Real Learning for Real Life
By Jill Randolph
August 24, 2010
The following is an interview transcript with Jane McClure, Associate Director of Academic Services for Bellevue University.
Bellevue University, located in Bellevue, Nebraska, offers regionally accredited programs in traditional, accelerated, on-line or in-class formats. The University's trademarked RealMastery learning process includes advanced technology, comprehensive learning resources and a diverse portfolio of degree offerings, and translates learning success into real-world success. Students graduate with the degrees and skills necessary for today's dynamic business environment.
From enrollment to alumni, Bellevue University's Career Avenues offers assistance with career planning, job searching and more. The Career Coaching Center also offers students access to Career Coaches, who are dedicated to helping students reach their career goals and provides many other career resources. All of the services are also accessible to local and online or distance students.
Jane McClure assists with Academic Advising administrative service efforts. Her responsibilities include planning, developing, and overseeing all career services. She has implemented a career coaching model with academic advisors at the University and leads the "Career Avenues Initiative", which links all career-related services across the university. Over the span of her lengthy career, Jane has coached students and adults at all organizational levels including corporate executives in change management, career decision-making and job search strategies.
Jill Randolph: Do online students ever say that they miss the face-to-face dimension of networking, or do they network in their classes and chat forums?
Jane McClure: If someone is looking at returning to school, they need to consider where their needs are best met. There are people for whom having face-to-face contact with other students and their instructor is really important. A lot of our online students are able to network because part of the curriculum involves team projects, meaning they are networking and communicating throughout their online degree programs.
Online students also often come to the graduation ceremony we offer twice a year in Omaha and walk across the stage for their diploma. It's amazing how many online students travel to Bellevue, Nebraska, and Omaha to meet the people from their online accelerated cohort. We give an award for the person who traveled the farthest. We have had people as far away as Alaska come to campus to meet their faculty face-to-face and meet their fellow classmates.
One critical aspect of online study is that students will take from it what they put in, which is two sided. If an instructor requires students to post at least two times every week, there will be a person who posts, "I agree with what everyone else is talking about." Those students probably won't take a lot from the class and other people are certainly not gaining a lot from them. But, there are others who post thoughtful comments and put energy into interacting. The people who have done that are so excited when they talk about their online experience.
We have also made a concerted effort to offer all of the services that are available to our local students to our distance students as well. We continue to build on our services so that our online students can take advantage of the same services that our traditional students do.
Jill Randolph: Do you think online courses are less demanding than classroom experience?
Jane McClure: I think online is more demanding if done right. A lot of people attend class in a physical classroom, sit through class and do not contribute anything. The faculty at Bellevue University make this difficult because they assign a lot of team projects that require classroom interaction, but for online classes it comes back to the effort they put forth.
There are people that say an online education is easier, but I think it's a lot more intensive. Online students have to be able to schedule their time to do the work, which adds another element. However it can also be a benefit because if students have odd hours, they can do their schoolwork when it suits their schedule.
Online learning is becoming more sophisticated and is moving beyond reading and studying. The capability now exists to integrate video and simulations into the classroom, as well as to facilitate group projects through webinar formats using webinar technology, such as Adobe Connect, GoToMeeting, and Skype. There are numerous features that are making the online experience more dynamic than it had been in the past.
There are also practice tools. Several of our classes require students to have a webcam in order to practice skills, be recorded and receive feedback from their instructors. It's exciting how online learning is evolving and how much more we have been able to bring into the virtual classroom than when this type of learning was originally developed.
Jill Randolph: I have noticed that the shorter summer school classes often focus on the most important areas and the fluff of normal classes is eliminated. Do you think that online classes cut to the chase or are they becoming more like a regular classroom experience with teamwork and other elements that might not be on the final exams?
Jane McClure: It varies by instructor, but most of our courses have a lot of heavy team activities built-in, because it is required in the work world now. The expectations from employers today have evolved and more emphasis is placed on the ability to work on a team and be productive in hopes of cooperatively producing a product that is more creative than an individual alone might create. With our "Real Learning for Real Life" focus at Bellevue, the classroom experiences are going to require students to work on projects with others in their classes. Students' grades depend not only upon the product, but also on how well they worked together in teams.
