In this issue:

Articles:

• Show Me the Learning
• The Community College Challenge for Career Services Professionals
• Supporting Students in Dreaming the “Impossible” Dream
• Sage Advice for Students
• Greetings from the Professional Development Committee!
• Workplace/Workforce Forecasts for 2007
• News from NACE
• Get to Know Your Board

Announcements:

• Early Bird Registration has been Extended to March 31!
• I want a day out of the office, but what is a Professional Exchange?
• What’s Happening with Mentoring?
• Professional Development Committee Upcoming Events
• Announcing the 2007 Biennial Career Resource Managers Association (CRMA) Conference!
• Support the 2007 EACE Conference
• Welcome New EACE Members!

Show Me the Learning
by Richard Bottner, President, Intern Bridge

The question of whether organizations should provide interns with monetary compensation for their work is one of considerable debate and with little answer – until now. Data from the New England Internship Study shows that students find importance in several components of an internship over receiving monetary compensation. In fact, seven non-monetary components were favored.

The New England Internship Study was conducted during the fall semester of 2006. Over 6,000 students from 31 universities in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire responded to the survey, in regard to their expectations for internship programs, and specifically dealing with structure, marketing, interviewing, selection, compensation, benefits, supervision, and evaluation. Approximately 25% of these students had taken part in an internship experience prior to completing the survey.

The top three reasons that students reported seeking an internship were gaining real work experience, learning new skills, and building resumes. Additional reasons ranked before earning money by both students who had completed internships and those that had not: working for a potential full-time employer; completing interesting and challenging tasks; and the opportunity to make connections through networking.

According to this data, one may suggest that so long as many of the items ranked higher than earning money are fulfilled, students may be willing to accept less monetary compensation. Furthermore, the vast majority of reasons that ranked higher than earning money were content and structure in nature. Therefore, it is possible for organizations to host a successful and mutually beneficial internship program without prohibitively expensive monetary compensation, so long as they ensure that their program is academically sound.

Internship programs which provide the highest level of learning and workplace experience have been a primary recommendation of college career offices for years. “While many students hope to earn money while gaining internship experience, they are savvy about positioning themselves as excellent candidates in this job market. Money is not their primary motivation. Learning and networking is. They know they need a hands-on learning experience that will compliment the classroom knowledge they are receiving,” says Robbin Beauchamp, Director of The Career Center at Roger Williams University.

The New England Internship Study also surveyed a collection of employers from the same region as the participating colleges. Over 240 organizations responded with 27% of respondents reporting they have never hosted an intern. These survey takers were then asked why their organization had never participated in an internship program. Approximately 52% agreed that the organization did not have the funds to financially support an intern’s wages. The compensation data from the research may be helpful to organizations that pass on internship programs because of perceived financial woes.

As Gael Keough, Manager of University Relations Programs for EMC Corporation says, “Students who take part in our internship program are looking for an environment where they can thrive. We incorporate executive networking, social events, company tours, and community service into our program. To round out the total experience, we do also offer competitive compensation, but students come to us because they are looking for the pace, influence, creativity, and strength of working for an industry leader.”

The completed New England Internship Study report, including detailed compensation data, will be made available in May 2007. Richard will be presenting at the EACE conference in Baltimore in June as well. If you have comments, questions or ideas about the New England Internship Study, please email richard@internbridge.com.

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The Community College Challenge for Career Services Professionals
by Sue Levine, Career Placement Representative, Quinsigamond Community College

Q: What do Billy Crystal, Jane Curtin, Tom Hanks, Calvin Klein, Jim Lehrer, Joan Lunden, H. Ross Perot & Jackie Robinson have in common?

A: They are all community college alumni

The United States is home to many community colleges that play a key role in the higher education system. Community colleges provide access to the higher learning for a diverse student population. We serve a high percentage of first generation college students, racial and ethnically diverse students and a large immigrant population. Additionally, community colleges are economic partners with local businesses in order to meet workplace training initiatives that can help to strengthen regional economies.

