Implementing a Relationship Building Continuum on Your Campus

Implementing a Relationship Building Continuum on Your Campus Jim Lowe Assistant Vice Provost and Executive Director Center for Career Development Nancy Bilmes

7 Areas of Best Practice Career Development Programs Marketing & Communication Student Coaching & Counseling Internal Relations Corporate Partner Relations Experiential Learning Assessment & Technology

What is the Matrix? Matrix structure is an organizational structure that assigns specialists from different functional areas or silos to work on one or more organizational goals, projects or initiatives Coaching & Counseling Project Manager A Project Manager B Marketing Technology

Internal Relations at UConn

Defining the Terms on the Continuum UNFAMILIAR • No familiarity with a center’s role or specific career center on campus ENGAGEMENT AWARENESS • Rough idea of what a career center does • • Believe a career center is important Occasionally interact COLLABORATION SUPPORT • Commit resources toward collaboration • Seen results of Career Center’s work • • • Take on • leadership roles when asked • Contribute repeatedly toward collaborations • Feel part of the Career Center as a concept and the department PARTNERSHIP Voluntarily take on leadership roles Continuously advance mission of the Career Center Affiliation with the Career Center - part of professional identity

Internal Relations and Campus Partnerships The Planning Process BRAINSTORM: Identify current and desired partnerships ANALYZE: Was the gap bridged? Key Questions Brainstorm/Identify: Which departments can help the career center achieve its goals? ASSESS: Quantify strength of partnerships Assess: What is the department’s current level of engagement with the career center? Define & Set Goals: What is the ideal level of engagement for this department? IMPLEMENT: Bridge the gap SET GOALS: Determine ideal strength of partnerships Implementation: How can we move the department from a current level to an ideal level of engagement? Analyze: How did we determine if the relationship is viable? Was the gap bridged?

UConn Internal Relations Continuum Current Relationships Unfamiliar Awareness Engagement Support Collaboration Partnership • Department contact is • Department contact has • Department contact believes • Department staff and • Department staff co-develops • Department staff volunteer Student Senate Admissions Multicultural Center(s) Alumni Association Graduate School First Year Programs Orientation Center for Students with Disabilities Residence Life not familiar with what the Center for Career Development does. heard of the Center for Career Development. • Department contact has knowledge of 1 -3 Center for Career Development programs or services. Athletics the role the Center for Career Development serves on campus is important. • Members of department are likely to scan/read the Center for Career Development website and promotional materials. • Department contact occasionally requests with the Center for Career Development resources. (ie. presentation requests) students attend the Center for Career Development’s activities and events. • Department likely to commit time and resources to the Center for Career Development, but not contribute to the planning process for events and programs. • Department contact promotes Center for Career Development events and services to colleagues and students. career related events and programs with the Center for Career Development. • Department staff takes on leadership roles when asked— including serving on committees and actively collaborating. • Department participates in regular meetings with the Center for Career Development Honors Education Abroad If yes, move right to serve on committees and boards. • Department contact’s affiliation with the Center for Career Development is incorporated into their job duties and responsibilities • Department approach the CCD to work together. • Career development is incorporated into department’s strategic plan • Department has at least one recurring collaboration with the Center for Career Development If yes, move right

UConn Internal Relations Continuum Setting Goals Unfamiliar Awareness Student Senate Admissions Engagement Support Alumni Association Collaboration Honors Partnership First Year Programs Multicultural Center(s) Residence Life Orientation Graduate School Center for Students with Disabilities Greek Life Athletics As partners move to the right on the Internal Relations Continuum, they must involve a greater number of people from the organization.

Developing Your Continuum 1. Identify four – six departments/units on campus that are on different levels of the continuum. Questions to ask one another: • 2. List these departments/units in the appropriate stages on the continuum. • 3. If a department/unit is in an ideal stage place a check mark next to the name. If the department/unit is not in an ideal stage, draw an arrow to the ideal stage or put a question mark next to it, to review. • Compare your continuums. What are the similarities and differences between the departments/units? Considering resource and time limitations, how did you decide which partnerships should be moved ‘up the continuum’? Share examples and rationale. How do you see yourself using the continuum back on campus?

Thank you! Jim Lowe Assistant Vice Provost and Executive Director Center for Career Development Nancy Bilmes Director Center for Career Development