Spotlight for Career Services Professionals

When a Boston-area university was looking to find potential internships and full-time opportunities in the New York metropolitan area for its students, the career center added a remote position. This staff member—who works from Stamford, Connecticut—networks with employers in the New York metropolitan area to market the university and its students who want to work there.

That is one idea that surfaced in a recent NACE Community conference call during which career services practitioners shared their successful ideas for marketing to employers.

Another school developed special marketing pieces to highlight specific majors. For example, there is a marketing piece for senior science majors. While this career center works with large employers in the area, it also targets mid-size and small employers that might hire two or three graduates. Those numbers add up quickly, said the career center director.

Other ideas for marketing to employers included:

• Developing a brand to market the university and its students to potential employers. For example, one school created a brand called “First Stop for Future Talent.”
• Creating employer advisory boards by major/work area;
• Holding career fairs by degree function;
• Conducting employer recruiting symposiums that bring together employers, students, and faculty; and
• Holding mock interviews, during which employers interview students from all disciplines, giving recruiters the opportunity to see the quality of all types of students and feel encouraged to recruit students based on broad skills.

In addition, several career services practitioners said they work with area chambers of commerce and conduct treks, site visits, and meet-ups with employers. A number call on alumni to help them connect with the human resources (HR) department at the alumnus’ organization and send resume bundles to alumni to pass on to HR.

If you’re looking for ideas to market to employers or want to share your ideas, use the NACE Community.