Placement Officer Duties and Responsibilities

        No two placement officers are exactly alike, as specific skills vary from employer to employer. However, after analyzing online job postings, we identified several core duties and responsibilities common to the job

Research Job Trends

        Placement officers conduct research to learn the skills, abilities, and credentials employers seek for graduates of the school’s departments and majors. They use the university’s degree plans and course descriptions, in addition to coordinating with professors and department heads, to find relevant job titles and industries for graduates.

Provide Career Services to Students

        Helping students create their resumes and cover letters, find internship or externship sites, and apply for jobs in their fields are all part of a placement officer’s duties. They also provide mock interviews to give students practice answering common questions and provide information about companies hiring in the area.

Network with Local Employers

        Having strong relationships with employers helps placement officers set up local partnerships with companies where students can do internships or externships or visit for job shadowing. They also recommend students to these employers after they learn what skills companies prefer from candidates.

Plan Hiring Events

        Planning campus hiring events like job fairs gives students exposure to potential jobs and helps local companies find suitable candidates. Placement officers use their knowledge of job trends and the employer network they have built to bring a variety of employers to the school for a successful event.

Screen Potential Candidates

        Coordinating with employers, placement officers run background checks on students who seek internships or externships to verify students have the prerequisite education and meet all additional requirements for these companies’ positions.

Placement Officer Skills and Qualifications

        Placement officers need a passion for helping students succeed professionally and strong networking skills to coordinate with potential employers. In addition to a bachelor’s degree and around three years of experience in recruiting or career development, employers prefer placement officers who have these skills: