Value Added Service Design as a Framing for Career Success

Today’s college students face an uphill battle to find well-matched and fulfilling work upon graduation. Many have generalized their studies, without a specific career path in mind, and are underprepared for professional expectations and needs. Lack of experience and self-knowledge, coupled with an outdated approach to workplace skills, means that they struggle 1) to find their fit, and 2) to convince employers of their worth.

My thesis focuses on researching the varying experiences and interactions of stakeholders within the existing recruitment system: college students, their career counselors, and hiring managers. I found that, while all working towards the same goal of mutually beneficial employment, the traditional model of applying to jobs is broken, in that it does not adequately align needs and match candidates.

The solution I present here is a holistic approach to assessing and communicating the values and skills that truly create a flourishing workplace and employee/employer relationship. My goal is to equip students with tools for self-discovery and communication, creating more targeted applications, and thereby providing recruiters with richer information about potential hires.