It’s well understood that future careers motivate students to pursue higher education. You could ask almost any student – domestic or international – whether career opportunities and outcomes influenced their decision to enroll, and the answer will be yes.
Take the 2024 State of Higher Education study by Lumina Foundation and Gallup. In it, 84% of respondents cited at least one employment-related reason for pursuing (or potentially pursuing) a degree or credential. Another Gallup study found that students who stopped out were less likely to be motivated by career goals (they were more motivated by general learning) – suggesting that career motivations don’t just drive enrollment – they support retention.
Meet Intead!
- Find us at AIRC in Atlanta in December, AIEA in DC in February, and ASU+GSV in San Diego in April. Be in touch to share a cup of coffee in person.
eBook Reboot: 88 Ways to Recruit International Students 2025 update. Your tactical toolkit for the year ahead. Covering all the bases in 10 quick-read chapters. Fosters great ideation discussions with your team.
Our own research on the preferences and motivations of international students aligns with this. We suspect your experience does, too. Broader media reports emphasize that domestic families and students are increasingly focused on career outcomes as the justification for the cost of university. International students and families always have been.
Where we are going with this: the more successful you are at getting students into the careers they want, the more successful you will be at getting students to fill the seats you want.
And yes, we know you’re already telling prospective students that “95% of your graduates get a job or continue on to an advanced degree after graduation.” That’s no differentiator if everyone is saying it, despite its accuracy.
This is where Career Services should chime in. Yet, many (read: most) students view Career Services through a lens of “why bother?” Hard to blame them. Help with resume and cover letter writing is too basic and can be provided by ChatGPT. Mock interviews have value, but there’s SO much more these departments could be doing to help students and your institution’s enrollment growth.
Read on for some interesting data points and our recommendations for improving Career Services with an eye on driving enrollment…
