InterviewStream PREParedness- Role of Educators

THE ROLE OF EDUCATORS

As we mentioned in our previous blog, employers and educators both have important roles in preparing today’s students for tomorrow’s challenges. Today, we focus on the role of educators in this process.

Too many students graduate with the belief that their degree will lead straight to a job—setting the stage for a painful wake-up call when they realize that in most fields, a degree is simply a minimum qualification, not an instant pass to easy employment.

New grads often have no idea what to expect from a hiring process or what each stage means. As a result, they’re likely to believe a job is guaranteed when it’s not.

Knowing that there is a widespread perception among business owners and hiring managers that the new generation of graduates are far from workplace ready, higher education has the ability to step up and prepare this new generation while directly challenging this perception. By overhauling internship and cooperative programs in consultation with hiring decision-makers, students can gain the skills that will make them more attractive to employers after graduation.

Institutions are responsible for aligning student preparedness with the workplace demands. Students are equally responsible for taking the advice seriously and acting upon it. Students make a large personal and financial commitment to their education and expect a high return on both, yet they often underestimate the importance of utilizing the resources provided by their career centers.

Luckily, such resources are available to assist universities and students in the preparation process. In this digital age, online technology has proven to be incredibly innate to the new generation. Through video technology software students are able to find their voice and prepare for interviews and real life situations they will face the workplace.

Additionally, one of the most critical resources that university career centers can offer to their students is a well-developed employer outreach program. Students, employers, and universities alike can all benefit from an established relationship between a company and school.

Being in touch with employers is bound to enhance the profile of a university with employers and make them more likely to recruit there. In addition, many national ranking systems use some measure of employment success in their calculations.

This is another opportunity for universities to take advantage of the growing world of technology. Institutions shouldn’t wait for employers to come seek them out. Video is a fast and simple way to connect with employers anytime, anywhere. By using this technology universities can build relationships with employers and then use those relationships to help students go into the workforce with connections and confidence.

As educators, we know you care about your students and future success in the working world. But the only way for the new generation to prosper in this competitive environment is to be prepared—and you play a crucial role in making that happen!