In the last year-and-a-half, I have been implementing our career avenues initiatives, which seek to have advisors talk with students about how their academic goals can be merged with their career goals. We are asking academic advisors to talk about majors with the end goal in mind, and ask questions in line with that such as, "What job do you see yourself doing when you are finished with school?" Or, "What environment do you see yourself working in?"
By talking about those career questions up front, we can tailor the academic program and help students make choices about their major based on the job they are envisioning rather than picking a major, earning a degree, and then figuring out later what to do with their education.
Jill Randolph: Do online students have to pay out-of-state fees?
Jane McClure: No, there are no out-of-state fees for our online students. It's exciting; with students from all over the country and world bringing their different work backgrounds, our students are exposed to a wide variety of experiences and ways of looking at information, which gives them the opportunity to see how exchanges work on the job. It's phenomenal.
That is where our trademark "Real Learning for Real Life" comes into play. We have many students with rich experiences who add to the academic experiences of all students.
Jill Randolph: How has the job market changed over the past year? Have you seen any signs of improvement, and if so, in which areas?
Jane McClure: Often, trends are slower to come to the Midwest. We are a few years behind the coasts, but we have started to see the economic pinch that people have been feeling on the east coast and west coast for quite some time.
We have an advantage simply because of our geography and the strong employers in this area. It is not as bad here, and I don't know if it will become as bad -- not to say that everything is rosy. There are a lot of news reports speaking of the unemployment rate in this part of the country, and I cringe because it makes it sound like everyone should relocate here because there isn't any unemployment.
The reality is we are having layoffs, downsizings and plant closings here like everywhere else, even though it has come a bit later and I don't think that it will hit as hard. There are areas that continue to have demand, such as IT, accounting, and healthcare, all of which continue to do fairly well in our region.
At our annual career fair, I noticed additional older individuals than in years past, who were looking for work and had been looking for a year or longer. Bellevue University is unique because most of our students are adults returning to complete their degrees. We have traditional age students who come for classes in a college environment, but the bulk of our students are online, and are often older. People in their late 20s and 30s make up the majority of our student base.
One encouraging note -- in preparing for our fall career event, we have found employers are confirming plans to attend much earlier. Among them are a number who have declined in the last couple of years. We hope this signals things are starting to look up at least in our local job market.
Jill Randolph: For those who have been laid off, how do they afford to go back to school?
Jane McClure: Financial-aid is a piece of the equation and probably the key piece. Several positions endorsed by the presidential administration have benefited higher education and encouraged people to consider returning to school for degrees. Financial-aid is the primary route for those people.
Bellevue University has also created a special program for students who are laid off during the course of study. The program allows students to finish their degree and defer a portion of the cost. It enables them to continue their education, and obtain their degree, which will hopefully support them in finding the job that they are looking for.
The world of work is changing from the standpoint that many of the positions that are available require a level of higher education beyond high school. There is a shift in the types of jobs available. Workers are going to have to develop new skills to increase their marketability. Information technology has had a big impact for those who aren't even in the field. The ability to work in those areas and be familiar with the functions related to conducting business these days is critical. A lack of exposure to those areas can be limiting when looking for jobs suited to their skill level.
Jill Randolph: I have seen high schools and universities implementing furlough days and cutting extra-curriculars like music or technical classes. Is this happening at Bellevue?
Jane McClure: Bellevue has been fortunate to be immune to a number of those trends. When developing the programs and majors we offer, we have tried to be attuned to the market demand and respond with educational programs that help people advance in newer areas.
We also have a number of people who started their degree a while ago and have decided to return. We make returning easy by accepting transfer credits whenever possible. We try to stay on the cutting edge by uniquely presenting our programs. We consider what employers are asking for and create educational preparation that helps students move into these jobs.
We also offer majors that aren't available everywhere else. For example, we have a logistics management major, which focuses on transporting products around the world and coordinating the timing and various other elements in that process. We also have a major in healthcare management that is one of the largest in the country. Part of the reason for the size is the number of people we have in the field working, who complete master's degrees online. We have been very fortunate to continue our growth while others in our area have laid off.
Jill Randolph: What is the main industry in your area?