How does this impact the approach that career services professionals take when meeting the needs of our students in the community college system? Having previously worked at four-year state institutions and 4-year private institutions I can tell you that while it is extremely rewarding, it does provide its own challenges.

Here are some fast facts from the American Association of Community Colleges and the career services challenges each may present:

#1: According to the American Association of Community Colleges, 62% of community college students go to school part-time (less than 12 credit hours per semester.)

Career Services Challenge: It is difficult to connect with part-time students who may juggle school, work and family. Time is at a premium for many of them. In addition, there are few student cohorts, creating a lack of continuity in servicing students.

#2: The average student age of a community college student is 29 years.

Career Services Challenge: Students have greater personal responsibilities and financial considerations in relation to work. Students vary greatly in age and career services professionals must adjust their approach when providing workshops and services.

#3: The location of community colleges near residential areas is important.

Career Services Challenge: Most students have a narrow geographic range in which they are willing to work. Some rely on public transportation which in some locations is not widespread.

#4 Minority students favor community colleges, making up 30% of community college enrollments nationally. In urban areas, community college enrollments reflect the proportion of minorities in local populations.

Career Services Challenge: Providing services and resources that create a supportive and welcoming environment for diverse populations.

#5 More than 80%of students balance studies with full-time or part-time work. Many students also have family responsibilities.

Career Services Challenge: It is often difficult for students to fit in co-ops, internships or field experience while working and going to school. This can affect their ability to gain entry into their chosen profession due to lack of related work experience.

Career Services professionals at Community Colleges in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts have recently joined forces to help us meet the unique needs of our students. The Massachusetts Community College Career Services Association was revived in 2006 with the purpose of sharing resources and best practices with like institutions. We have had two very successful topic-driven meetings including Integrating Technology into your Career Services delivery at Cape Cod Community College and Multiple Perspectives on Creative Curriculum Design at Middlesex Community College. Future topics include Marketing Career Services Programs to Community College Students being held at Quinsigamond Community College. This organization has proved extremely valuable resource to the participating career services professionals and has opened the doors for broader communication and knowledge sharing among our peers.

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Supporting Students in Dreaming the “Impossible” Dream
by Laura Sibson, Assistant Director, Career Services, Swarthmore College

Like many career counselors today, I have a variety of rich resources at my fingertips. A student can ask me just about anything and I’ll probably be able to come up with something related to his or her interest. Our online alumni directory is a wonderful source of information on what folks from this college go on to do in life. Of course, the internships and jobs database hosts a wealth of opportunities across the country. I have favorite websites for various career fields, not to mention our handouts on pertinent topics and myriad books in our career library. While I use all of the above resources I also recognize that what many students seek is not found in my tried and true resources. What they often seek is affirmation.

The students come in seeking information on something they might want to do or seeking guidance because they don’t know what they want to do. They want to hear that what they are choosing (or not choosing) is okay. It’s okay that he has come to look for a summer internship in late February. Or that she wants to pursue Art History even though her parents want her to do pre-med. Or that he has decided that instead of applying to PhD programs, he’d like to go abroad. My intention is not to spread false hope by suggesting that it’s easy to meet uncommon dreams. But I am often amazed by what students can do with lots of will and very little money or experience. So, I will not tell them that the plan is impossible. Instead, I work with students to locate information which might help them research their ideas.

When I was a junior in college, I wanted desperately to work and live in France. I liked the idea of speaking French but had never actually mastered the language. And there was a financial issue. I needed to make money. My career counselor told me that there was no way I could get a job and make money. Breaking even would be the most I could expect. She suggested that I forget that idea and pursue something more practical. The counselor’s message was not inaccurate but her delivery left me feeling hopeless. That experience influenced my own counseling approach so that when a student walks into my office and presents a plan which doesn’t seem very likely, I present him or her with a variety of information and support. Perhaps the student will find a way to meet a dream. Maybe he or she will come to the conclusion that the pursuit is not realistic. In any event, the student will learn about a particular interest and hopefully, he or she will leave my office knowing that whatever the result, it’s okay.

