Students’ familiarity with technology gives them skills that are often inaccessible to more experienced workers, but may also leave them vulnerable to social gaffes in the workplace, Center for Professional Development director Roger Woolseysaid at the fourth set of “Moving Dartmouth Forward” discussions, held on Monday. About 20 alumni and administrators gathered at noon in the Hood Auditorium for the first of two discussions and spoke about Dartmouth students’ professional needs, including business etiquette, networking and communication skills.
Woolsey, who co-facilitated the discussion, pointed to several of the Center’s initiatives that teach students business and career-related skills. Beginning with members of the Class of 2018, students may participate in a professional development accelerator program linking students with career-related resources during their first two years at the College, Woolsey said. Before arriving on campus, students will receive videos that teach them how to use Excel and video games that assess their skills. The second year of the program will prepare students to declare their majors and teach them how to use analysis software.
Co-facilitator and Dartmouth for Life director Dan Parish spoke about students’ need to create a personal “narrative” about their experiences at the College. The professional development accelerator program includes a smartphone app that allows students to mark professional and academic milestones.
Although many people think that Dartmouth students want to work in finance and consulting, Woolsey said, the Center for Professional Development has tried to show its support for various student interests since it developed a new credo, “Dare to be Different,” last summer.
The Office of Alumni Relations is currently working with the Center for Professional Development to expand the diversity and geographic distribution of their industry networks, Woolsey said.
College photographer Eli Burakian ’00, discussing his own experience, said that students need to understand that they can take a nontraditional approach to career paths.
“I do think most people do look for traditional jobs, but increasingly those people who are self-motivated have an opportunity to be successful working on projects and being self-employed,” Burakian said. “I think we should focus on providing these people the tools to market themselves and finding resources to create their own employment opportunities.”
Students need to learn the correct etiquette for using social media such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, Parish said. Employers, however, must take responsibility to teach interns organizational culture, Woolsey added.
Audience members also recommended that organizations collaborate to prepare students professionally.
Parish said that the College has an obligation to support alumni, adding that he seeks to better connect them with one another and with students.
The Alumni Office is developing a webinar series focused on applying to grad school, using online tools to build networks and performing skills assessment for changing jobs, Parish said. The webinars will target alumni from the Class of 2009 through the Class of 2013, because those in their age group often transition between their first and second jobs. These videos will be released in May, and promotion will begin this week. The office is also interested in building a professional development committee.
Some audience members asked what programs exist to promote continuing education in the liberal arts for alumni, referencing the now-defunct Dartmouth Institute, a four-week liberal arts program for professionals that began under former College President John Kemeny.
Both presenters said they thought the conversation reflected the need for many different people to prepare students for life after graduation.
A second session on professional development took place Monday evening. The next “Moving Dartmouth Forward” talk, scheduled for April 14, will address faculty recruitment and retention.
This article has been revised to reflect the following correction:
Correction appended: April 8, 2014
An earlier version of this article misattributed the idea that students’ familiarity with technology gives them skills that are often inaccessible to more experienced workers, but may also leave them vulnerable to social gaffes in the workplace. It wasCenter for Professional Development director Roger Woolsey who said this.
