December 2011 – Career Center Focus Group Key Findings and Recommendations

Coordinated and compiled by:

• Promotions & Publications Coordinator, Natalie Kates

• Focus Group Moderator & Marketing Assistant, Kiaira McCoy

• Focus Group Moderator & Advertising Assistant, Katie Sargeant

• Graphic Design Administrative Assistant, Michele Passafuime

• Graphic Design Intern, Molly Kugelmann

Discussion Topics • Brand Awareness • Brand Perceptions • Logo/Branding Feedback • Media and Promotions • Promotional/Viral

Video Ideas • Career Guide • NEW *Seminole Success

Stories* Program Initiative • NEW Student Ambassador

Program Expansion

• Many participants had heard about The Career Center through their undergraduate career advisors, in Freshman English classes, and from receiving e-mails.

• All participants, with the exception of one, were aware prior to the focus group where The Career Center was located.

Brand Awareness

Participants identified The Career Center with providing these services:

• Career Advice/Fairs

• Mock Interviews

• Resume Critiques

• The Career Guide

Brand Awareness

Brand Awareness Participants that had visited

The Career Center…

When asked how they felt after leaving the building, participants replied…

• “I felt prepared.” • “I left feeling more

confident.”

Participants that had not visited The Career Center…

• One participant believed that The Career Center was only for students seeking full-time employment opportunities.

• Many were unaware of other existing services.

• Participants look forward to company interviews offered on the third floor.

• One student was unaware of the Part-Time Job Fair existing every Fall and Spring.

• One student had trouble recalling the name of the expo, “Seminole Futures”.

• Rain all day on Seminole Futures stopped one student from attending.

• Another student was deterred from attending Seminole Futures because of the distance from campus to the Civic Center.

• One participant felt that the large amount of attending companies represented recruiters for a great variety of majors.

• One participant believed that as a freshman Seminole Futures was irrelevant and overwhelming.

• Participants would like to see more internship offerings at Seminole Futures.

Brand Awareness/Perceptions of Main Career Services & Events

Brand Perceptions

When asked to describe an ideal Career Center participants responded…

• “Super job-retrieving receptionist!” • “A tailored approach in aiding students based

on their individual needs.” • “Specific job postings in all fields.” • “More information about internships, volunteer

or graduate job placement opportunities.”

Brand Perceptions Participants believed that our Career Center could

benefit students more by… • Career advisors should tailor their approach and

advice based on the individual student’s needs • Providing more networking opportunities with

employers, more non-local full-time jobs, and internship offerings for their career field

• Offering more part-time jobs in the area that would offer transferrable skills in their major(s)

• Posting more placement opportunities specifically seeking graduate students

Logo/Branding Feedback

Career Center Logo: • Many participants were confused by the current

Career Center logo thinking it was part of a letterhead and would like to see a more condensed symbol.

Logo/Branding Feedback

• In comparison to negative The Career Center logo feedback, participants loved the simplicity of logos and branding for Engineering Day, the Part-Time Job Fair, Seminole Success Night, and Spear Your Career Workshops.

Logo/Branding Feedback • Regarding The Career Center’s largest event,

Seminole Futures, a student suggested to make the Career Exposition title underneath larger so it is immediately clear what type of event this is.

• A few participants

mentioned to remove arrows from this event’s promotional branding.

• Many students said they receive e-mails on their smart phones and quickly skim over Career Center messages

• Participants stated e-mail (keep short and include catchy graphics) and social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, as their preferred point of contacts

• Newsletters with monthly updates • On-campus signs with brief text that

immediately capture attention • Event reminder text messages • Handouts and posters • Chalking

Media and Promotions

Media and Promotions Participants want to learn more about: • Major/industry-specific

information- (such as match major sheets)

• Class Classification Appropriate Information- (i.e. targeted e-mails for freshmen with what kinds of fields they could explore, career options, and implications for their majors)

• Career Advice/Tips- Tip-of-the-day short e-mails

Facebook • Create event pages

for expos and fairs • Post discussion

topics on Facebook wall to encourage student replies and engagement

• Write short status updates

Career Center Social Media Persona:

• “A Career Guide God”: imagines like a ‘Wizard of Oz’ voice

• “A young successful professional or a new job-hunting graduated alum”

Media and Promotions

Promotional/Viral Video Ideas • Feature inspiring success story videos with good advice

from FSU alumni who successfully landed jobs • Short and funny videos

• Video Sample Concept: Students or football players realizing they have an upcoming job interview and running in slow motion to The Career Center for urgent help, which would be humorous and bring attention to where we are located

• Students would like to view and share videos on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube

• Show videos on TV’s within The Career Center • Participants would like to see comedic videos related to

modern themes: i.e., make light of Charlie Sheen’s “Winning” campaign regarding landing a job/internship

Career Guide

2010 Career Guide • Participants preferred

that the table of contents was placed before the ads

• Believed that this version was very text heavy and unorganized

• One participant was overwhelmed by the vast amount of literature

2011 Career Guide • Layout was preferred • Participants liked the larger

fonts and bigger subtitles • Visuals and glossy cover

preferred over 2010 edition • One participant suggested

that the black colored font was difficult to read on the purple background; suggested text be white

Career Guide

Future Edition Suggestions • Students suggested using colored tabs to separate content • When presented with the multi-colored format of the

Career Guide, almost all participants preferred it much more over reading the black and white version

• One student liked the brighter white paper to help make the text stand out more while reading

NEW Initiative- *Seminole Success Stories*

• Participants would like to read inspiring career-related success stories about students or alumni in their major(s)

• Stated they ideally want to see them featured as videos • Students like the article format similar to that of the

featured student stories showcased on Blackboard • Suggest we should highlight international students • Information should be presented using first person

point of view

NEW Career Center Ambassador Program

What participants would like to see from Ambassadors… • Participants would like to

see students represented from a variety of majors

• Host monthly meetings for their peers updating them on Career Center news

• Make announcements in class about upcoming career expos, employer interviews, services, etc.

What students would like to gain as Ambassadors…

• Volunteer and networking opportunities at career expos

• Leadership recognition • Additional access and

exposure to employers who may be able to provide interviews for internships/jobs