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Sage Advice for Students
by Darwin V. Kysor, Ph.D, LPC, NCC, Director of Career Services, Juniata College

Career counselors provide advice daily to individuals seeking employment. Much of this advice has some standardization, but in my 15+ years in the field, certain questions seem to arise periodically where there is no single answer. Several years ago I polled approximately 50 counselor and employer colleagues to see if I could answer these questions. Below is some of the interesting information I gathered.

Dilemma #1: One or two page resume?
Answer: One: 54%, Two: 19%, Depends: 27%

Comments:

• If the person is just graduating, they should stick to one page.
• Either is fine, but should be crisp and clean looking.
• One page is ideal, but if it would mean leaving important/relevant information out, then go for 1½ to 2 pages.
• One page! If the margin is .2, the font is 6 pt., and all of the information is completely relevant, then 2 pages is better.
• It depends... if the candidate has 2 pages of skills and experiences related to the job, then 2 pages are fine, but I would still recommend putting the most relevant items on the first page, in case the reader stops reading!

Dilemma #2: Typewritten or Handwritten Thank You Notes?
Answer: Typewritten: 50%, Handwritten: 25%, Either: 21%, Depends: 4%

Comments:

• Hand written, but either is preferable to none.
• Typewritten thank you notes for first-time interviews, and a hand written one if it’s the second interview with the same people. If you go on two or three interviews with all different people, I encourage type written thank you notes.
• I am trying to think of a situation where a handwritten note would impress me professionally but can’t.
• Either but if the handwriting is hard to read, stick to typewritten.
• Either, just so they are sent in a timely manner.
• Handwritten with a careful choice of stationary...no rainbows, kittens or unicorns.
• ALWAYS TYPED. I don't think handwritten thank you’s are professional.

Dilemma #3: Hard Copy or Electronic Thank You Notes?
Answer: Hard Copy: 62%, Electronic: 7%, Either: 24%, Depends: 7%

Comments:

• Hard copy (typed or handwritten) thank you notes to gain attention.
• Hard copy preferred (more professional) but electronic thank you's ok. I tell them to follow the lead of the interview (if it's more formal, go formal on the thank you).
• Depends on how they have communicated with them to date. When I was recruiting for technology companies I was ORDERED to throw away stuff received via snail mail or fax. The logic being that they didn’t use 21st century technology and we did.
• To me either is appropriate. I do like seeing that they have access to a computer and I can then see how they format the note. If they are going to send a note, stick with something professional.
• Electronic!!! We only deal with electronic, Word format.
• Hard Copy thank you notes! Shows that you went to some effort.

Dilemma #4: Dress like those in the organization or for the position you want someday?
Answer: Already Work: 7%, Someday: 39%, Other: 54%

Comments:

• Wear a suit.
• One step above what you think you will wear on the job. My response to people who dressed as casually as my co-workers did is, “Uh, you don’t work here yet.”
• Dress professionally, regardless of how those interviewing you are dressed.
• For the interview, always dress on the conservative side...once you get the job, how you dress depends on the job! You need to use common sense, and dress appropriately for the job.

Dilemma #5: Send reference letters with application materials or wait until requested?
Answer: Yes: 14%, No: 71%, Maybe: 14%

Comments:

• Don't send unless requested.
• When I recruited in the 90’s I LOVED to get letters of recommendation. I WENT AND TRIED TO HIRE THE WRITER. Go ahead, make a recruiter’s day!!! Why hire the underling when I have the supervisor’s name, title and contact info????? AND PERMISSION FROM THEM TO CALL ANYTIME!!!!!
• Follow instructions!! If the ad calls for recommendations....send them. If it calls for letter and resume....send them. Always, always provide the employer what they request, no more/no less.
• Always send if you have them.
• Send them with application materials if one of your references has a direct connection with the organization - otherwise wait until requested.

