3 questions to rethink employer relationships

Just wondering, Reader-

If your busiest employers disappeared tomorrow, would your students notice?

They post jobs.

They show up at fairs.

They host info sessions every fall.

But here’s the real question: Are they actually partnering with you—or just passing through?

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Many career centers track employer activity. But high activity doesn’t always mean high impact.

Some of your most visible employers might also be your most transactional.

They’re here for the seniors, not the student journey.

They take what they need—and leave the mentoring, collaboration, and long-term thinking behind.

This is your chance to pause and ask:

Are we investing in the relationships that develop our students and advance our mission?

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1. Engagement ≠ relationship strength

Just because an employer shows up doesn’t mean they’re showing up for your students.

Career fairs, job postings, resume drops—those are great metrics for volume. But not necessarily for value.

Some employers rely heavily on your services without being actual partners.

They may recruit, but they don’t invest.

They extract resumes, but don’t offer feedback or mentorship.

They show up for seniors—but are invisible to everyone else.

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🧭 Here’s your litmus test: Are they contributing to student development—or just recruiting for internships and jobs?

A true partner will:

• Attend events for first- and second-years
• Offer feedback and insight on student prep
• Show up to help, not just to hire
• Build connections beyond their immediate hiring needs

If they’re only interested in “job-ready” candidates, they’re not helping you build readiness.

That’s not partnership—it’s pipeline access.

Try this: Who are your top 10 most visible employers—and how many are genuinely invested in your students’ growth?

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2. The 3 dimensions of employer relationship health

If you want to understand which employer relationships are truly worth investing in, start here.

These three dimensions can help you assess the quality, not just the quantity, of your partnerships.

Strategic alignment

• Does this employer align with your student demographics, majors, and institutional priorities?
• Are they helping you fill critical gaps—in industry, geography, or salary access?
• Are they helping you build access and opportunity where it’s most needed?

Mutual benefit

• Are both sides benefiting?
• Do they offer time, insight, mentorship, sponsorship?
• Or are they mostly extracting value through postings, resume access, and interview slots?

Growth potential

• Can this relationship evolve?
• Could they serve on an advisory board, co-host a project-based learning experience, or contribute to curriculum development?
• Or has the relationship plateaued?

This isn’t about cutting ties—it’s about clarity.

🎯Your time and team capacity are limited. You deserve to know where to focus.

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3. Use the Employer Partnership Health Check (free tool!)

I created the Employer Partnership Health Rubric to help you evaluate relationships with more nuance.

It walks you through six categories based on the dimensions above—and gives you a clear snapshot of where your top employers stand.

Use it to:

• Reflect on current employer partnerships
• Guide strategic planning
• Support employer relations staff in prioritizing their outreach
• Spark more intentional conversations with recruiters

👉 Download the rubric here​

Try using it at your next staff meeting.

Score just 3–5 employers and see what patterns emerge.

You might realize some “gold-star” employers aren’t actually delivering the most student impact—and others are ready for a deeper partnership.

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Final thought

Strong employer relationships go beyond handshakes at career fairs. When we focus on alignment, reciprocity, and long-term potential, we move from event planning to partnership building—positioning career services as a strategic connector between campus and industry.

This is also a difficult hiring season for many recruiters. Budgets are tighter, hiring is slower, and engagement may look different than in years past. But that makes now an ideal time to deepen relationships. When recruiters aren’t buried in openings to fill, they often have more time to reflect, plan, and explore new ways to engage.

Use this slower period to build trust, co-create new initiatives, and lay the groundwork for stronger partnerships when hiring ramps up again.

🤝 One more thought:

I know this is a challenging season for hiring.

Many recruiters aren’t as active—and that can feel frustrating.

But it also opens up space for deeper conversations.

When the hiring pressure eases, it’s often the best time to explore how to build more intentional, student-centered partnerships.

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This newsletter is sponsored by a career management system that gives you a more intuitive way to manage and track employer engagement. ​ Work smarter, spend more time building relationships, and show clear impact. ​ Learn more

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Welcome, Suitable! I'm excited to welcome Suitable as a new strategic partner. Their platform makes it easy to track experiential learning, assess career competencies, and give student groups a digital home. Learn more about my partnerships here.

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Cheers-