Using assessment to prepare college students for realistic outcomes after graduation

Finding employment after graduation can be a daunting task for college graduates, and utilizing assessment tools can help colleges and universities address the concerns of those about to graduate.  In my recent conversations with campus professionals in the private post-secondary sector, they have shared that their focus has been toward the reality of college graduates finding employment after graduation. Some of those campus staff shared that students were not realistic about the jobs and salaries related to their program of study and suggested that this can contribute to poor satisfaction among current students and alumni. What can colleges do to prepare students for the possible outcomes of their education?

Colleges and universities in the private post-secondary sector provide career assistance to their students, but typically, the assistance is done toward the end of the educational program (six months prior to graduation). However, some colleges begin career development for students from the beginning and continue it throughout their educational journey. Results from the 2014 National Freshman Attitudes Report suggest that students want career development from the start of their college education. If students are not receiving assistance with career development, it may affect their overall student satisfaction and possibly retention and graduation rates. With the onset of the Gainful Employment Rules, and the accompanying focus on the employment of recent graduates, their salaries, and their educational debt, this is an excellent opportunity for colleges to use student assessments to understand how their students feel about available career resources at their colleges and universities.

However, campus colleagues have shared with me that instructors and curriculum are constantly being assessed. As an enrollment professional who is also currently enrolled in college classes myself, I would have to agree, as after every class I usually have two formal assessments as well as a final paper on what I have gleaned from my experience in the course. Additionally, industry professionals have told me that instructors see the assessments negatively because they view them as an instructional performance indicator rather than student assessments, and that negative comments are generally from those students that performed poorly in class and received a poor grade. Surveys are also administered prior to the end of class, which leaves industry professionals questioning the final accuracy of the information. The end of class surveys focus on the instruction and the curriculum, but there is no indication from my observation that questions were related on how the course would affect the student’s career choice.

These attitudes may be well founded in some cases, but they are also unfortunate. Assessment is used as a tool not only to ensure the delivery of quality education but also to understand and respond to the needs of your students. And there is a real opportunity to use assessment to prepare students for life after graduation and realistic expectations of employment outcomes that go beyond the usual metrics of job placement and salary figures of graduates. Assessment should provide answers to key questions such as:

• Does your school know how students feel about career services?
• Does your school provide students with the career services resources they need to be successful?
• How do employers feel about the quality of your graduates?
• Do graduates feel prepared for the workforce?

It is important to use assessment to understand the many stakeholders involved in preparing students for realistic outcomes of the world of work. Because of the importance of this information, I have worked with Noel-Levitz in the past to customize the Student Satisfaction Inventory, employer survey, and alumni survey to provide the variable views of current students, and graduates, and employers.  One professional shared with me that the information provided meaningful information. They stated that they felt more confident in the survey process and the organizational decisions they were making. For example, although employment statistics were high in one campus program, employers and students had low satisfaction related to the assistance provided to them from career services. Data from focus groups revealed that employers wanted graduates that work well on teams. This matches findings from the 2014 NACE (National Association of Colleges and Employers) Employer Survey which indicated that teamwork is the number-one attribute employer’s desire when hiring and the graduates were frustrated because they felt they lacked the teamwork skills to do the job effectively. This is the type of data that assessments can uncover, which can prompt campuses to include more teamwork exercises into the curriculum (in classes, workshops, career coaching, and advising). This will better prepare graduates for jobs and please their employers, which should lead to increased satisfaction all around.

If you are not already assessing your students, alumni, and employers of your graduates, consider doing so. Assessment is generally cost effective, and the data can be used to guide key areas such as curriculum development, student services, student retention planning, alumni relations, and post-graduate expectations. My colleagues and I can also help your institution with assessment strategies and data analysis to give you a more comprehensive view of overall satisfaction so you can prepare students for a realistic view or their employment expectations after graduation. Please email me if you would like to discuss assessment strategies or have any questions.