Best Practices

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The On-Campus Intern: Real Work, Real Results

May 1, 2018 by 0 Comments

by Jenna Tucker, Clemson University

When I first started working with the UPIC Program at Clemson, I knew that experiential education was important; but now, I believe it should be a part of all students’ college experience in some way. Internships create career readiness, due not only to the technical expertise and area knowledge students encounter, but also because of the development of professional competencies. Though sites may range in projects and type of work, one thing remains the same: the importance of working well with others and learning how to interact professionally. These skills will be valuable to students long after the internships end, by first enabling them to feel confident while interviewing for industry jobs or graduate school, to years down the road, as they continue to develop as young professionals. UPIC provided over 900 experiences during the last school year, quite a change from our pilot semester in 2012 (in which we had roughly 20). Our rapid growth is due in part to the state of South Carolina, who generously provided us with recurring annual funding, as well as Clemson’s upper administration, who recognizes the significance of our work. The UPIC staff consists of dedicated professionals who truly believe in what we do. But the heart of the program remains the mentors and interns, who create the exceptional quality of our internships experiences. Our interns work alongside faculty and staff, applying theories learned in their classes to real-life work situations. For me, the most exciting part of working with an on-campus internship program is getting to see all of the amazing projects that they are involved in!

UPIC interns are engaged in every college (and most individual departments) across campus, participating in work that matters. They are adding to their resumes, but more importantly, developing relationships and gaining valuable skills that will enable their success, post-graduation and beyond. We have a group of interns who work with CCIT, Clemson’s in-house computing and information technology department; as well as at the Watt Family Innovation Center, a new facility on campus that hosts state-of-the-art technology in a collaborative, modern space. These opportunities enable interns to stay ahead of the curve in a world with constantly changing technology. There are interns in various research positions across campus, studying genetics, plant pathology, chemistry, etc. They participate in presentations and publications as undergrads, which often increases their chances for admission to medical or graduate school. For our interns in Cooperative Extension, work includes interacting with local farmers and land owners, collecting field data, and presenting workshops at schools and community centers. Many majors find it refreshing to have a hands-on internship experience outside of an office environment. We have student-athletes who work within various areas of Clemson’s athletic department, including recruiting, marketing and student development. They are intrigued to learn about what goes on behind the scenes and off the field. There are also interns working within Development, the Honors College, Study Abroad, Public Affairs, Human Resources, the Michelin Career Center, and Campus Life. These are just a few of the hundreds of internships sites that Clemson hosts, and each one provides interns with tools to excel. For those professionals in higher education thinking of starting a similar program, it may help to ask: Who are my existing campus partners? What are some departments that would benefit from student interns? In what ways can interns make a difference on campus? Even starting with a small number can create impact. UPIC truly prepares students to face the world of work with competence, and I feel blessed to be a part of such a meaningful program. GO TIGERS!!

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Jenna Tucker, M.Ed., began working in Clemson’s Center for Career and Professional Development in the fall of 2013 as a graduate assistant for the University Professional Internship and Co-op (UPIC) Program. She returned to graduate school at Clemson after working for three years at a Fortune 500 company in Greenville, SC. After completing her Master’s degree in Counselor Education in the spring of 2014, she took on a full-time role as an Internship Counselor for UPIC, before moving into the role of Assistant Director of the program in 2015. Jenna’s main area of focus is career and professional development, specifically by helping students gain valuable skills and real-world work experience through intentional and field-based internships.

Advising KG - Best Practices

Maximizing the 4 Steps of Career Development

April 10, 2018 by 0 Comments

by Kathy Grant, Mount St. Joseph University

Setting clear expectations from the beginning about “ownership” – who is responsible for designing and managing a strategic career plan – is critical. Early on in my career coaching roles, I found myself personally owning and investing more in the student’s career plan than many of them were committed to do.  I often stopped what I was working on to “help” and found that they had not followed up or followed through after our discussion the first time.

As a more mature career coach, I have learned to use the 4 Steps of Career Development as a basis for ownership.   Securing commitment to a strategic, measurable plan from both the student/alumnus/a and the coach works best if there is structure. The homework aspect of the 4 Steps, along with setting clear ownership expectations, means that the career plan is a commitment with a well-defined framework.

