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As an institutional priority, career development generally ebbs and flows between being core to the student experience to an auxiliary service that students access just before graduation. While polishing a resume and creating a compelling cover letter will certainly remain an important part of the job search and, therefore, campus career services, the way in which students align their entire undergraduate experience to their career trajectories is increasingly important. Connecting the classroom experience to career ambitions for students begins at, or before, orientation and persists each semester, culminating at graduation.<\/p>\n
Without question, students bring to the university their unique strengths and ambitions. Some have extensive professional experience while others have not yet held their first job. Similarly, some students are steadfast in their career goals and others are still exploring majors. Regardless of where they are in this process, they each have an opportunity to further articulate and prepare for their career path in each course and with each experience.<\/p>\n
Ultimately, career preparedness is a social justice issue, particularly at a university that expands access and opportunity for historically marginalized students. When closely connected to academic advising, career education can serve as a retention tool and lever for economic mobility. However, in order to frame career development in this manner, we must be intentional in our approach. Historically, career services has lacked true integration in the student experience and has, for the most part, been available primarily to those who seek it out. Faculty and academic units have prioritized career readiness in a variety of approaches including a specific course with learning outcomes, hosting alumni panels, or propping up a program-specific mentorship program.<\/p>\n
The \u201cplace\u201d for career development is a commonly debated topic within higher education and the academe. The organizational structures will continue to shift, expand, and retract to adjust to institutional needs and priorities and technological advances. No matter the structure or academic home, students prepare for their respective careers in the classroom and through co-curricular programming.<\/p>\n
With tightknit collaborations, students can lean more readily on a structure that supports their career path. The shift from making career services simply available to students to a full commitment that will support every student\u2019s career preparedness is bound to shake things up and requires a paradigm shift of sorts. We, like our very own students, are setting ambitious goals to engage industry leaders, look internally to assess our existing structures, and scale our programs to impact workforce development and career readiness for all our students. In short, we strive to reach each student where they are. We know that with a diverse student body like ours, we must not only consider the complexity of students\u2019 lives but design accordingly. Faculty<\/p>\n
often utilize a variety of strategies to integrate career education into their course curriculum. We\u2019d love to learn more about what methods instructors are using here at MSU Denver. Please share your insights and approaches with the C2Hub!<\/a><\/p>\n Career Integration:<\/p>\n 1. Consider an assignment directly related to the job search. Students can explore job dashboards (LinkedIn, Indeed, Glassdoor, MSU Career Link) to find aspirational positions and develop a tailored resume and compelling cover letter. Explore how Vault<\/a> can be utilized in your classroom.<\/p>\n 2. Including a panel discussion with alumni or other community members is a great way for students to connect directly with professionals who have experience in respective career fields.<\/p>\n 3. Students can practice networking skills with their classmates and instructors. The concept of networking can be anxiety provoking to many of us. Just like other skills, practice helps. Creating and practicing an \u201celevator pitch\u201d with peers is a great way to practice.<\/p>\n 4. Encourage students to share with each other their career ambitions and pursuits.<\/p>\n 5. Internships are a wonderful way to apply learning to a hands-on experience.<\/p>\n 6. A \u201cflash talk\u201d assignment can help students articulate course concepts into a quick and practical response to a standard interview question.<\/p>\n 7. Refer the student to the C2Hub for:<\/p>\n 8. Review the National Association of Colleges and Employers has defined eight competencies<\/a> to help define \u201ccareer readiness\u201d. Articulate how your course addresses a few competency areas:<\/p>\n\n
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Still Thirsty? Take another SIP of Supporting Anxious Students<\/h3>\n
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