The University of Missouri’s annual Destination Survey asks College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources students who are about ready to graduate about their employment prospects.

This year was different. CAFNR Career Services sent out its own and more detailed survey to students who will graduate Dec. 14.  The new Success Survey will better assess their educational experiences and post-graduation outcomes.

Whitney Kinne, assistant director of CAFNR Career Services, said the new survey, called the CAFNR Success Survey, is customized to the needs of the College such as highlighting the influence of faculty career advising and internships.  The survey also will ask if participation in College organizations made a difference in getting that first job.

The survey asks the students if each has accepted employment, will be entering the military, seeking additional education or pursuing a self-employment opportunity. The survey takes the student into more detailed questions based on that initial response. For example, if the student responds that she or he has not accepted a job, the survey provides the respondent a chance to request CAFNR Career Services contact them directly offering assistance.

That help could involve workshops or online resources to help with resume writing, salary negotiations and networking, a step-by-step online plan for individual professional and personal development, or links to job and internship opportunities on www.HireMizzouTigers.com.

The survey also asks students if they wish to share their employment story in Career Service’s Student Spotlight website as a way to help other students gain insight into career opportunities in their respective fields.

“We will also be able to see the results in real-time, rather than wait until the data has been compiled and analyzed by main campus,” Kinne said. “This gives us the ability to mine the data for trends and specific information.”

The new survey still asks the MU Destination Survey questions as a way to accurately monitor long-term trends.