Jane McClure: We see a lot of insurance, IT operations, and in the past, Omaha has been heavily blue-collar as well. That is changing as cuts occur in those manufacturing companies. Those companies have been affected by automation and other ways of doing work that have negated jobs. Banking and call center operations are also prominent in our area.
Bellevue University has students all over the world; around 70 percent of students attend our classes online and never set foot on campus. We have traditional students, a campus, and sports teams that do well, but we also have people scattered all over the world. We have people taking classes in Afghanistan, Iraq and in every state in our country.
So, when considering industry, it depends on the location in mind.
Jill Randolph: How do you reach out to the students to learn about their career goals? Do you have a capstone course or an introductory course for incoming students or do you visit classrooms?
Jane McClure: Part of our work is in the academic advising experience. Our advisors are trained to ask open-ended, powerful questions to make students think about where they see themselves going in the future. This also helps to discern whether the career goals they have are their own or their mom's, dad's or spouse's goals.
There are people here because their employers told them they needed a degree in order to advance. Those people have a clear idea of their purpose for being here and what they want to do. There is another group that thinks they know why they are here, but through discussion it becomes clear that other factors need to be taken into account. When they tell us more about what they see themselves doing or their desired lifestyle and workday, other academic programs that should be explored become more apparent. By looking into these options, they may find a better match for their career goal.
We often hear, especially from adult students, that they want to major in business because they believe that it is always useful. Granted, business is an element of a lot of jobs, but they need to have an idea of the type of business that appeals to them, the setting they want to work in, and if they want to work on a team or start own their business.
We also go through income expectations. We all would like to make a lot of money, but students need to explore if that is most important to them. There is a process of sorting out values. We try to determine student's goals, whether that involves advancing their current position or attaining their degree to find employment that is more satisfying and perhaps more rewarding.
This exploration is important because when students interview, they need to verbalize their goals and how they can contribute to the company's bottom line. A lot of people have this information in their head but aren't able to verbalize it. When seeking a promotion, it is critical to be able to verbalize what candidates want, what they are willing to do and how they can support the company's goals with their skill set. They need to convey the things they can offer an employer and how that makes them the best person for the job.
As a prospective employer, my question to interviewees would be, "what do you have to offer me?" They have to focus on marketing themselves and verbalizing how their goals support an employer's goals. That is the most important thing candidates need to remember, as they are job searching or advancing in a profession. It's important to be able to verbalize their capabilities so that others can understand their value.
Thinking about key strengths and identifying activities that support those statements is important to include on one's resume. People should also keep their resume up-to-date. Even if they plan to stay with an employer, they never know when an opportunity for a promotion may come along or an interesting job may become available. They are building a story and need to be able to clearly convey their strengths and examples of how they have utilized specific skills.
Jill Randolph: Do you have tools in place to help students determine what they would like to do long-term?
Jane McClure: We use assessments with students who don't have an idea of where to begin, or who have an idea but want to see if it is reinforced by interest inventories.
We also use the Myers-Briggs, which assesses how career choice meshes with personality. This information is valuable once people have an idea of their individual style. It doesn't mean they can't do certain jobs; an introvert can succeed in a sales job, but it may take more effort to make introductory small talk than it would for an extrovert. Self-awareness is particularly important in younger people. An opportunity may be skill-level appropriate, but more challenging personality-wise.
Aside from these assessments, we also ask open-ended questions, such as, "Have you thought about if you got up tomorrow and everything was just the way that you wanted it to be? Can you tell me where you would be living, not only geographically, but what type of physical surroundings would you have, what car would you be driving, what hours do you see yourself working?" This leads to more focused discussion, such as the demands of the particular career that they are leaning towards. They might be able to make a lot of money, but they may not be able to leave work at 4:30 and focus on their social life.
For creative types, while there are people who can make a living as an artist, others need to explore how to use their creativity in areas that may not appear at first to be creative. Also, if they don't work in an area that supports their strongest interests, then they need to consider if their job allows them the time to pursue those interests outside of work.
Jill Randolph: How has searching for a job changed from the past and how has it stayed the same?
Jane McClure: A lot has changed but what hasn't changed is networking. The best way to find a job has always been through people and connections to those people.
