Low Grades for University Career Guidance

It’s graduation season. New grads are smiling at their ceremonies. But some educators, parents, employers and post-grad young workers have confronted reality in the real world. The fact is many will be taking jobs they are not prepared for or will lead to careers not suitable for their skills and preferences.

Here’s another disconnect. The average cost of one year of college in some states can be higher than $35,000 per year. 

Yet, surveys have found that many are quitting their jobs now, not just because of salary issues but because they are unhappy in their work. A Gallup poll conducted before the pandemic found that 85% of employees are not engaged in their work.

What’s the problem? According to a new report, “The Great Disconnect” by Forage, one in three are unclear on how to set themselves up for career success and most of them were college students.

The Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) cited the study in noting that students often turn to career centers, online searches, their personal and professional networks, and social media for career guidance. But many are unsure if what they are doing is putting them on the right path, the study found.

 

The Gap: University and Workforce

“The problem with college career centers is that there is a significant disconnect between the advice they tend to dispense and the business climate’s reality,” commented Careers Done Write. They don’t do a good job bridging the gap between the university and the workforce.

College career guidance staff often have not worked in the private sector, have not been through the employer recruitment process, or did so many years previously, commented SHRM.

A large part of the problem originates in the early years of the college experience. As many as 2/3rds of students are “overwhelmed” by the process of selecting a major, according to the survey, “Course Correction: Helping Students Follow a Path to Success.”  Students might be inclined to turn to advisors for help. Yet 64% met with advisors only once or maybe twice during an entire academic year.

Myer-Briggs said that students bypass career guidance because they have little trust or faith that counselors can relate to their career hopes and are able to help them reach their goals. They turn away from career counseling events, appointments, and seminars because they don’t believe these activities will be helpful to them.

In fact, another source, Career and College Readiness Project reported that just 36% of students that used counseling for their career guidance found them beneficial.

 

What are the Solutions?

 First college and universities need to ensure that their career guidance centers are staffed with professionals with real work experience in the private sector. They should call in outside experts who can speak eloquently about current recruitment practices by employers. Also, they need to provide guidance on career prospects and requirements in different industries and professions.

Some, like Myer-Briggs, VitaNavis, advocate making career guidance mandatory. “Students wouldn’t be able to put off career counseling if it was a requirement from the freshman year onward.”

Students should start exploring career options in their first year, according to the report, “The Great Disconnect.”

 SHRM believes students should widen the net when seeking career advice. “Students should seek out career advice from employers and mentors instead of asking the faculty or staff members at their schools.” 

Finally, counselors have to do better in developing rapport with students. According to VitaNavis, “A lack of strong relationships is one of the major reasons why students don’t go to career counseling.”