Prepared by the Attracting New Professionals Action Team

Overview Introduction Typical Work Tasks Sample Job Titles Work Settings Office Space Hours and Earnings Education and Training Experience Professional Development Personal Qualifications Sources of Additional Information

Career Services in Higher Education: An Introduction Institutions of higher education enroll close to 15 million students. Many of these students will need help determining their career path and finding employment or pursuing further education. Career services professionals have the opportunity to positively impact key aspects of a student’s life and collegiate experience.

Typical Work Tasks Counseling and advising individuals and groups on occupations, career exploration, career planning and decision-making, job-search strategies, employability skills, and graduate and professional education. Organizing and managing career information resources. Developing and producing publicity/PR materials. Helping students locate work experiences to reality- test their career goals and build their resumes.

Typical Work Tasks (continued) Designing, planning, and implementing career programs including career planning and job- search workshops, career expos, career panels, alumni networks, and similar services.

Typical Work Tasks (continued)  Work with employers who participate in job fairs, on-campus interviewing, resume referral, and related programs.  Directors take on additional responsibilities that may include: providing leadership for development and implementation of programs and services managing operations: Budgets range from $1,000 to $2,000,000 and staffing from 1-60 depending on four year versus two year schools. While the average budget size is $90,706, 63% report budgets of $50,000 or less*. * Source: State of the Profession: Results from NACE’s 2004 Career Services Benchmarking Survey, August 2004

Typical Work Tasks (continued)  Directors take on additional responsibilities (continued): developing goals and policies, and strategic directions serving as an advocate for the office internally and externally acting as a liaison between university offices, departments, alumni, students, and employers fundraising

Sample Job Titles Account Manager Andy Assistant Director Arnett Keith Kristin Mark Racquel Sara Associate Dean Patricia Associate Director John Kerry Career Consultant Jessica Jim Career Counselor Jack Joan Career Resource Center Coordinator Anne Nathan Career Services Specialist

Sample Job Titles Coordinator, Career Development Services Cooperative Education Coordinator Laura Director, Career Services Fred Dorothy Irene Jennifer Joyce Kathy D. Lisa Michelle Employer Relations Coordinator Melissa Experiential Education Coordinator Kathy W. Internship Coordinator Placement Director Recruiting Coordinator

Work Settings Community Colleges Vocational-Technical Schools Two- and Four-Year Colleges Universities Graduate or Professional Programs e.g. MBA or Law Schools

Work Settings (continued) In higher education settings, career services departments may be housed organizationally in a variety of units including: student affairs/services, academic affairs (as part of academic advising or as part of a specific school or college, especially on decentralized campuses), development/university advancement/alumni relations, or enrollment management.

Office Space  Career Centers provide an in-door work environment.  In addition to staff offices, other Career Center space may include:  career resource library  computer lab/workstations  interview rooms for employers  seminar/workshop room

Hours and Earnings Most persons in career services work a typical 40-hour week; some evening and weekend work is required on occasion. Entry-level positions may pay from the mid to upper 20s to the low 30s. Advanced positions may pay in the mid 30s to the high 40s. Directors can earn upwards of $75,000 to $100,000 a year.

Career Services Staff by Title, Experience, Salary Title/Position AverageYears of Experience Average Salary Assistant Director 7.4$39,560 Associate Director 12.3$49,371 Career Services Coordinator 7.1$35,493 Career Info/Librarian Specialist 7.7$30,373 Counselor 6.4$36,494 Director 14.7$56,612 Experiential Ed Coordinator 6.9$35,266 Recruiting Coordinator 7.4$33,634 Technical Coordinator 7.0$40,181 Source: State of the Profession: Results from NACE’s 2004 Career Services Benchmarking Survey, August 2004

Education and Training Persons in career services in a college or university setting typically possess a master’s degree in counseling or higher education administration, or in a related major such as psychology, human resources, social work, or sociology. Many directors in upper-level positions, especially at large scale universities, have a doctorate in student personnel services, counseling, or a related field. Placement and recruiting coordinators, job developers, and computer/technical professionals are most likely to have bachelor’s degrees.

Experience  Career services candidates possess a wide array of experience in higher education, non-profit organizations, human services and industry.  Graduate students should plan to obtain a graduate assistantship, internship or practicum at a local college or university Career Center to gain relevant skills and experiences.

Professional Development  Professional Associations: - National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) - Regional Associations of Colleges and Employers (EACE, MWACE, RMACE, SACE, SWACE, WACE) - American College Personnel Association (ACPA) - Cooperative Education Internship Association (CEIA) - National Career Development Association (NCDA) - National Society of Experiential Education(NSEE) - and State Associations and Local Organizations  Certifications (i.e. MBTI)  Licensure (NCC)  Campus sponsored professional development activities

Personal Qualifications Physical and emotional energy Desire to help others Patience, empathy, objectivity and the ability to listen Effective interviewing/intake skills Organizational, planning, and administrative skills Computer skills—e.g., using web-based interviewing and job listing systems, computer career guidance systems, Internet resources, etc.; and

Personal Qualifications (continued) Ability to relate effectively with a variety of constituencies, e.g., –employers, –students, –alumni, –parents, –faculty, –university administrators, –vendors and consultants who produce applications or products for client services, and –community individuals.

Sources of Additional Information National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE): see also web sites for regional associations National Career Development Association (NCDA): American College Personnel Association (ACPA); Commission VI-Career Development :

Acknowledgements Thank you to Jon Shy, MS and Janet G. Lenz, Ph.D., Florida State University for creating the first presentation Thank you to NACE’s Attracting New Professionals Action Team on updating and promoting this presentation Updated 10/14/04