At the University of Houston, the staff of the business school's career center have found that the key to reaching students is to be seen, even when in PJs. Dealing with commuters, part timers, and first generation students, in your face events have been a hit.
The "Resume ER" was a resume review in lab coats, with wellness videos for resumes in the "waiting room." Handouts became first aid kits. Companies would support and underwrite events while employers volunteered. Faculty and deans came. Surveys said that most heard about it from class or actually seeing the event. People don't read fliers, or pay attention in class.
There was a resume deli for MBAs could only come between 4 - 6 with staff in aprons and hats. There was an Interview Skills carnival with a duck pond with random questions and ducks, prizes for questions, balloon darts with questions. If students went to all five booths, they were entered in a drawing for a Starbucks card. again, students heard about event not from fliers or classes, but just seeing it. Their online job search workshop was "Job Search in your Jammies" Giving out gimmies before workshops helps - they need to meet you first before they come to workshop. For front desk outreach they wrote riddles on a white board totally unrelated to career issues, and front desk traffic spiked. After a month, they switched to announcements and traffic remained high.
It may seem silly, but since staff are usually in suits, the craziness bridges gap showing that people in suits can be nice people.
The "Resume ER" was a resume review in lab coats, with wellness videos for resumes in the "waiting room." Handouts became first aid kits. Companies would support and underwrite events while employers volunteered. Faculty and deans came. Surveys said that most heard about it from class or actually seeing the event. People don't read fliers, or pay attention in class.
There was a resume deli for MBAs could only come between 4 - 6 with staff in aprons and hats. There was an Interview Skills carnival with a duck pond with random questions and ducks, prizes for questions, balloon darts with questions. If students went to all five booths, they were entered in a drawing for a Starbucks card. again, students heard about event not from fliers or classes, but just seeing it. Their online job search workshop was "Job Search in your Jammies" Giving out gimmies before workshops helps - they need to meet you first before they come to workshop. For front desk outreach they wrote riddles on a white board totally unrelated to career issues, and front desk traffic spiked. After a month, they switched to announcements and traffic remained high.
It may seem silly, but since staff are usually in suits, the craziness bridges gap showing that people in suits can be nice people.
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