Spotlight for Career Services Professionals

Career services professionals change jobs—sometimes to the "other" side with a job in recruiting. Recently, a practitioner working with a college’s internship program moved to a role in talent recruiting and wanted to know: What do you wish you knew beforehand?

Here’s what NACE Community members who have made the same move recommended:

• Do an assessment of the program you are joining and what it will take to keep it running. Then, keep notes on areas of improvement.
• Learn the different business functions by scheduling meetings with managers/directors about what they do so that you can sell their area to potential candidates.
• Take advantage of your knowledge of academia: knowing what students are looking for and how career development offices operate.
• Make sure you switch gears from coaching job seekers to being the person who has to choose among applicants. You can no longer offer to help a job candidate “fix” his or her resume.
• Train! Take courses in sourcing and candidate selection.

What would you suggest someone transitioning from academia to recruiting do to settle into their new position? Join the discussion in the NACE Community?