Connecting with Career Lounges Lucy Hawkins, Careers Adviser University of Oxford While you’re waiting... Note 3 ways your service has tried to manage student demand for careers advice

Learning outcomes 1.Identify the key features of a successful career lounge 2.Discuss the potential applications of the concept to our own settings and audiences. 3.Formulate elements which would help to increase success of a career lounge. 4.Judge whether or not a career lounge concept is worth pursuing in our services.

Agenda Background What is a Career Lounge? – trying it out! What makes a Career Lounge work? Our findings What could be the benefits/issues? How could we support success?

Background: ‘Connectivity’ model

What is a Career Lounge? Career Lounge Today! Topic: Managing student demand for careers advice Career Lounge Today! Topic: Managing student demand for careers advice

So, what did we think...? Elements which made it an effective session? Elements which made it an ineffective session?

Pseudo-groups Effective: A shared goal identified Know the benefits of working together Know the ‘roles’ and ‘norms’ in place Meet those with shared interests, share knowledge, gain confidence Pseudo-group: No shared goal Don’t see working together as helpful Don’t think working together is ‘permitted’? Ask questions, don’t listen to others, would rather have 1:1 or a lecture Based on Lewinian group dynamics theory

Our findings: 2013/14... We delivered 273 Career Lounges 640 students attended a lounge Total time spent on lounges203.3 hrs Equivalent individual appointments hrs So more efficient... just!

It’s got to be exactly relevant... Audience indicatedAverage of Career Lounge Attendance Figure For all2.4 Department specific3.2 UG/PGT/PGR specific1.0 Grand Total2.5 Sector specifiedAverage of Career Lounge Attendance Figure Sector Academia and Education1.4 Banking and Consulting3.3 Arts, Media and Communications2.3 Government, Charity and Development5.2 Commerce and IT0.7 Science, Engineering and Health1.8 Law1.2 Other1.5 Not sector specific2.5 Grand Total2.5 Top topics: Planning your Year Abroad Careers in Political Risk Applying to ManCon CVs and Applications

... And when you have energy

...And when you have the time Morning (before 12:00), Lunch (12:00 – 14:00), Afternoon (14:00 – 16:00), Early evening (16:00 onwards)

So, what could be the applications...? Start considering ideas for your service Then share in pairs... Where could I use this? What would the benefits be? What issues might I face?

Making lounges more successful Issues Solutions or improvements

Our solutions at Oxford Scheduled to match attendance Go to where they are when we can! Make benefits clearer online Explain roles/norms/benefits Start with ‘starter’ activities Encourage them to keep in touch Three ‘streams’ – practical tips, ‘exploring career ideas around xxxx’, ‘in depth discussions’

So coming back to our learning outcomes... Did we meet them?

Learning outcomes 1.Identify the key features of a successful career lounge 2.Discuss the potential applications of the concept to our own settings and audiences. 3.Formulate elements which would help to increase success of a career lounge. 4.Judge whether or not a career lounge concept is worth pursuing in our services.

Thank you! Feel free to get in touch to share your ideas:

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