Workforce and Career Preparation
Catherine Voss Plaxton, M.A. Ed., M.A., PPSC
Employment Specialist, College of Business
SJSU Career Center
SJSU Washington
Square
Workforce
Employment Trends in Business,
Engineering and Science
Factors in Career Readiness
Resources for Student Preparation
•
Exploring Majors and Careers
•
Equipping for Job & Internship Search
and Career Preparation
SJSU Washington Square
Regional Economy
Low Unemployment
• 4.3% in San Jose/Santa Clara Metro
• 6.2% in CA
• 4% = full employment
Top Growth Industries
• Professional and business services, e.g.,
accounting, law
• Scientific and technical services , e.g., IT,
engineering consulting
Top Startup Industries: technology and healthcare
Sources:
• SV Bank Innovation Economy Outlook
2015
• Silicon Valley Indicators, Silicon Valley
Institute for Regional Studies
• Employment Development Department
July 2015 Indicators
• Silicon Valley Business Journal
SJSU Washington Square
Regional Economy
From Gartner, Inc. Top 10 Strategic Technology Trends for 2015
Connectivity
Data
•
Computing Everywhere – mobile devices, increased connectivity, attention to user
experience as control over devices decreases
•
Internet of Things – giant network of connected ‘things” which includes “people”,
leveraged for new solutions
•
Cloud/client Computing – scalable, self-service computing across devices, need for
customer success
•
Advanced, Pervasive, Invisible Analytics – extensive data gathered from numerous
connected sources, analyzed for insights
•
Context-rich Systems and Smart Machines – adaptable responses and machine
learning through analytics
•
Risk-based Security and Self-protection – security built into new IT layers
Source: Gartner, Inc.
SJSU Washington Square
Talent Acquisition (Recruiting)
•
Increased ethnicity / gender awareness for
Affirmative Action hiring
•
Emphasis on hiring women in engineering /
STEM majors and sales
•
Need for diverse skillsets within same
individual (STEAM, analytics)
•
Use of social media for passive recruiting –
LinkedIn, Portfolium
Gig Economy – is it REAL?
•
Share of persons holding multiple jobs: 4.8%
in 2015 vs. 5.5% in 2005
(Source: WSJ)
•
SJSU Spartan Staffing – SJSU solution
Regional Economy
SJSU Washington Square
Engineering Careers
• Software Developer
• Computer Systems Analyst
• Information Security Analyst
• Web Developer
• Mechanical Engineer
• IT Manager
• Civil Engineer
• Computer Systems Administrator
• Database Administrator
• Computer Programmer
Source: U.S. News & World Report
Survey Best Technology Jobs 2015
SJSU Washington Square
Engineering Careers
SpartaJobs
SJSU Jobs & Internship Database
Diverse Opportunities
•
•
Software and Network Development (all
phases)
•
Machine Learning, Data Science
•
Designer, User Experience, Product
Manager, Product Marketing, Sales
Engineering
•
IT Services, Business Analyst
•
Manufacturing, Supply Chain
•
Leadership Development / Rotation
programs - Sales, Marketing, Technical
•
Majority for Engineering / Computer
Science majors (1489 of 2666 postings)
SJSU technical majors in greatest
demand based on SpartaJobs postings:
• Computer Science (348)
• Software Engineering (257)
• Electrical Engineering (158)
• Mechanical Engineer (78)
SJSU Washington Square
Science Careers
SpartaJobs
Employment Trends
• Clinical Lab
Scientist
•
Applied Math and Stats students hired for big data
roles
•
Openings in government due to baby boomer
retirements.
•
Clinical Lab Scientist positions in demand in
hospitals
•
Biopharma and biomedical companies grow with
development of new drugs and medical devices for
aging U.S. population.
•
Many SJSU students hired in entry-level research
positions in biotech.
•
Hybrid roles in field of biotechnology:
• Research Associate
• Microbiologist
• Data Analyst
• Biostatistician
• Lab Assistant
• Associate Chemist
•
Biostatistician = statistics + biology
•
Bioinformatics = computer science + biology +
mathematics
SJSU Washington Square
Business Careers
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Market Research Analyst
Accountant
Operations Research Analyst
Financial Advisor
Logistician/Supply Chain
Insurance Agent/ Loan Officer
Business Operations
Analyst/Manager
• HR Specialist
• Sales Rep/Manager
• Compliance Officer
Source: U.S. News & World Report Survey
Best Technology Jobs 2015
SJSU Washington Square
SpartaJobs
Business Careers
Employment Trends
•
“Sales” – 468 postings
•
Analytics in all fields
•
“Operations” – 230 postings
•
Field-specific applications helpful
•
Operations Analyst
•
•
Purchasing/Supply Chain
Specialists
Tough finding candidates in full
employment fields: Sales, Accounting,
IT
•
Social media networking, recruiting
•
“Analyst” – 125 postings
•
•
Market Research Analyst
More investment in training new hires,
especially Sales, IT
•
Financial Analyst
•
Substantial government openings
•
IT: Business Analyst, Project
Leaders
•
“Recruiter” – 68 postings
•
Customer Success
SJSU
Washington
Square
Factors
in College
and Career Readiness
SJSU Employment Specialist Advice for Students
• Start with a sense of interests
• Acquire wide breadth of skills and knowledge: STEAM, business, social
skills
• Reach out to meet people in your field
• Leverage social media – LinkedIn, Portfolium
• Seek internships – key part of recruitment pipeline
• Seek rotations and leadership development in career roles
• Be open – explore sales, account management, marketing, business
development, customer service
• Adaptive, determinist, growth mindset
Remain more employable during down-times!
