluate and interpret data
• Engage in continuous learning
• Communicate through justification and
persuasion
• Plan and manage a project
• Create new knowledge
• Seek global understanding
Able to perform with integrity
Able to solve problems
Able to manage time and priorities
Able to take the initiative
Able to analyze, evaluate, and interpret
information
 Able to contribute to a team
 Able to effectively communicate orally
 Able to build and sustain working professional
relationships
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 Case Study: Boise State University
Able to embrace change.
Able to acquire knowledge
Able to manage and synthesize different
sources of information.
 Able to effectively communicate through
writing
 Able to create original ideas and innovations
(be innovative).
 Able to plan and manage a project
 Able to develop further professional
competencies.
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 Case Study: Boise State University
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Takes responsibility and is accountable for
work and behavior (accountable)
Demonstrates a strong work ethic (work
ethic)
Displays sound judgment and controls
feelings/emotions in work situations
(maturity)
 Case Study: Boise State University
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Works with limited direction (self-directed)
Cooperates with co-workers in a respectful,
sincere manner (humility)
Conveys passion for work and career
(passion)
Functions effectively in an ever changing
environment (adaptable)
Completes assignments and other
commitments punctually (punctual)
 Case Study: Boise State University
The new word of the day
Systems that focus on the flow of things
Transportation & Supply Chain
Water & Waste Recycling
Food & Products (Nano)
Energy & Electric Grid
Information/ICT & Cloud (Info)
Systems that focus on human activities & development
Buildings & Construction
Retail & Hospitality/Media & Entertainment (tourism)
Banking & Finance/Business & Consulting
Healthcare & Family Life/Home (Bio)
Education /Campus & Work Life/Jobs & Entrepreneurship (Cogno)
Systems that focus on governing
City (Government)
State/Region (Government)
Nation (Government)
Higher Ed – T-shaped depth added, cross-disciplinary project teams
Professional Life – Adaptive T-shaped life-long-learning & projects
13
Systems
© IBM
Academic and Professional Success on the same platform
AWARENESS + PURPOSE
Understand differences
Mobilize resources
Work as a team
I can advance my purpose by
gaining insights from others;
understanding how my
purpose is valued by others
and how I need to interact
with others to contribute in
meaningful ways.
Purpose
I have dreams and aspirations.
I know what I value.
I am self aware.
I understand what others value in me.
I know want to achieve and who I need
to achieve it with.
Awareness
My purpose fits in the world.
I understand what is expected
to achieve success.
I seek different perspectives,
cultures, knowledge and
abilities from others to provide
valuable insights.
I can use my strengths to
complement those of others in
a team.
PURPOSE + CONFIDENCE
Make plans
Take action
Move toward goals
I am willing to enter
uncertain situations by
experimenting, engaging, or
challenging my purpose with
confidence that I can learn
and adapt as I move
forward .
Confidence
I can contribute.
I feel part of something.
I can ask questions and take
action.
I can take risks that may
succeed or fail.
I am responsible and act with
integrity.
CONFIDENCE + AWARENESS
Learn from others
Adapt to differences
Work with others
I can work with others to accomplish common
challenges. I am a global citizen, adapting to
situations of change and embracing new ideas and
experiences
Strong Ties – Weak Ties
Short Links -- Long Links
 Committed to promoting the development of comprehensive
professional competencies, attitudes, and behaviors in each
student
 Committed to encouraging self-directed, active learning in our
students as preparation for becoming life long learners
 Committed to enhancing integration of liberal learning,
disciplinary, interdisciplinary & co-curricular concepts into a
professional foundation
 Committed to expanding students’ ability to deal with
unexpected, emerging issues
Robert Kegan ‘s & Lisa L. Lahey’s, Immunity to Change (Cambridge: HBRP) helped frame these
thoughts from earlier presentations.
Playing with Purpose…

Why is that lifestyle important to
you?

How could you make that happen?
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What steps could you take now?

