EMPLOYER SURVEY
Conducting a Comprehensive Employer
Survey: Results and Lessons Learned
Becky Hall, M.A.
Heidi J. Perman, M.A.
Mark Sorenson-Wagner
University of Minnesota
U of M CAREER SERVICES

Decentralized/hybrid model
–

10+ different offices provide service
Career Development Network
–
–
–
Collaborate on events
Professional development
http://www.career.umn.edu
WHAT PROMPTED SURVEY
Learning Abroad Center inquiry
 JobPlace/JobTalk emails, no response
 Big changes ahead at the University,
wanted base line data

– Shared job posting system (GoldPASS)
– University’s strategic positioning efforts
WHAT WE WANTED TO LEARN

Employer feedback on and expectation of
career services
– Inform structural decision-making


Feedback on student job search skills
What employers most value in terms of
student skills/experiences
TIP: Focus and narrow your questions!
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Volunteers from Career Development
Network
 Diverse perspectives = thorough questions





Learning Abroad Center
2 career counselors
Employer relations
coordinator
Career services director


TIP: Pick committee carefully!
Central coordinator career
development
Vice Provost for Student
Affairs
SURVEY CONSTRUCTION



Ask questions in a way that they truly address
your intended outcome
Have trained survey developers review
questions for purpose and give feedback
Have an employer review them and give
feedback
TIP: Find a graduate student to help.
CONDUCTING THE SURVEY

Conducted in three parts due to length
– Employer Feedback on Career Services - July 2005
– Student Job Search Skills - November 2005
– Skills/Experience - April 2006
Survey created and administered by
Office of Measurement Services
 Sent via email with online link to survey

TIP: Be thoughtful about who creates and
administers the survey.
WHO WE SURVEYED
Employer Types
For Profit
Non-Profit
Position Types
Full Time
Internship
Governmental
Education
Volunteer
WHO WE SURVEYED
Identifying representative employer list
complex task for a decentralized
university
 High recruiter turnover made an
accurate list challenging to acquire
 Utilized a list created for the U of M Job
and Internship Fair

RESPONSE RATES
Initial sent email by:
Reminder email sent by:
Responses:
Vice Provost
Vice Provost
44
Vice Provost
Career Services
79
Career Services
Career Services
163
TIP: Have email sent from well-known name.
DATA DISTRIBUTION
Career Development Network
 Academic Advisors
 Council of Undergraduate Deans
 Key Campus Leadership
 Employers

TIP: Share this information widely, then share it again.
DATA USAGE
STUDENT
 Statistics used in office handouts
 Classroom presentations
 Individual counseling appointments
 Learning Abroad Center
TIP: Data from employers intrigues students.
DATA USAGE

College long-range planning
– School of Public Health

Funding requests
– Regents

Collaboration
– Validated complexity of our structure

Sharing outside the University of Minnesota
– Professional development
TIP: Data from employers intrigues students.
NEXT STEPS
Conduct survey again, 2-3 year cycle
 Refine and condense questions
 Consider who should answer the
questions (recruiters vs. high level)

– Tailor to unique populations

Offer employer incentives
SAMPLE QUESTIONS – PART 1
What facilities do you expect to be available when you
interview on campus? (select all that apply)
 Parking validation – 22 (50.0%)
 Interview room space – 19 (43.2%)
 Interview scheduling – 14 (31.8%)
 Information session space – 13 (29.5%)
 Information session scheduling – 7 (15.9%)
 Meals to be paid for while on campus / be taken out to lunch
– 6 (13.6%)
SAMPLE QUESTIONS – PART 1
What should University of Minnesota career offices be doing that
we aren’t?
 Central spot to post jobs – 6 comments
 Nothing/Positive experiences – 3 comments
 Better train students on resume/cover letter/interviewing – 2
comments
 Confusing who to call/contact – 1 comment
 Have a rep who works with minority students for employers that
value diversity – 1 comment
 More connections with professors/classes – 1 comment
 Transcripts sent with resumes – 1 comment
SAMPLE QUESTIONS – PART 1
What criteria do you use in deciding which colleges/universities to
recruit from? Rank least to most important (calculated by
averages: 1=least important, 6=most important)
 Previous successful hires – 5.45
 Quality of student preparedness for employment – 5.3
 Reputation – 5.02
 Location – 4.67
 Quality of student job searching abilities – 4.37
 Students’ willingness to relocate – 3.93
 Specific program ranking – 3.76
 Alumni connection – 3.43
SAMPLE QUESTIONS – PART 2
When using an online job posting / recruiting system, how
much importance do you place on cover letters as compared
to the student candidate’s information on their resume?
Low Importance
1
2
High Importance
3
4
5
6
12
15
12
13
13
8
15.38% 19.23% 15.38% 16.67% 16.67% 10.26%
NA
Mean
5
6.41%
3.33
SAMPLE QUESTIONS – PART 2
Please rank the information that is most important for
students to include in a cover letter:
 Reason interested in your organization – 43 (56.58%)
 Career objective – 15 (19.74%)
 Past experience – 15 (19.74%)
 Knowledge of the company – 2 (2.63%)
 Other – 1 (1.32%)
SAMPLE QUESTIONS – PART 2
How would you rate the overall quality of University of
Minnesota students’ responses to behavioral-based
interview questions?
Low Quality
High Quality
1
2
0
0.00%
2
2.63%
3
4
5
7
28
27
9.21% 36.84% 35.53%
6
NA
4
8
5.26% 10.53%
Mean
4.35
SAMPLE QUESTIONS – PART 2
If you have been presented with a portfolio during an
interview, how did the portfolio impact the evaluation of
the candidate?
Negative Impact
1
1
4.55%
2
Positive Impact
3
4
5
6
1
3
5
7
5
4.55% 13.64% 22.73% 31.82% 22.73%
NA
Mean
0
0.00%
4.41
SAMPLE QUESTIONS – PART 3
How would you rate the importance of students having a
broad liberal education background for the positions
you are trying to fill?
Not Important
1
8
4.94%
2
Very Important
3
4
5
6
15
24
44
38
31
9.26% 14.81% 27.16% 23.46% 19.14%
NA
Mean
2
1.23%
4.173
SAMPLE QUESTIONS – PART 3
What are the three most important skills necessary for
identifying a strong applicant for your hiring needs?
 Interpersonal communication - 61 (37.89%)
 Ability to work on a team - 57 (35.40%)
 Problem Solving - 56 (34.78%)
 Ability to learn new ideas quickly - 52 (32.30%)
 Leadership - 38 (23.60%)
 Competent in field of study - 33 (20.50%)
 Oral Communication - 29 (18.01%)
 Creative thinking - 26 (16.15%)
 Ability to work with a diverse workforce - 21 (13.04%)
 Analytical thinking - 20 (12.42%)
QUESTIONS?
Becky Hall, M.A.
rahrah@umn.edu, 612-626-5151
Heidi J. Perman, M.A.
hperman@umn.edu, 612-624-9120
Mark Sorenson-Wagner
wagnerme@umn.edu, 612-624-1827
Complete Survey Questions/Results:
http://www.career.umn.edu/Employer%20Survey06.pdf