SJSU
Washington
Square
Factors
in College
and Career Readiness
Ed. Research
Perspective . . .
Four Keys to
College and Career
Readiness
From research by
David Conley,
professor and analyst
of education policy, U.
of Oregon.
Source: http://projectinfolit.org/smart-talks/item/80-david-conley-deconstructing-college-readiness
SJSU
Washington
Square
Factors
in College
and Career Readiness
Employer Perspective . . .
National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE)
10 Skills Employers Most Want in 2015 Grads
1. Ability to work in a team structure
2. Ability to make decisions and solve problems (tie)
3. Ability to communicate verbally with people inside and outside an
organization
4. Ability to plan, organize and prioritize work
5. Ability to obtain and process information
6. Ability to analyze quantitative data
7. Technical knowledge related to the job
8. Proficiency with computer software programs
9. Ability to create and/or edit written reports
10. Ability to sell and influence others
Source: www.naceweb.org
SJSU
Washington
Square
Factors
in College
and Career Readiness
From Accenture Report on Silicon Valley Work Culture:
•
A rapidly changing work environment dependent on creative thinking
and the ability to problem-solve independently
•
Global companies that work on projects around
the world
•
Demonstrate leadership capabilities (at every
level)
•
New grads hit the ground running
Source: https://www.accenture.com/us-en/insight-outlook-california-dreaming-corporate-culturesilicon-valley.aspx
SJSU
Washington
Square
Factors
in College
and Career Readiness
Focus and Value of Career-Development Interventions
From an interview of David Conley conducted by Project Information Literacy . . .
“Here’s my definition of college and career ready:
• A college and career ready student possesses the content
knowledge, strategies, skills, and techniques necessary to be
successful in a postsecondary setting.
• Not every student needs exactly the same knowledge and skills
to be college and career ready.
• A student’s college and career interests help identify the precise
knowledge and skills the student needs.”
Source: http://projectinfolit.org/smart-talks/item/80-david-conley-deconstructing-college-readiness
SJSU Washington
Square
SJSU
Career
Development Model
PRECOLLEGE
IDEAL:
LAUNCH
Your Career
EXPERIENCE
Your Field
• Rough
sense of
interests,
strengths,
and skills
• Start of a
career story
EQUIP
for Job and
Internship
Search
EXPLORE
Majors and
Careers
TRANSFER
IDEAL:
• Ready to
gain direct
experience
in field
FRESHMAN
SOPHOMORE
JUNIOR
SENIOR
SJSU Washington
Square
Resources
for Student Preparation
Milestones: Explore Majors and Careers
At SJSU
In High School
In Community College
Connect to the Career Center
• Awareness of campus services
• Self-determination
• Awareness of campus services
• Self-determination
Form initial academic/career
interests via assessment and
informational interviews
• Naviance
• californiacolleges.edu
• Save assessment results
• californiacolleges.edu
Select a major based on
initial academic and career
interests
• See course descriptions at
info.sjsu.edu
• Use Explore Majors/Careers
section of Career Center website
• See course descriptions at
info.sjsu.edu
• Use Explore Majors/Careers section of
Career Center website
Explore requirements for
major
• Student Success Center websites
• Student success center websites
• Prepare for internship and
international experience requirements
Explore fields in which your
major prepares you to work
Check out web resources:
• What Can I Do with My Major?
• O*Net Online (advanced search)
Check out web resources:
• What Can I Do with My Major?
• O*Net Online (advanced search)
• Save assessment results
SJSU Washington
Square
Resources
for Student Preparation
Milestones: Equip for Job and Internship Search
At SJSU
In High School
In Community College
Write a resume and cover
letter (career story)
• Begin logging successes and skills
• Develop a resume for job/internship
search; consider target field
• Leverage resources on SJSU Career
Center website and
californiacolleges.edu
Enhance social media
presence
• Assess current usage and privacy
settings
• Explore LinkedIn through Alumni
• Assess current usage and privacy
settings
• Create a LinkedIn profile
Make a positive
impression at interviews
and networking events
• Persuasion and presentation
coursework
• Persuasion and presentation
coursework
• Leverage resources on SJSU Career
Center website: Big Interview
• Grow leadership in student clubs
• Grow leadership in student clubs
Cultivate a career network
• Start a reference list
• Conduct informational interviews for
major selection
• Explore informational interviews with
LinkedIn alums;
• Enhance reference list (faculty,
employers)
SJSU Washington
Square
SJSU
Career
Development Model
PRECOLLEGE
IDEAL:
LAUNCH
Your Career
EXPERIENCE
Your Field
• Rough sense
of interests,
strengths,
and skills
• Start of a
career story
EQUIP
for Job and
Internship
Search
EXPLORE
Majors and
Careers
TRANSFER
IDEAL:
• Ready to
gain direct
experience
in field
FRESHMAN
SOPHOMORE
JUNIOR
SENIOR
Catherine Voss Plaxton
M.A. Ed., M.A., PPSC
Employment Specialist
College of Business
Donna Gilmour
Employment Specialist
College of Engineering
Computer Science
Nellie Rochon-Ellis,M.A.
Employment Specialist
College of Science
College of Applied Sciences
and Arts
SJSU Washington Square
SJSU Alumni Panel
Ganesh Iyer
Sr. Manager for Sales Operations, Cisco Systems
Founder, IcebreakerQ
Alumni of College of Engineering
Zuleica Pena
Assurance Associate, Price Waterhouse Coopers
Alumni of College of Business
Raul Peralez
Councilman, City of San Jose
Alumni of College of Science