Three Keys to Success: Partnerships with Institutions of Higher Learning

Shanna Fowler, Career Services Manager at Grantham University, is a guest blog author for Allied Universal.

With the modern job market’s constant evolution, it is important for employers to establish strong relationships with university career centers to help build their talent pool and find high-quality candidates. The relationship between career centers and employers does not need to be a formally documented partnership; however, it is a traditional partnership based on mutual respect and constant communication. 

There are three keys to a successful relationship between universities and employing organizations, leveraging a campus relations strategy:

1. Metrics - The employer and career center should enter into a relationship with specific goals in mind. A career center may use metrics such as number of jobs posted, event participation and engagement opportunities, while employers might look at number of applicants received, average number of applications for each position posted, visibility of the organization, engagement opportunities and customer service ratings.

2. Strategic Reasoning - When an employer is working with an institution of higher learning, it is important to communicate the employer’s hiring needs. Institutions work with employers for several reasons, including job opportunities for students and graduates, feedback on the job market and a resource to obtain current information on the trends and needs of a particular field. Employers work with institutions of higher learning for three primary reasons: talent acquisition, visibility and talent development.

3. Align Decisions to Metrics and Reasons - To make the most of this relationship, employers should take advantage of engagement opportunities such as workshops, webinars, information sessions, mock-interviewing, advisory board opportunities and career fairs. Engagement opportunities, even advisory related, translate into increased visibility. 

Career services and talent acquisition departments need to develop a strong partnership to successfully place the organization’s future leaders and develop its current workforce. Through these keys to success, career services and talent acquisition can work together to meet the goals and objectives of their mutual stakeholders.

Read more about the advantages to educational partnerships from Grantham University. A strong focus on education leads to greater employee engagement. 

  About the Author 
  Shanna Fowler is the Career Services Manager for Grantham University and the Kansas City Area Chair for the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR).