Career Services Manager

Career Guide

A Career Services Manager leads career support programs that help students or job seekers prepare for employment. They manage coaching services, employer partnerships, events, and outcomes reporting to improve placement results and the overall candidate experience.

Key Responsibilities

Lead a team of career coaches and program staff
Set goals for job placement rates and career support usage
Design and improve career readiness programs
Build relationships with employers and hiring partners
Plan career fairs and recruiting events
Create resources for resumes, interviewing, and job search strategy
Track outcomes such as placements, wages, and time to hire
Report results to leadership and recommend improvements
Ensure services are accessible and inclusive for diverse candidates
Manage budgets, vendors, and tools used by the career services team

Top Skills for Success

People Management

Coaching

Stakeholder Management

Program Management

Employer Relationship Building

Event Planning

Outcome Tracking

Data Fluency

Written Communication

Conflict Resolution

Career Progression

Can Lead To

Associate Director of Career Services

Director of Career Services

Director of Employer Partnerships

Head of Career Services

Transition Opportunities

Student Success Manager

Talent Acquisition Manager

Learning and Development Manager

Workforce Development Program Manager

People Operations Manager

Common Skill Gaps

Often Missing Skills

Employer Partnership StrategyPerformance MetricsChange ManagementBudget ManagementProcess ImprovementCareer Market KnowledgeTool Administration

Development SuggestionsBuild a simple outcomes dashboard, document a repeatable employer outreach process, and standardize coaching workflows. Practice presenting monthly results and improvement plans to leadership. Strengthen employer partnership skills through informational interviews with recruiters and hiring managers.

Salary & Demand

Median Salary Range

Entry LevelUSD 55,000 to 75,000

Mid LevelUSD 75,000 to 100,000

Senior LevelUSD 100,000 to 135,000

Growth Trend

Steady demand, especially in higher education, workforce development, and training providers. Hiring is strongest where outcomes reporting and employer partnerships are core to the business model.

Companies Hiring

Major Employers

Universities and collegesCommunity collegesBootcamps and training providersOnline education platformsWorkforce development nonprofitsGovernment workforce agenciesStaffing and recruiting firmsLarge employers with early career programs

Industry Sectors

Higher EducationEducation TechnologyNonprofitPublic SectorStaffing and RecruitingCorporate Human Resources

Recommended Next Steps

Create a 90 day plan focused on outcomes, team health, and employer growth

Audit current career programming and refresh resume and interview resources

Set clear service standards for response times and coaching quality

Define a small set of success metrics and review them weekly

Build an employer target list and start a consistent outreach cadence

Run one pilot program change and measure impact before scaling

Collect candidate feedback after key touchpoints and act on trends