Creating and Managing
A Career Service Office
C. Randall Powell
Who Am I?: The Career Center
Director

Educator

Administrator

Chief Marketing Officer

Head Sales Person

Career Counselor
Relationship Manager
Employers
want the stars
Students
want jobs
Faculty
Alumni
Career Center’s Role
We “place” no one!
We act as “bridge-builders”
Organizations
Students
Presentation Objectives

Main Goal:
– Convince you to participate in
building your Career Center

Secondary Goals:
– Understand the services offered
– Understand impact upon all
customers
Motivations
Needs top talent
Must be convinced
Growth cycle
Financial supplements
Positive career start
Must be convinced
Job connections
Loyalty
Career Service Activities
Students &
Employers
Integration of
Services &
Involvement
Faculty &
Alumni
The Career Center
Service Delivery Methods
Professional and Volunteer Staff
Websites
Publications
Educational Programs
Recruiting Events
Counseling
Main Constituencies
employers
students
Services to Students
 Resume Software
 Job Referrals
 National Networks
 Job Interviews
 Career Counseling
 Presentation Coordination
 Career Publications
Job Search Seminars
 Job Listings
 Networking Contacts
 Salary Reports
 Resume Books
 Career Classes
 Interviewing
 Job Fairs
 Interview Feedback

Weekly Publication/Website
–
–
–
–
–
–
Announcements
Job Listings
Recruiting Firms
Procedures
Articles
Presentations
Career Information Resources
Employer’s Brochures
Annual Reports
Employer Notebooks
Career Pamphlets
“Career Resource Links”
Organization Information

Videotapes/CDs

Website Links
– Colorful and
Information Packed
Presentations
– Located in library or
Workstations
Resources




Electronic databases in website
Employer and industry profiles
Financial and investment reports
Articles and news
Contacts: job titles and addresses
ABI / INFORM
Business Dateline
InfoTrac
Standard & Poor’s
DATEXT
ECONLIT
UMI / INFORM
Dow Jones News
National Association of
Colleges and Employers






Career Magazines
Naceweb.org / Career Information
Copies purchased by career center
Distributed free to registrants
Normal cost is: Minimal
Available in most public libraries
Job Opportunities Bulletin
Web-Based

Daily Job Listings-Internship/Career
–
–
–
–


Corporations And Other Organizations
Employment agencies & search firms
Government/Education
Teaching positions
Source of Contact
Current Employment Climate Indicator
Job Offer Information
Web-Based
Salary Information

Computerized Salary Statistics
–
–
–
–
Degree level
Graduation data
Major
Experience

Maintenance Depends on Response

Confidential
Organizational Presentations
 Listed on the Website
 Updates Posted on Bulletin Boards
 Updates Posted on a Website
 Networking and Interview Information
 Career Center Staff Help Arrange Speakers
Academic Classes Plus …
Professional Career Development Courses
Encourage Professors to
Discuss Careers-invite
Employers to Class
In-Class Presentations by
employers
Counseling Advice
Career Counseling





Counselors
Student Volunteers
Full-Time Staff
Alumni Volunteers
Instructors in Academic
Units
“Must Allocate Resources to this service”
Interview Feedback



Employers often complete
evaluations
Confidential feedback to students
Establish an appointment
Resume Preparation Advice
Quick preparation
Quality product
Easily modified
National database networks
Uploaded to Career Center
Website
Resume Books
Student resumes sent to employers frequently
 Selectable filtering of resumes based on employer
needs
 Electronic resume books on Internet CC website
Referrals To Employers





Electronic Resume Books
Faxed And E-Mail Resumes
Based on Job Specs
Grad Date / Referral
Maintain Up-to-Date File
On-Campus Interviews
Arrangement of interviews
Many different employers
Set up after Career Fair
Resume distributed upon request
Career Fairs
Set up One Table per Employer
Several special events-usually by
academic subject area
All size employers
Joint sponsorships
(student clubs /alumni)
Often charge a fee or sponsorship
Networking by Alumni
Alumni Mentors
Links between students and employers
Graduation Year
Functional Field
ni
Al u
m
Major
Degree
Geography
Other
Help with mock interviews
tor
n
e
M
Services
Other Services Depend upon Student Needs
Publications/website
Programs
Activities/Events
Career Education
Career Education
Help students to help themselves
Giving a job is counter-productive
Teach concepts and techniques
Career Development Courses
(professional career awareness)

