Hiatt Career Center

Hiatt Sees Increases in Satisfaction and Resource Usage

An increasing line graph being drawn on a dry erase board.

In March 2023 Brandeis undergraduates responded to a survey from the Division of Student Affairs on student services as a follow-up to a survey conducted in March 2021. This data will provide insights for future planning within the Hiatt Career Center.

 

“Meeting with the Hiatt staff really helped me at a time period where I felt uncertain in my future and I connected to my current job through Handshake.”

Overall Satisfaction

Satisfaction was measured on a 4-point scale, ranging from Very Satisfied, Somewhat Satisfied, Somewhat Dissatisfied to Very Dissatisfied. 79% of students reported being satisfied with the Hiatt Career Center.

2023: 5% Very Dissatisfied, 16% Somewhat Dissatisfied, 48% Somewhat Satisfied, 31% Very Satisfied. 2021: 6% Very Dissatisfied, 19% Somewhat Dissatisfied, 46% Somewhat Satisfied, 29% Very Satisfied.

Satisfaction by population remained high with students of color (78%), International students (77%), First Generation students (80%), LGBTQIA+ students  (80%), Students with a disability (78%), and students in a Scholarship or Fellowship Group (79%). 

Hiatt Resources and Services

Students were asked to rate the helpfulness of Hiatt resources and services on a 4-point scale, ranging from Very Helpful, Moderately Helpful, Somewhat Helpful to Not Helpful. They were also given the option to indicate if they did not use a particular service or resource.

 

“My appointments helped a lot with working through career choices and building my resume. Handshake has helped with my job search and connecting with companies I hadn't heard of before.”

 

Handshake: 12% Not Helpful, 29% Somewhat Helpful, 30% Moderately Helpful, 29% Very Helpful. Hiatt Appointment: 10% Not Helpful, 19% Somewhat Helpful, 30% Moderately Helpful, 40% Very Helpful. Hiatt Advisor: 9% Not Helpful, 20% Somewhat Helpful, 35% Moderately Helpful, 36% Very Helpful. Hiatt Workshop: 6% Not Helpful, 27% Somewhat Helpful, 38% Moderately Helpful, 30% Very Helpful. Hiatt Career Fair: 13% Not Helpful, 27% Somewhat Helpful, 30% Moderately Helpful, 31% Very Helpful. Hiatt Speaker: 5% Not Helpful, 26% Somewhat Helpful, 35% Moderately Helpful, 33% Very Helpful. Employer Trek: 8% Not Helpful, 16% Somewhat Helpful, 38% Moderately Helpful, 38% Very Helpful.Resource Usage and Helpfulness increased on most measures. Overall satisfaction with career fairs decreased from 2021, but students using career fairs for internships and jobs reported it as being more helpful in 2023 than in 2021.

Top Themes

Helpful Resource: Many students found Hiatt to be an incredibly helpful and supportive resource, providing career guidance and assistance with resumes, cover letters, and job/internship searches. Some students appreciated the accessibility and practicality of the center's resources and services, while others found the staff to be genuinely kind and accessible.

Mixed Experiences: Some students had mixed experiences with the Hiatt Career Center, noting that the quality of advice and guidance varied depending on the student or staff member. Some students found the center to be hit or miss, while others found it to be discouraging and not helpful.

Limited Field Variety: Some students felt that the center could benefit from providing more variety in terms of field-specific resources and events, as they had difficulty meeting with alumni in the same field of interest.

Internship and Job Search

Students who reported they had secured an internship or job rated the helpfulness of various resources on a 4-point scale ranging Very Helpful, Moderately Helpful, Somewhat Helpful to Not Helpful.

 

“Helped me find jobs and apply easily, ended up landing one of the internships I discovered through Handshake!”

 

Attended a Brandeis or Outside Career Event: 18% Not Helpful, 28% Somewhat Helpful, 38% Moderately Helpful, 16% Very Helpful. Met with Faculty, Academic Advisor, or Staff: 14% Not Helpful, 32% Somewhat Helpful, 27% Moderately Helpful, 26% Very Helpful. Met with Hiatt staff or Advisor: 13% Not Helpful, 30% Somewhat Helpful,30% Moderately Helpful, 26% Very Helpful. Networking with Alumni, Faculty or on LinkedIn: 10% Not Helpful, 28% Somewhat Helpful, 26% Moderately Helpful, 36% Very Helpful. Searched on Handshake, Workday, or outside Sites: 14% Not Helpful, 30% Somewhat Helpful, 27% Moderately Helpful, 29% Very Helpful.

Online searches and networking remained the most utilized and helpful tools for students searching for internships and jobs.

Why Surveys Matter

Following the 2021 survey, Hiatt took up a number of initiatives based on feedback including: 

  • Prioritizing First-Year and Sophomore early engagement  
  • Improving student’s overall satisfaction with Hiatt and strengthening Hiatt’s reputation 
  • Expanding DEI efforts, with an aim to improving Students of Color (SOC) utilization and satisfaction 
  • Expanding employer engagement and student’s usage and helpfulness of career fairs  

We are pleased to see increases in satisfaction and resource usage from 2021 to 2023, reflecting increased attention on sharing and promoting Hiatt services. There are still areas of lower satisfaction which require further follow-up to as we seek to find the right balance and approach to recruiting events.

Next Steps

If you have feedback on Hiatt to share, we'd love to hear it. Request a meeting with the Director. 

Hiatt uses this and other data from the community to inform and develop future plans.