Innovative Strategies for Conducting Career Center Assessment

1. Innovative Strategies for Conducting Career Center Assessment Presented by Marian Higgins, Nicole Lechene & Penny Benton The University of Georgia

2. This session will help you… Learn the importance of engaging (vs. mandating) staff from all operational areas in the departmental assessment process. Develop ideas for assessment beyond the typical ‘semester survey’  Learn about and practice the ‘post-it’ brainstorming technique, which depends on everyone’s input and leads to focused assessment. 

3. This session will help you… Gain insight on the preparation and facilitation required for an annual assessment retreat Learn to effectively close the assessment loop by taking action on the results to add value to the department and its constituents.  Discover ways technology can be used in the assessment process.

4. Mission The career center staff facilitates, motivates, and empowers students to explore options and pursue careers. The center provides a comprehensive range of services, programs, and materials focusing on career exploration & decision-making, skill development, experiential learning, and career employment. The career center is committed to assisting employing organizations and establishing university partnerships for the benefit of University of Georgia students.

5. Goals Career Exploration & Decision Making Skill Development Experiential Learning Career Employment Employer Relations University Partnerships

6. Population Georgia’s flagship institution serves more than 34,000 students Providing more than 160 major areas of study in 16 colleges

7. Liaison Model & Structure

8. Services DAWGlink – online job board Individual career counseling Walk-in hours for resume assistance Assessments (for career decision-making) Career Library and Online Resources Career Classes Intern for a Day Mock Interviews

9. Programs More than a dozen career fairs each year “Careers In…” panels Job Search Workshops and Seminars College-Specific Events Business Dining & Etiquette Diversity Programs

10. Culture Moving at the speed of business Technology-focused Innovative; fresh ideas welcome Fast-paced and frequently changing Collaborative

11. Oh no!!! Not Assessment!!! Effort to incorporate assessment into our operations began in 2007 Prior to 2007 we would deploy basic surveys after events in a sporadic manner Not much was done with the information gathered

12. Why Now? The use of assessment in our field was growing Introduction to StudentVoice services provided the perfect tool to get us started Excellent tool to show our value both internally and externally

13. Ok…..Now What Do We Do? Committee Style model Voluntary participation Office wide initiative open to all staff All functional areas represented Varied staff = varied input

14. Technology A variety of technology is used Student Voice is the main survey tool Palm Scanners capture student attendance at events Career Center Contact Manager (C3M) system allows us to target specific populations and assess workflow needs

15. Student Voice

16. Palm Scanner

17. Career Center Contact Manager (C3M)

18. Assessment Retreat

19. Retreat Agenda Led by Career Center Director or members of the administrative team Review the results from previous year’s assessments

20. Retreat Agenda • Place the results into three buckets: • Programmatic Changes -Major & Minor • Bragging Points - Demonstrates Program’s Value • Further Investigation - Necessary to Clarify Results

21. Retreat Agenda • Brainstorming Session • Identify 3-4 areas to assess • Previous Areas Assessed Include: • Career & Life Planning Class (Pre & Post) • Customer Service • Resume Critiques • Graduate Students • Diversity • Undecided Students • “Careers In …” Series

22. Subcommittees Subcommittees are created based on the areas to be assessed. Assessment committee members select the subcommittee they would like to serve on. A subcommittee chair is identified.

23. Subcommittee Charge Project Title Specific Area Being Assessed Type of Assessment Being Used Survey Distribution Rationale for Assessing this Area

24. Assessment Design Feedback 1st Year: Trial and Error 2nd Year: Staff Presentations 3rd Year: Presentations to Director

25. Helpful Tools for the Retreat A scribe to record notes Laptops, projector, screen Post-it pads Markers Space for Subcommittee Breakouts

26. Activity Facilitation Now it’s your turn!

27. Your Charge • Given the categories below, identify areas within your department that you would like to assess. • Student Services • Outreach Programs, Walk-Ins • Technology • On-line Resources, Student Tracking • External Constituents • Employer Relations, Campus Collaborations

28. Post-It! Write one idea per post-it. Place the student services ideas on the blue post-it Place the technology ideas on the yellow post-it Place the external constituents ideas on the green post-it Think of as many ideas as you can. Stick your post-its on the appropriate area.

29. Pulling It Together • The facilitators will group the post-its and determine the themes. • Ask for clarification on some post-its. • The themes generate ideas about the areas that we will assess. • Form subcommittees and give charge.

30. Reflection Q & A

31. Thank You!