The 4 Steps of Career Development are:

  1. Knowing Yourself – Interests, Skills, Values
  2. Knowing the Career Field – Options and Ideas
  3. Matching You and the Career Field
  4. The Job Search – Resume, Cover Letter, Interviewing Skills

Visually, imagine a frame with clear-cut sides and boundaries with the open picture to be defined by the coaching session.  Ideally, the frame will expand and contract.  It expands as you share possibilities for a major, a career path, employers that match and the cultures that are options.

My first meeting is for clarifying the expectations of the student.  Are we working on a career plan?  Do they need a quick resume critique or tips for an upcoming interview?

For students coming in with initial exploration questions, I share the 4 Steps process, with a focus on Knowing Yourself.  I ask the student to share one aspect of any job that they have had that they enjoyed.  We translate that into a skill.  For example, they enjoyed working at the front desk at a health club, so communication skills about services offered, the ability to greet members efficiently and respond to their questions would be one skill set that they have developed.  Homework is to make a list of the “top 10” skills that they would like to use in a job.

Next, we talk about the job environment they have enjoyed the most.  Did the employees work as part of a team?  Did they have reasonable working hours – their definition?  Homework is to make a list of the “top 10” characteristics of their ideal job.  The difference between the two lists is that one is about them and one is about the culture of the work environment that best suits them.

Depending on the student’s vocational maturity, the two lists may be the homework we agree upon prior to the next meeting.  Knowing the Career Field, the second step, is also homework for the next meeting.  I ask them to identify five to seven jobs that interest them. At this point, they don’t need to consider, location, amount of experience or degree required, etc. Rather, I am looking for a broader understanding of what career paths might be possible.  Once they find the positions, they print them out and highlight the “key words.”  Part of the coaching session is to ensure that they understand the value of key words when employers source candidates.

Scheduling the next meeting is up to the student.  I ask them to contact me when they have completed their homework or when they find a road block that keeps them from understanding the process and their role.  Some students schedule a meeting prior to leaving my office.  Some wait to schedule.

The second appointment usually ranges from 45 minutes to an hour.  We take a deep dive into their definitions of their skills, with a focus on value added for the employer and how they will market these skills in their resume, cover letter and interview.  We review key words, talk about options and identify potential employers who would value their skill set.  There have been a number of times when students have an “ah-ha” moment and find a job that truly interests them.  We quickly switch gears and develop a resume that will support their application.

What I enjoy most about the 4 Steps is the individuality and the creativity I use to support the student’s career development plan.  We include ideas for networking, potential employers, and how to get the most out of our job posting site and career center programs/ services in support of their search.  The investment of time with the first 2 Steps means that the student often feels empowered to tell their story and share their elevator speech in a more concise and compelling manner.

I would estimate that about 60-70% of the students and alumni who ask to work on their career plan return to meet with me, keep me informed of their progress and are open to new options.  The students and alumni who are invested and own their career plans will be much more successful with telling their story.

There are two motivators for me when working with students and alumni on the 4 Steps.  The quote from Maya Angelou:  “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel” is important for showing value for each individual.  The second is the “teach a man to fish” principle.  I hope that, should I actually win the lottery (I have not recently bought a ticket!), they will know how to own and be successful with their job search.

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Kathy Grant is a certified Strengths Coach with over 25 years of career services and recruiting experience.  She is the Career Development contact for the Career & Experiential Education Center at Mount St. Joseph University.  She also served as Interim Director of the Career Development Center at the University of Cincinnati, as Assistant Dean for the UC College of Law career center, as Director of Recruiting & Professional Development  for Keating Muething & Klekamp, a large Cincinnati based law firm, and as Membership Director for the Cincinnati Bar Association.  Kathy focuses her career coaching on accountability and developing a targeted search.  She has also been a Buyer for two major department stores and a teacher for Cincinnati Public Schools.  Kathy has a BS in English, Education and Sociology with a teaching certification from Miami University and a Masters in Counseling, with a focus on career counseling, from the University of Cincinnati.