Conclusion: Dilemmas are dilemmas. There are no right answers.

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Greetings from the Professional Development Committee!
by Rachel Yudell, Career Coordinator, Temple University Career Development Services

It’s been a busy year so far and there’s more to come! For those of you aren’t familiar with us, the EACE Professional Development Committee plans workshops throughout the region to enhance members’ professional development. We typically hold 6 on-site workshops and 2 webinars a year. The regional locations for our workshops are: NY/NJ, VA/DC, Philadelphia/Southeastern PA, Pittsburgh/Western PA, Boston and CT/RI. We try to hold workshops in locations that are easily accessible by public transportation (planes, trains and automobiles for those 80’s movies fans!). Our workshop topics are chosen based on member feedback and success of previous workshops – it seems that there are those topics that we could host workshops on twice a year and it would still be welcome. We’re always looking for topics, so if you have an idea, or better yet would be interested in serving on the committee, please email either Patricia Donahue at patricia.donahue@stockton.edu or Rachel Yudell at rachel.yudell@temple.edu. It’s a wonderful way to get involved in the organization and in the profession – as an employer and as a career services professional!

A Recap of this Year’s Programs So Far
So far this year we have held three very successful programs, one in Boston, one in the DC area and one in Philadelphia.

Our first program of the year, held in December, was Connect with Millennials: Leveraging Technology in Career Development & Recruitment. It was held at Babson College in Boston, MA. Many of us are revisiting the way we approach working with students from the career development and recruitment sides by trying to integrate technology into our work. This program addressed the “Millennial” generation, as well as effective uses of technology in career development and recruitment through a combination of speakers, panels and best practice sharing. Speakers included: Laura McKeon, Babson College, Recruiting Assistant; Kelly Woodside, Simmons College, Career Resource Librarian; Laura Wilkinson, EDITECH, Senior Recruiting Specialist; Dan Beaudry, Monster.com, College Relations Manager; Maureen Crawford Hentz, Osram Sylvania, Inc., Manager of Talent Acquisition; and Bob Foley, Raytheon Company, University Programs Manager, Eastern Region. 48 EACE members and non-members attended.

The second program, Are We There Yet? Tools for Strategic Planning and Assessment of Career Services, took place at Marymount University in Arlington, VA in January. Many of us are starting to feel the push to justify ourselves on-campus to be able to tangibly assess the work that we do. The problem often becomes that we don’t want to fall into the trap of resorting to simply quoting placement numbers – as that isn’t necessarily what we’re all about. The program looked at the need for strategic planning in career services, as well as some ways to go about implementing a process. It also looked at effective ways of putting together an assessment plan. Also discussed was how to connect our strategic plans and assessment goals to our colleges’ or universities’ plans and goals to help us be more indispensable. Speakers included: Matthew Brink, Director, Career Development Center, Saint Joseph’s University, and Larry Sechney, Director, Career & Community Services, Kutztown University. 39 EACE members and non-members attended.

Our third and most recent program was held in early February at Villanova University. Move Your Marketing to the Next Level: Generating Student Interest through Creative Strategies dealt with a topic that many of us find ourselves struggling with – we know we’ve got a great program or service to offer but how do we convince our students or other constituents of that? How do we, in effect, market ourselves? This program looked at what we do and what we should be doing from both the angle of a marketing professional and from the perspective of those career services folks who seem to have struck marketing gold and have been able to come up with some great marketing strategies. The presenters also looked at the pop-culture angle of marketing as it appealed to students and spoke about utilizing students (i.e. student mentors) to do the marketing component within their offices. Attendees were also encouraged to bring their own successful marketing materials and share them with the group. Speakers included: Deanna Merritt, Goldey-Beacom College; Dick Carpenter, The Vanguard Group; Lynn D’Angelo, Lehigh University; Patrick Mullane, Dickinson College; and Rhonda Cohen, St. Joseph’s University. 46 EACE members and non members attended.

