First-year Polk State University students complete a professional interview with someone in their desired career field to understand the responsibilities and realities of the role.
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SEATTLE — Some college students are thinking about what they want to do after graduation, but for others it can be difficult to pinpoint exactly what role they want to play after graduation. One of the challenges of Polk State University’s first-year seminar is for students to identify the career they want to pursue after completing their degree program and interview professionals in their dream jobs to learn more about their roles and their responsibilities. It’s about learning.
The assignment can help confirm a student’s ambitions or even offer a glimpse into the less glamorous elements of the role, says University of Florida staff at the University of South Carolina’s National Center for First-Year Experiences and Students. Shared at a conference session. Migration Annual Conference held last week in Seattle.
background: In 2019, Polk State leaders created a quality improvement plan that incorporated career preparation into the first-year experiential course.
The initiative builds on the National Association of Colleges and Employers’ Career Competencies, which include career assessments, an online career resource center for students, faculty toolkits for career preparation, career development-based student clubs and organizations, and experiential learning opportunities. and the Career Readiness Badge Initiative.
At Polk State University, students entering the university for the first time pursuing an Associate of Arts degree are required to enroll in a first-year seminar course. In addition to career preparation, this course also provides students with resources to succeed in college. Courses are offered in-person and online.
assignment: All students complete a career assessment through the Focus 2 Career system under the guidance of a success coach upon admission to the University. J. Cody Moyer, director of learning technology and instruction at Polk State University, said the university has six success coaches who enroll students in guided pathways based on their interests. We support you.
During the first-year seminar, students review their assessment results and identify their top three career choices. You will then be responsible for conducting research on your career choice to learn more about educational requirements, salary, and other factors that determine roles and responsibilities. This research is supported by campus librarians.
After completing this research, students will identify three candidates in their chosen field and schedule an informational interview with at least one of them. Before conducting the interview, students draft questions related to the expert’s work with the assistance of a seminar professor who provides a list of draft questions.
Von McGriff, director of Polk State University’s J.D. Alexander Center, which includes on-campus tutoring, testing, and technology, said during a conference session that these interviews allow students to choose between meaningful and ugly parts of their jobs. He explained that it was designed to help students learn the parts. For example, nursing students are exposed to difficult parts of their roles, such as handling needles.
Interviews can be conducted in person, via Zoom, email, or phone. Ideally, students would see work firsthand and get some experience, but there is flexibility for students with competing priorities.
After speaking with an expert, students submit a summary of their interview experience and how it aligns with their career goals.
Impact: The overwhelming majority of students complete the assignment, which helps them know if they really want the job after college, McGriff said.
Interviews not only help students learn more about their future career ambitions, but also help them learn about professionalism. For many people, reaching out to people in their desired field can be scary.
In some cases, the expert may be a family friend or connected to the university in some way (for example, through faculty network connections or employment on campus). Others are guest speakers who come to first-year seminars and take on roles that students might want to pursue.
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