Required or Elective

Academic Faculty usually
Participate in Teaching

Business Communication Skills
Career Search Strategies
Transition
Career Goals
Job Search Plan
College
to
Career
Professional Career Development
Integrate life
goals with reality
search
plan
analyzing
self
establishing
goals
LIFE
GOALS
exploring
options
Career Course Components
Personal Planning
Career Option Exploration
Job Search Strategies
Course Topics
Self-Assessment
Psychological Testing
Resume Development
Inventories
Autobiographies
Career Options
Industry Analysis
Functional Fields
Job Analysis
Job Objectives
Search Strategies
Resume Preparation
Cover Letters
Interview Techniques
Networking
Lectures and Projects
Career Education
Hallmark of a quality career service program
Career Education may be delivered by:
Required Courses
Career Center Workshops
Result = Student Understanding / How to Achieve
Professional Career Goals
Career Services
Newspapers
Career Publications
Employer Publications
Employer Videotapes
Electronic Databases
College Placement Annual
Career Classes
Job Bulletins
Job Offer Data
Employer Presentations
Academic Classes
Resume Software
Resume Books
National Networks
Career Counseling
Campus Interviews
Interview Feedback
Referrals
Job Fairs
Alumni Networks
Services Must
Involve Employers



Active Participation
Extensive Involvement Needed
Regular contact: E-Mail-Telephone
Calls-website visits-personal visitsassociations
Employer Motivation
Must have economic motive
Reduce Cost
Improve Quality
Increase Profits
Ties Increase Profits



Financial Capital is Available
Human Capital is More Challenging
It’s ALL about Relationships!!
UNIVERSITY
Quality Work Force
Success comes from talented managers
Superior Talent from the university
Many examples of great products but weak staff
Professional staff lowers turnover
Career Center Director’s Task





Convince Employers of Value
Create Unique Institutions and Programs
Influence Student Selection and Curriculum
Recognize Competition and Self Strengths
Sell– Sell—Sell….!!
The Quality Image
Student Body Demographics
Hype and Insincere Sales Pitches Fail
“Strategic Partnerships are Essential”
University--- Industry
Partnership
 Select organization Partners
 Focus on Customers
 Nurturing Partnerships
 Career Center Facilitates:
RELATIONSHIPS
Total Involvement
Cooperation
Participation
Teaching
Solving Problems
Placement Becomes Almost Automatic
Placement Officer
is Orchestrator
Alumni
Interviews
Business
Networking
Students
Faculty
Interviews
Competition Controls

Top Students Get Multiple Offers

Highly Recruited After Identified

Employers Respond to Competition

Make Employers Job Easy
Facilitate Identification
of Talent
Graduate Identification
Expedite Communication Flow
Printed & Website Material
Personal Contact
Facilitate Communications
Alumni Involvement
Group Programs
Shadowing Days
Career Mentors
Coordinating Network Links
Resume Books
Identify Best Before Interview
Direct Referral Request From:
! Career Center
! Faculty
! Alumni
Consulting
Student Advice on
Work Activities
Internships
Class Projects
Alumni Mentors
Develop Networking Relationships
Job Fair Participation
Presentation
Table
Encounter
Interview
Faculty Recommendation
Faculty Members
Are Best
Sources For
Pre-Identification of
Employers
Faculty Observe Over Several Months
Careful and Thoughtful Recommendations
Trust and Credibility Earned
Earned Over Time
Faculty Relationships



Student contacts
are short-term
Faculty contacts
are long-term.
Relationships
come from
motivated faculty
Financial Support
Joint Research Sponsorship
Departmental Grants
Faculty Fellowships
Equipment Donations
Student Scholarships
Capital Funds
Can be 10 - 20% of the total budget
Faculty Partnerships
Consulting Arrangements
Executive Lectures
Departmental Consultations
Alumni Advisory Boards
Executive Roundtables
Dean’s Advisory Councils
Foster trust and invite constructive dialogues
The Job Interview:
“Career Center Must Facilitate”
Mutual Goal: Interview Candidates
Preliminary Interviews
On-site Interviews
The Job Offer
Faculty and Staff Referrals
Referrals are Preludes to Interviews
On-Campus Interviews
Select 12-14 Individual Interviews
Usually 30 minutes
Highly Productive and Efficient
Hundreds of Universities Schedule 1000 Plus
Very Cost Effective
Services Build Relationships
Employers
&
Students
Services
Alumni
&
Faculty
Budget & Expenses
Career Centers Are Not Inexpensive
Student Charges
Employer Charges
Tuition
Registration
Job Fair Fees
Resume Books
Advertising
Job Fair Fees
Conclusion
Benefits to:
Students Organizations
Alumni
Faculty
If you would like to
learn more, Career
Planning Strategies
textbook will supply
additional information
on this topic.