The New Career Services Value Proposition: Balancing Human Connection and Scale in the ROI Era (feat. Christine Cruzvergara)

With public trust in higher ed at an all-time low, and ROI under the microscope, career services is no longer a nice-to-have. It’s central to proving the value of a college degree.

In this episode, Christine Cruzvergara of Handshake joins host Meredith Metsker to discuss how career services leaders can meet this moment with clarity, courage, and strategy. Christine shares how leaders can redefine their value proposition, position their teams as essential partners on campus, and scale their work through tech and human connection—even as a one-person office.

You'll learn:

• Why getting students hired should be your North Star (not just “being innovative”)
• How to reframe your value for senior leaders, admissions, and prospective families
• Ways to scale warm introductions and build a high-impact alumni network
• What advocacy really looks like: Multi-threaded, persistent, and politically savvy
• How to rethink your staffing, services, and story to stay relevant in the future of career services

If you're a career services leader ready to step into the spotlight and lead in this ROI era, this episode is your playbook.

Resources from the episode:

• Christine’s LinkedIn profile
• uConnect
• Handshake
• Leland

Continue the conversation in the Career Everywhere Community! Join 2,000 other higher ed career services leaders today: careereverywhere.com/community