As you can see, it’s been a great year so far – we’ve got three more workshops and two webinars to go. Keep an eye on the EACE website and look for email announcements as registrations are announced. Remember, as co-chairs of the committee, Pat Donahue and myself are ALWAYS happy to receive recommendations for possible topics or contact from interested new members! That being said – I’ll leave you all with a closing Haiku:

All throughout the year
professionals plan workshops
Come! Join our merry group!

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Workplace/Workforce Forecasts for 2007
by Joyce Gioia-Herman, Strategic Business Futurist, CEO of The Herman Group

1. Job Hopping to Accelerate. Fueled by increasing job creation and the fact that more than half of the United States areas have flipped to being sellers’ markets, dissatisfied workers worldwide with a wider variety of choices will choose to leave their employers in greater numbers. Particularly, younger workers will feel less attached to their employers and have the confidence to jump to another job.
2. Employers Looking for Better Efficiencies. Employers large and small will continue to look for ways to economize and drive more profit to the bottom line. We are already seeing an increasing lack of tolerance for workers who have been resting on their laurels (and/or relationships) for years. Finally, there is a growing awareness of the high cost of employee turnover, and employers worldwide will seek innovative approaches to retention.
3. Older Workers More Highly Valued. Following the lead of a few model employers, public and private sector employers desiring to retain the intellectual capital in their older workers will offer more flexible work arrangements to these workers. This flexibility will include phased retirement, part-time work, and seasonal work (at a significant premium in salary) all with a benefits package that makes it worthwhile to keep working.
4. Employers Will Embrace New Technologies to Do More with Less. Employers are increasingly applying new technologies to increase profits. Examples of this trend include the adoptions of self-check-out in supermarkets and self-check-in at hotels and airports. The development and implementation of these new technologies will require more highly skilled people.
5. Business Communities Will Address their Dissatisfaction with Schools. Employers, dissatisfied with the preparation of recent graduates, will be motivated to take action. An increasing number of community initiatives will address these issues. The effectiveness of these initiatives will depend on the community support of students, parents, and the local school system. Expect to see more mentoring and outreach to youth.
6. Continuing Increases in Training and Development. Employees at all levels will be expected to participate in more training. More employers will require this investment in self-development for the mutual benefit of both parties. Part of the rationale for this increasing investment is employers’ inability to find candidates with the right experience, so they will have to “grow their own.”
7. Offshoring and Reverse-offshoring will Continue to Increase. Not heeding the experience of other employers or the Gartner Study, some employers chasing the dream of increasing profitability will continue to try offshoring. In the meantime, companies in India and elsewhere will engage in reverse-offshoring, hiring and training U.S. graduates in other countries at foreign local scale.
8. Using Technology and Business Intelligence, Recruiting will Morph. Using more sophisticated technology like virtual video interviews and advanced pre-employment assessments, the Internet will facilitate advances in the technology for recruiting we could only dream about in the past. Through video interviews (see the Herman Trend Alert of January 3, 2007), employers will save hours of interviewing time and enjoy a higher level of EEO compliance. In addition, wise employers will engage leading edge firms to provide business intelligence that will help them make better hiring and salary decisions.

Joyce Gioia-Herman is a Strategic Business Futurist, CEO of The Herman Group, and author of five books on workforce and workplace trends. A busy professional speaker, Gioia-Herman is available for presentations of all kinds from employer groups to board retreats. To learn more about Gioia-Herman and The Herman Group or to sign up for the weekly Herman Trend Alert, visit www.hermangroup.com.

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News from NACE

BETHLEHEM, PA, February 15, 2007— From 1990-2005, starting salary offers to accounting grads at the bachelor's degree grew by nearly 9 percent in real terms (salaries are adjusted to 2005 U.S. dollars), according to a new report published by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).

