STRATEGIC PLANS FOR

CAREER DEVELOPMENTWITH

SPECIALIZED STUDENT POPULATIONS

Elizabeth Pallardy, M.Ed.

Student Populations

Graduate StudentsUndecided MajorsStudent Athletes

Distance Education

Specialized

Graduate Students

Concerns Academic and non-academic job search

strategies Developing job search materials:

e.g., academic cover letters, vitae, portfolio Lack of knowledge regarding transferable

skills Navigating faculty mentor expectations

Job Search Strategies/Tools– Guides

• The Academic Job Search• The Non-academic Job Search

– Web-based resources • Academic: CV samples, HigherEdJobs, The Chronicle• Non-Academic: CareerNET, Industry sites, Versatile PhD

– Individual Coaching– Mock Interviews– Career Fairs

Graduate Students

Identifying Transferable Skills– Individual Coaching/Assessment

– Resources

– Panels/Presentations• Industry Careers in….

Science, Social Science, Higher Education

Graduate Students

Research/Analytical

CommunicationInterpersonalCritical ThinkingLeadership

Graduate Students

Specialized Programming 

Examples:• Academic CVs/Non-Academic Resumes• Social Media Tools for Graduate Students• Interviewing Tips for Graduate Students• Graduate Networking • Panels:

– International Student Job Search– Navigating the Academic Job Search

• LISTSERV

Campus Partnerships

Graduate Students

The Graduate School

Jointly sponsored professional development activities

Participating in the Graduate Student Advisory Council

Career Center Coaches

Counseling Center

Faculty/Graduate Program Directors

Alumni

Undecided Majors

• Lack of self-awareness• Lack of information• Lack of interest – “don’t like anything”• Diversity of interests – “like everything”• Mismatch of skills and

interests/Unrealistic goals• Family pressure• Chronic indecisiveness– Procrastination as a personality

characteristic

Up to 70% of students change majors

Undecided Majors

Undecided Majors

Self-AssessTrack Down Information

Evaluate and DecidePlan Next StepsPlan Next Steps

S.T.E.P. Model

• Career coaching and assessments– Choose/change majors or careers– Create a Parallel Plan

• FOCUS 2• MBTI• Mapping

Self-

Assess

Undecided Majors

Track Down Informationhigh tech: Research majors Research careers Degree Plans O*NET Catalog Occupational Outlook HandbookWhat Can I Do With This Major?

high touch:• Informational Interviewing• Volunteering

– Volunteer and Service-Learning Center (VSLC)• Shadowing• Campus Organizations

– American Marketing Association, Pre-Pharmacy Club

Evaluate and Decide• Assist in awareness about decision-making style• Get support– Center for Counseling & Student Development, Academic

Advising & Support, family or friends

Plan Next Steps• Work on setting specific goals • Probability/Possibility planning• Internships, part-time jobs

Undecided Majors

• New Student Orientation• Freshman Seminar• Academic Advising

Partnerships & InvolvementUndecided Majors

Student Athletes

•Time Constraints•Fitting academic programs with sport•Connecting value of career development/programming to career goals•Marketing sport experience

Concerns

Time ConstraintsAvailability for:– Meetings/programs– Interview schedules– Job fairs

Experiential Education

Student Athletes

Transferable skills– Leadership, communication (media), travel

(overseas), competitive– Drawing from sport and community service,

clinic/camp involvement

Resume Examples

“Playbook”

Transition Class

Mentoring Program

Networking Events

Post-grad Program

Student Athletes

Progra

ms

Athletic Student Development– Buy-in from coaches

Career Center Coaches Mentors from community

Student Athletes

Partnerships

Concerns• Providing same quality of service as on

campus students receive• Access– Career Coaches– Resources

Distance Education

Distance EducationAppointments– Phone, Skype, AnyMeeting, Google Hangout, etc.

Website– Importance of access to resources

Modules– Make appointments more productive by more

pre-work/interactive

Screen Sharing Software(i.e. join.me)

Strategic Planning• Understand unique needs for each population

• Take inventory of resources and services already available

• Set goals for working with each population

• Analyze gap between needs and goals and develop resources, programs, etc. to meet needs

Networking EventExample