Best Practices - Hot Topics - Jobs

Employer Vetting: Identifying Fraud and Educating Students

March 23, 2018 by 0 Comments

by Dia Buchanan, Belmont University

Meet Kerry – a 20-year-old college sophomore nursing major at a local institution. Kerry is a first-generation college student, eager to move into off-campus housing at the start of her junior year. In order to do that, Keri must find a part-time job to begin saving money. Kerry qualified for federal work study, however all the on-campus jobs are filled. A friend suggests that Kerry search the online job board of University Career Services for a position. She finds an opportunity that seems ‘too good to be true’, and that it is!

At the request of the employer, Kerry provides confidential personal information which results in a large withdrawal and loss of funds from her bank account. Devastated by this outcome, Kerry contacts University Career Services to investigate this listing and educate herself on fraudulent postings.

Fraudulent postings are a significant problem at universities of all types, sizes, and locations. While we would like to believe that all contacts made with our career centers are legitimate and trustworthy, this simply is not the case.

Due to the increasing number of fraudulent positions, phishing scams, and questionable employment opportunities; it’s extremely important to properly review positions that are sent to us.

Preventing Fraudulent Activity

  • Create detailed Job Posting/Recruiting Policy that verifies required information and types of opportunities not posted.
  • Have multiple staff within office check the posting. (i.e. Student Assistant and FT Staff)
  • Make employer vetting the priority
  • Require Complete Company Information
    • Valid website, commercial address, email with domain name, working phone number
    • Look for the geolocation to match, verify commercial address, validate website
    • Check company website to locate email domain
    • Search for companies on CareerShift
  • Require Complete Contact Information
    • First and Last Name- No generic name ( i.e. Recruitment Team)
      • Use LinkedIn to verify Contact
      • No Personal Email addresses (Gmail, yahoo, outlook)
  • Require Complete Job Profiles
    • Consider making required fields in the job description
  • Investigate Spam Reports

Educating Students on Fraudulent Postings

  • Be concise with wording to students
  • Ask students to sign agreement or ‘terms of use’ before using career services management system
  • Provide access to “Common SCAM Content” and “Protecting yourself from Fraud” documents via website
  • Put notification on website and in policies and procedures
  • Host Employer Panel or Workshop that discusses appropriate ways to job search
  • Have Coaches/Counselors mention tips in one on one appointments
  • Communicate policy and educate faculty via newsletter
  • Work with international students to educate this population/incorporate into OPT/OPT workshop
  • Partner with Faculty and include content in presentations in the classes
  • Create Marketing campaign around Preventing Fraud
    • Include a “Tip of the Day” on Social Media
    • Display poster outside of Career Services office
    • Post article in school newspaper on fraud jobs
    • Create Podcast on dangers of fraud jobs

Follow-up and Follow Through

If a Fraud Position is approved and posted…follow these suggestions

  • Communicate via phone or in person with the informant
  • Close the Job. Remove listing from website or system
  • Maintain database of known scams; do a regular check/swipe within Career Services system
  • Contact the legitimate company so they are able to inform their partners
    • Example- Biogen- Victim Employer of Fraud
  • Send note to career colleagues, consortium members, LinkedIn/NACE message boards and listservs
  • Notify the Following:
    • All students who viewed the job as well as the searchable student database
    • (Send an email to) career colleagues, consortium members, LinkedIn/NACE message boards and listservs
    • Campus police and/or legal if they would like to be involved
    • Job board software provider (e.g.,Handshake, GradLeaders, Symplicity, etc.)

 

Talk it over:

  • Does your institution have a standard posting policy?
  • What proactive (not reactive) steps is your team taking to prevent fraud activity?
  • Are you currently communicating best practices with students?
  • What suggestions can you take from this article and implement today?

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This article was adapted from a 2017 Employer Relations Summit session created and presented by Dia Buchanan. Recognition and kudos are given to Summit participants that provided suggestions, content and feedback. See what great resources, knowledge and professional development opportunities are gained at our annual Employer Relations Summit? Register today (hyperlink: http://www.soace.org/employer-relations-summit) for this year’s event.