Starting Salary Offers: Historical Perspective Update 1990-2005 shows that the average starting salary to accounting graduates in 1990 was $39,435 and $42,940 in 2005-—an 8.9 percent increase. Moreover, accounting salaries remained relatively stable over that time period: From 1990-2005, the standard deviation was .0309; at the extreme, the average offer to accounting grads fell by 4.3 percent in 1995 over 1994 and rose by 7.2 percent in 1998 over the average posted in 1997.

In contrast, MIS graduates experienced greater fluctuation in their starting salary offers, with offers rising by as much as 9.9 percent (1998 over 1997) and falling by as much as 10.2 percent (2002 over 2001). Overall, the average starting salary offer to MIS graduates gained 6.5 percent over the 1990-2005 period, rising from $40,985 to $43,653. At its highest, however, the average starting salary to MIS grads hit $51,392 (2001).

"Among the business disciplines in the study, MIS graduates were most affected by the 'tech bubble,'" says Marilyn Mackes, NACE executive director. "That's a key reason for the high degree of variability we see in the average starting salary offer to MIS graduates in the latter part of the 1990s and early part of the 2000s."

Based on historical salary data from NACE's Salary Survey report as well as economic and demographic information supplied by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Bureau of Economic Analysis, and National Center for Education Statistics, Starting Salary Offers: Historical Perspective Update 1990-2005 compares salaries over that period and looks at how supply and demand, the tech bubble, recession, and other forces affected starting salary offers to students in the business, engineering, computer-related, sciences, and nursing fields. The study features more than 40 graphs and figures to illustrate trends at both the bachelor's and master's degree levels, and analysis to provide insight into why salaries are what they are, and where they may be going.

For details about the report, see www.naceweb.org/products/info_pages/ss_historical.htm.

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Get to Know Your Board

Name: Dayna Dunsmoor

Title & Organization: Director of Career Development, Thomas Jefferson University

Years in EACE: I've been a member of EACE since 1998 - that's 9 years already! My first conference was the June 1999 conference in Danvers, MA. I was a very new Career Counselor, I was the only one from my office attending the conference and I didn't know a single person there. I was struck by how welcoming and friendly everyone was. By the end of the conference, I had met some great colleagues, learned a lot of helpful information to share with my office-mates, and was introduced to the Philadelphia-area Career Development folks, which turned out to be a great networking experience since I ended up coming to work at St. Joseph's University that August!

Board Position and Responsibilities: Director, Networks. The Network Chairs do a lot of great work; if you haven't checked out their websites, I encourage you to do so. Whether it's tapping into the amazing resources of the Creative Careers and Public Service Networks, encouraging students to take advantage of the Road Trips to the Real World program organized by the Liberal Arts Network, or bonding with fellow colleagues who face similar challenges such as Lone Rangers and Employers or who work with specific populations like Alumni or Engineering Students via the list-servs, the EACE Networks have something to offer everyone! My responsibilities as their Board Liaison is to communicate all of the wonderful things they're doing, ask questions, help solve any challenges they may be facing, and deliver EACE-related resources & information to help them get their jobs done.

What gets you out of bed in the morning? I absolutely love what I do; plain and simple. The students are just fascinating; each with their own unique story. I truly enjoy connecting them with employment options and coaching them along the way. I consider myself lucky to have found a career where my values and interests are met every day.

What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream? Ben & Jerry's New York Super Fudge Chunk!

Name: John Fracchia

Title & Organization: Assistant Director for Employer Relations, Ithaca College Career Services

Years in EACE: 7

Board Position and Responsibilities: Director, Member Marketing. My area of the board focuses on membership recruitment, intra-organizational communication and public relations. Our goal is to educate the community and our members about the many benefits that participating in EACE affords.

What gets you out of bed in the morning? I was tempted to say my alarm clock, but my serious answer is the possibilities that each day offers. I believe in living life eclectically and fully, so I'm rarely bored.

What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream? Chocolate in all of its many forms. Except for mint. In my world that's just wrong.

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