What has changed is how people network. It's not just whom one meets at a cocktail party or contacts for an informational interview. People have to keep their network alive and dynamic through social media like LinkedIn. I mention LinkedIn because professionals use it for networking as opposed to other more social sites. The old-fashioned way of meeting someone face-to-face still works well, and there are more tools available to us now that build on the networking process.
A strong electronic image is also critical. An employer pointed out to me that most recruiters today are young and focused in electronics and electronic media. Having grown up with digital tools, they are online reviewing candidates' electronic image.
An online presence goes beyond what is on Facebook. Jobseekers need to consider what comes up in search results if their name is Googled. It's important to pay attention to everything that is online about one's self. If students haven't Googled their name, they need to. When I searched myself, there were a lot of Jane McClures online and even some with the same middle initial. My background is in mental health and counseling psychology, and higher education, and it's amazing how many Jane McClures are also educational consultants and psychologists. Someone looking around may have to dig more deeply and look at a candidate's geographic location if there are multiple people with the same name. However, jobseekers must make no mistake that potential employers are searching for their information online, information that could potentially disqualify them from consideration for a position if they do not think before posting.
There is value to developing a rich profile and utilizing LinkedIn. Candidates want their online information to convey their strengths and a positive image, and LinkedIn helps facilitate the process. It's also a wonderful way to connect with employers as job seekers build their network. It can be helpful to look at others' profiles to generate ideas about how to improve their profile to attract more positive attention.
Once job seekers have the skeleton of their resume updated, it's very important to tailor it to each position, because employers look for keywords. It's critical to make sure that one's resume and cover letter include those keywords because the software some employers use screens applicants out if those buzzwords aren't present, meaning that candidate will not be considered.
Jill Randolph: Do you have any career-related books or websites that you recommend to your students?
Jane McClure: Glassdoor.com offers a lot of useful information. One of the books I like, because I am a great proponent of Myers-Briggs, is "Do What You Are". It has a variety of job titles and the areas that are consistent with different personality styles.
Jill Randolph: What are the most common mistakes students make in their job search?
Jane McClure: Many people don't create a bank of stories that represent their specific experience, which they can draw upon when they interview. Also many don't formulate their accomplishments well enough as they add to their resume. We all want to earn our degree, apply for a job, have an interview and be hired. For a few fortunate people, that happens quickly, but it usually takes much more effort for most of us. Clearly conveying what the student can do for the employer is very important. This is where informational interviews can be helpful, because employers can learn about students' career paths.
Another mistake students make is not behaving professionally, even including what to order at a business lunch. We don't always talk about these skills and it can make or break the interview or opportunities for advancement. We are currently integrating training in professional acumen into our services. We hear from employers that students who graduate well equipped to solve problems and do the basic job don't always know how to present themselves, or compose well-written emails to someone higher up in a company. Employers biggest complaint is employees can't properly speak in public or write business correspondences.
The debate surrounding emotional intelligence is whether or not it can be taught. People argue both sides, but there is no doubt it's easier to train someone how to do a particular task than to mold their personality to work well with their co-workers or to be productive. Employees don't realize the importance of these behaviors. There are people who are able to pick it up along the way. Others think they know it and then learn the hard way that they don't. And there are people who don't think they need to know emotional intelligence skills and wonder why they can't move ahead.
It's a dilemma, because with limited job opportunities, if an employer has a choice between two people with equal skills but one has finesse in the workplace and the other doesn't, "EQ" or the emotional intelligence quotient makes the difference. Interpersonal skills become especially significant during an economic downturn. There are really good people out there right now without jobs. Companies have to cut more deeply into their workforce and are laying off people with value, which is tough for employers who are making an effort to keep the good people through various means such as furlough programs. The competition is tougher and job-seekers need to distinguish themselves positively.
Small talk right before an interview is also very important as well as knowing when to stop small talk. Interviewees may find a connection during small talk and stumble across something they have in common with the interviewer. However, how the interviewees present themselves also affects the impression that employers take away from an interview.
We can help all of our students, from in-person to online, with their career goals and questions like these. All they have to do is reach out to take advantage of our services. We also constantly reach out to students to increase their awareness of our services.