How confident are you
to take those steps?
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Who could help you?
How could we provoke students to think about their
strengths & interests?
I learned
I’m good at…
Academics –classes
& subjects you’ve
taken, work you’ve
accomplished
Work experiences –
part-time or summer
jobs, volunteer work
Activities – clubs &
organizations,
sports, summer
programs, civic &
spiritual
involvements
Personal interests –
hobbies or things you
just like to do
I learned
I like….
I learned
I don’t like…
What will you do
to…
Acquire, analyze, and
evaluate information
from multiple sources?
Synthesize and apply
information within and
across disciplines?
Identify and apply, as
appropriate,
quantitative methods
for defining and
responding to
problems?
Identify the credibility,
use and misuse of
scientific, humanistic
and artistic methods?
Restate this in
words that are
meaningful to you
Give examples of
what you will do
List people or
resources that can
help you
“It is not the answer that
enlightens, but the
question.”
~Eugène
Ionesco
Next steps for discussion:
• How might you interweave
purpose more intentionally
within your interactions with
students?
• How might you refine your
communication style with
students to foster their
thinking?
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Expressing clearly their career interests (an
idea of where they want to go)
Having appropriate (and sufficient) preprofessional experiences (understand the
context of the workplace)
Expressing realistic expectations for their first
job
Being able to craft their story for nonacademic audiences
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Experience Surfing: I would be willing to endure frequent
job changes in order to find a job that fits my interests and
abilities. I believe I still have a few years to try out different
jobs before I settle down into a career.
Career Plans: I don’t have any specific goals for this year. I
can’t imagine what my life will be like 10 years from now.
Career Concern: I will not find a job where I can succeed. I
will have trouble finding a job that can use my skills and
talents.
Superiority: I deserve favors from others. Being admired by
others helps me feel fantastic.
Work Identity: Work as a central life focus
Represents 12% of young
adults
 More men
 More Asian-Americans
 Financially dependent on
parents
 Low work identity
 Moderately superior
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Represents 38% to 41% of
young adults
More whites
Moderate career concerns
Low work identity
High superiority
High family income
Well-educated parents
57% would renege
Parental support necessary
Social Sciences, Humanities,
Sciences
Represents 23% of young
adults
 High career concerns
 High superiority
 Moderate work identity
 Family income $60-80K
 Business and sciences
 59% would renege

Represents 25% of young adults
Selective surfers
High career concerns
High identity with work
Moderate superiority
Women
More African-Americans and
Hispanics
 Moderately dependent on
parents
 Health, education, family
services
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Colleges and universities MUST be more explicit
about professional preparedness & co-curricular
learning expectations. Means closer collaboration


Normal – really?
Student Success
 Alignment of Learning Outcomes & Professional
Outcomes
 Shorten Links – support strong ties
 Will only work if faculty accept a role

Metrics
 Transactional
 Transformative
 Delayed Impacts
Thoughts, Questions, Research Ideas, Calls to Action
Dr. Phil Gardner
Collegiate Employment Research Institute
gardnerp@msu.edu
ceri.msu.edu
Dr. Linda Gross
Career Services Network
Office of the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education
grossL@msu.edu
careernetwork.msu.edu
undergrad.msu.edu/programs/seminar
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Critical Reflection in Applied Learning. Journal of Applied Learning in Higher Education Vol. 1, Fall
2009 25-48 (http://www.missouriwestern.edu/appliedlearning/journal.asp)
Elder, L & Paul, R. (2002). The Art of Asking Essential Questions. Foundation for Critical Thinking
(www.criticalthinking.org).
Gardner, P. (2011) The High Stakes Internship. Collegiate Employment Research Institute, Michigan
State University. http://ceri.msu.edu/publications
Gardner, P., Gross, L., Steglitz, I (2008) Unpacking Your Study Abroad Experience: Critical
Reflection for Workplace Competencies. Collegiate Employment Research Institute Research Brief I
2008, Michigan State University. http://ceri.msu.edu/publications/pdf/brief1-2008final.pdf
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