Hey there, Reader-
When I introduced the idea of interventions in career services last week, one concern came up: “This all sounds great, but we don’t have the systems to track it.”
And honestly?
That’s fair. Most career centers weren’t built with intervention in mind.
We have tools to post jobs, run career fairs, and collect FDS results—but not to track whether a student has completed the milestones that predict employability.
Reframing the problem
The good news: you don’t need perfect systems to start.
You just need to track something—and act on it.
Think directional, not comprehensive.
Think pilot, not perfection.
Even testing a tracking system is a learning opportunity.
Three interventions you could try this spring
First, start by picking a student group.
Students in a major or program at risk of being cut under the new federal accountability guidelines? First-generation college students? Or simply all students in one class year?
The goal of a pilot isn’t perfection.
By the end, it will help you figure out what you’ll need to scale this work:
- Was it impactful?
- What tools would be useful?
- What processes need to be in place?
- What partnerships (faculty, advisors, peers) would make this work better?
Then, test it!
Here are three interventions you could try:
1. Career module completion (First year)
- Leading indicator: By the end of first year, a student has completed an introductory career module/course covering exploration basics.
- Data needed: Completion status.
- How to capture it: Most LMS platforms (Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle) already track module completion. Career centers can partner with first-year seminar faculty to require the module as an assignment.
- Next step: Students who haven’t completed the module receive reminders via academic advisors, peer ambassadors, or automated nudges in the LMS.
2. Résumé readiness (Mid-second year)
- Leading indicator: By the mid-point of second year, a student has a résumé that meets baseline professional standards.
- Data needed: Which students have uploaded résumés and whether they’ve been approved.
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How to capture it: Most CMS platforms (Handshake, Symplicity, 12Twenty) allow advisors—or trained peer staff—to review and approve résumés directly in the system.
- Approval status and dates are automatically logged, making it possible to run reports by class year or major.
- Use a simple rubric for consistency (format, clarity, at least one experience/skills section).
- Peer ambassadors or AI résumé screeners can do first-level reviews; staff advisors focus only on résumés needing more attention.
- Next step: Students without an approved résumé by mid-second year receive outreach—nudges to attend a résumé workshop, peer review session, or 1:1 coaching.
3. Networking reflection (End of second year)
- Leading indicator: By the end of second year, a student has engaged with at least one alumni or employer and submitted a short reflection.
- Data needed: Attendance + reflection submission.
- How to capture it: Use a Google Form/Qualtrics survey distributed at the end of networking events, panels, or career treks. Collect name, event attended, and one short reflection question (e.g., “What did you learn from this conversation that will shape your next step?”).
- Next step: Students without a submitted reflection are invited to the next networking opportunity or offered a smaller, peer-led session to build confidence.
Why this works
Tracking isn’t about chasing perfection. It’s about building an early-warning system:
- Who is moving through the milestones? Who isn’t?
- Who needs outreach now—not after graduation?
These three interventions are simple enough to pilot this spring with the tools you already have. And once you prove the value of leading indicators, it becomes much easier to make the case for better systems, more staff, and deeper integrations.
Final thought
You don’t need to start with everyone. Start with one group.
If you track just three milestones—career module completion by the end of first year, résumé readiness by the mid-point of second year, and networking engagement by the end of second year—you’ll know who’s on pace and who needs support before junior-year recruiting season begins.
That’s the point: small, directional data points spark interventions.
Interventions change outcomes.
And outcomes are exactly what students, employers, and institutional leaders care about most.
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Beyond the algorithm: Navigating career readiness amid disruption and uncertainty
Join Shawn Van Derziel (NACE), Gad Levanon (Burning Glass), and me for a conversation about... you guessed it, AI and career readiness!
Bonus: Use the code SPEAKERGUEST to get a 20% discount on the registration fee.
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