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 ManagerAndy

Assistant DirectorArnettKeithKristinMarkRacquelSara

Associate DeanPatricia

Associate DirectorJohnKerry

Career ConsultantJessicaJim

Career CounselorJackJoan

Career Resource Center Coordinator

AnneNathan

Career Services Specialist

Sample Job Titles

Coordinator, Career Development ServicesCooperative Education Coordinator

Laura

Director, Career ServicesFredDorothyIreneJenniferJoyceKathy D.LisaMichelle

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/PositionAverageYears of

ExperienceAverage 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 $40,181Source: State of the Profession: Results from NACE’s 2004 Career Services Benchmarking Survey, August 2004

Education and TrainingPersons 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):

www.naceweb.orgsee also web sites for regional associations

National Career Development Association (NCDA):

www.ncda.org

American College Personnel Association (ACPA); Commission VI-Career Development :www.acpa.nche.edu/comms/comm06/CommissionVI/

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