In the face of macroeconomic trends that will undoubtedly leave a lasting impression on current and future students and the way they navigate their careers, it is perhaps more important than ever that institutions leverage technology and data to support students, and to nurture and foster relationships with corporate partners.
According to the third edition of Salesforce’s Connected Student Report, nearly half of students reported selecting their institution based on career prospects, yet only 11% of these students felt very prepared for work.
Feeling prepared for a career is no longer a luxury, instead, it is something that students expect, that is a significant competitive differentiator for institutions. Corporate partners recognise efficient and well-run careers services programs and are more likely to lean into fostering engagements with teams that operate efficiently.
Careers services and wellbeing
Indeed, career services is part of a virtuous cycle of student support. When a student is evaluating institutions, their future career is top of mind. Institutions that offer a personalised approach to career services, and that demonstrate their ability to support students in their career journeys even during the application process, are thus poised to recruit and retain students in greater numbers.
Institutions can extend their commitment to supporting student well-being through offering the technology that will support students in finding and partnering with future employers.
“Career services is part of a virtuous cycle of student support”
While attending, students that feel supported in their career journeys before they even graduate are more likely to recommend institution to others, and are more inclined to give back and support their institution, whether through time, talent, or resources as an alumna or an alumnus.
“Salesforce helps us understand students’ skills and interests so we can have better conversations around their long-term career goals and help them take the right steps to get there,” Olga Kożuchowska, head of Career Services at SWPS University, says.
Leveraging a data-driven approach
But necessary for this is an understanding of and an ability to capture, analyse, and interpret trends on employment so that initiatives and programs and support can be grounded in data and relevant.
This data, combined with a personalised approach to advising students around their careers results in an institutional preparedness for the current economic and jobs climate, as well as a future-ready approach that can weather changing economic landscapes as well.
Institutions that prioritise a data-driven, student centric, future ready approach to student engagement, technology, and holistic support are well poised to recruit, retain and engage future and current students and graduates of the institution, regardless of the economic climate in which the students enrol, attend, or graduate.
Read the Connected Student report here.
About the author: This is sponsored post by Jean Pembleton, EMEA Director of Education Product Marketing at Salesforce. Prior to joining Salesforce, Jean worked in advancement at Stanford University, The Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the University of Chicago.
