Hi there, Reader-
I talk a lot about what it takes to get a seat at the table: how to build visibility, earn trust, and show strategic value.
But what does it look like when you’ve done it?
When your work is no longer an afterthought, but a recognized pillar of the university’s mission?
There’s a moment when you realize your work isn’t operating on the edges anymore; it’s part of the foundation that helps the university stand taller.
The provost calls, not to check in, but to ask for your partnership.
“We’re forming a committee to draft the new student success plan,” she says.
“I’d like you to sit on it.”
That’s when you know something’s changed.
You’re not fighting to be seen; you’re being sought out for insight.
Everyone wants to be seen as essential, but few career centers know what that actually looks like day to day.
It’s not about the size of your budget or how many events you host. It’s about the quiet, unmistakable signs that your work has become part of the university’s DNA.
Here are ten of them.
10 signs your career center is essential
1 | You’ve built a university-wide strategy with campus-wide buy-in
Career development isn’t a standalone effort—it’s a shared institutional priority with executive and academic support. You’ve moved beyond isolated programs to a coordinated strategy that connects every college, office, and stakeholder around a common vision for student success. Senior leaders speak about career readiness as part of the university’s mission, and deans see themselves as co-owners of the work.
➡️ Observable sign: When strategic plans are discussed, “career readiness” appears alongside retention, belonging, and student success as a core institutional goal.
2 | Your data shapes the university’s story
It’s not just about first-destination stats; it’s about the stories and metrics behind your initiatives. You’re regularly consulted for key talking points, updates, and impact data that show how career development drives student success, alumni engagement, and institutional reputation. The same data now appear in the university’s dashboard, right alongside retention, belonging, and graduation rates—because your work is recognized as a key success measure. Admissions uses your data and student stories to demonstrate ROI to prospective students and families, helping to ease concerns about employability and value.
➡️ Observable sign: The president’s remarks, board presentations, and admissions materials reference your work—because they asked you for the numbers.
3 | You have an internal and external communications strategy
You don’t rely on word-of-mouth to prove impact. Internally, you keep leaders, deans, and partners informed through concise updates, data snapshots, and success stories that link your work to institutional goals. Externally, you position the university as a talent and innovation hub through alumni spotlights, employer partnerships, and stories that highlight the university’s contribution to the workforce. And with students, you maintain an intentional communications plan—consistent messaging, channels, and campaigns that help them see how career development fits into their education and future.
➡️ Observable sign: Leaders quote your updates in meetings, employers share your stories, and students can describe what the career center does and why it matters.
4 | Academic and career integration is seamless
You’re not just providing workshops—you’re helping faculty embed transferable skills, case studies, simulations, and project-based learning into their courses. The career center’s orientation isn’t just to students; it’s to advancing the colleges’ goals. Deans and department chairs want to partner with you on employer and alumni relationships because they see how it strengthens curriculum and student outcomes.
➡️ Observable sign: Faculty reach out to say, “We’re redesigning a class—can you connect us with employers or alumni to make it more applied?”
5 | Students don’t have to find you. You find them
Career readiness is built into advising, first-year courses, and academic pathways. Students experience your office without needing to opt in and they talk about it. When career learning is part of everyday campus life, students become your strongest advocates. They share their experiences on tours, with families, and on social media.
➡️ Observable sign: A prospective student says, “I heard about this career program from another student.”
6 | Alumni engagement drives donor cultivation
Your programs have become a cornerstone of advancement strategy. Alumni who participate in mentoring, panels, or employer partnerships see firsthand the impact of career services, and it deepens their connection to the university. Advancement leaders intentionally bring prospective donors to your events so they can experience the outcomes that inspire giving—both to your programs and to others across campus.
➡️ Observable sign: Advancement staff say, “We want our donors to meet your students. They’ll see what makes this place special.”
7 | Government relations sees you as a strategic partner
You’re no longer operating behind the scenes. Your work is part of the university’s public value story. Government relations staff use your data and success stories in lobbying efforts, send your articles to legislators, and include your outcomes in talking points about workforce readiness and economic impact.
➡️ Observable sign: You hear your initiatives mentioned in legislative briefings or policy updates—proof that your office is part of the university’s defense and value proposition.
8 | You’re a partner in community and workforce development
Career services isn’t just connecting students to jobs; it’s strengthening the region. You’re collaborating with chambers of commerce, workforce boards, and economic development groups to align university talent with regional priorities. Business and community leaders see you as a bridge between higher education and workforce readiness.
➡️ Observable sign: You’re invited to regional planning meetings or quoted in articles about local talent pipelines and partnerships.
9 | Your orientation is to the institution, not just students
You’ve evolved beyond a student-service mindset. Your priorities mirror those of the colleges and the university: supporting accreditation goals, advancing experiential learning, and strengthening academic reputation. You’re seen as an academic partner that helps colleges deliver on their mission.
➡️ Observable sign: Deans reference your work when describing their strategic priorities or accreditation wins.
10 | Admissions and enrollment rely on your story
Career outcomes aren’t an afterthought—they’re a recruitment strategy. Admissions and marketing teams feature your data, stories, and partnerships to demonstrate return on investment to families and prospective students. You’re part of the campus tour narrative and the admissions website because your work answers the question every parent asks: “What happens after graduation?”
➡️ Observable sign: Admissions officers reach out for new success stories before every open house, and you see your office featured in yield campaigns.
The shift from service to strength
Even the strongest programs can fade from view if they stop showing their impact.
But when career services becomes a pillar of the university’s mission—anchored in data, partnerships, and trust—it’s not just another office.
It’s a source of stability and strength in times of change.
And here’s the truth: every campus is a work in progress. You’ll be further along in some areas than others and that’s normal. The goal isn’t perfection. It’s momentum.
What matters most is sustaining visibility as leadership changes, budgets tighten, and priorities evolve. Becoming essential isn’t a finish line; it’s a practice.
Each conversation, each data point, each partnership strengthens the foundation you’re building.
That’s the difference between being appreciated and being essential.
🎯 When your work supports the mission so clearly that the institution stands taller because of it, you’re not just part of the foundation.
You are one of its pillars.
Free Event Alert!
How might we think about scaling services? What are the emerging trends that might drive urgency around scaling?
Join us on Nov. 4th from 3:30-4:30 ET!
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P.S. Building a career center that’s truly essential doesn’t happen by accident. It takes clarity, strategy, and alignment—and that’s where I can help. If you’re ready to move from appreciated to indispensable, let’s start the conversation.
P.P.S. Good things are better when shared. Know someone who’d enjoy this newsletter too? Send them the invite here.
