I was a bit troubled by Carol Phillips’ post the other day, “What Millennials want at work.”
Phillips talks about yet more research showing that Millennials are different, that they’re more concerned about relationships and making positive change in the world than they are about money and careers. She cites research from Deloitte, and even makes a reference to the question on their home page, “Will the business change you, or will you change the business.”
I followed her link to the Deloitte site, and since they’re supposed to be savvy recruiters, I clicked through as if I were interested in applying for a job.
They seemed to act upon their research. Their recruitment pages were packed with headlines offering “a well-rounded experience,” “turn two years of business school into a lasting contribution to the world” and their Italian page promised recruits would “learn something new every day.”
I was so impressed I almost lied about my age and submitted an application.
Instead, I did an admittedly unscientific study, and went to Google to see what kind of image college and university recruiters are giving. I did a search for “University of” and clicked through the links on the first few pages.
The most common thing I found was a menu or laundry list of programs, faculty, and buildings “located in the historically diverse heart of the city of…”
Another frequent item was news about the campus and the latest research. This might be interesting to alumnae, and maybe even prospective graduate students, but it’s probably not going to be the first thing a Millennial wants to know.
One institution had a headline about their new, chopped up budget front and center on their home page. I’ll give them points for honesty, but the first thing you show a prospective student shouldn’t be the cuts to programs and services. Is that really a good idea?
Another common theme was a “Message From The President,” nearly always an empty speech about “our committment to excellence.” This type of thing is probably a turn-off to most Millennials.
Some of the business schools seemed to do a little better. Right up front there were photos of thoughtful-looking people in far away exotic places, with headlines such as “Educating leaders to make a difference in the world,” and “personal experiences interacting with local people and entrepreneurs.”
Business-minded professionals pay attention to the relevant research, just as medical practitioners, engineers, and even some economists typically do. But somehow, institutions of higher learning are failing to act on the data.
This whole thing troubles me, because I don’t think admissions officers are at fault.
The sense I got from looking at college and university websites is that admissions professionals aren’t given enough of a role in determining the marketing plans of their institutions.
How can the voice of admissions, arguably the the most important element in keeping a campus dynamic and alive, make itself heard?
